Kent A. Marmon

Marmon was a Caldwell City Council member and had previously served as a Caldwell School District trustee. He is endorsed by the advocacy arm of the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF), an ultra-conservative and influential policy group.

Some of his top issues are eliminating the sales tax on groceries, reforming or repealing property taxes, opposing any potential mask or vaccine mandates, and adding “school choice” by allowing state funds to go toward private schooling, according to his website.

Idaho State Treasurer Ron Crane, battered in recent years by charges of padding expenses, excessive state-funded travel and mismanagement of state investments, now faces a wrongful-termination claim that alleges a former deputy was fired for trying to stop some of the office’s excesses.

Nicole Hyland, a hardline conservative who ran unsuccessfully for Caldwell school board in 2023, filed for the House seat Friday. Caldwell Republican Kent Marmon has already filed in the race, and has raised money from at least two donors aligned with the Idaho Freedom Foundation.

House Education Committee Chairwoman Julie Yamamoto has reported $8,000 in donations; her likely primary opponent, fellow Caldwell Republican Kent Marmon, has raised $3,000.