Treg A. Bernt

An incumbent senator from Meridian will face an Idaho Freedom Foundation-backed opponent in the primary race for District 21 Idaho Senate.
Sen. Treg Bernt is being challenged by Meridian dietician and diabetes educator Brenda Bourn in the Republican primary. Bernt, a former Meridian City Council member, is in his first term. Bourn in 2022 ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate against Mike Crapo. This would be her first time in elected office.

“Bills like this impact real people,” Mathews said. “I’m here actually asking you to see me and to see us. We are human beings. We are your neighbors. We are your constituents. We are valuable members of this community. We are taxpayers. And we deserve access to medically necessary access to benefits as any other Idahoan would.” Sen. Treg Bernt, R-Meridian, thanked Mathews for his testimony. “I appreciate you, I appreciate your strength, and I appreciate your courage to stand up and testify,” he said. Bernt, alongside Sens. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d’Alene; Chuck Winder, R-Boise; Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, voted in favor to advance the bill.

Earlier in the session, conservative hardliners joined Senate Democrats to shoot down a similar bill. The conservatives argued Senate Bill 1289 didn’t go far enough to restrict access to “harmful” books. Just four Republicans joined all seven Senate Democrats in opposing HB 710. Sens. Treg Bernt of Meridian, Linda Wright Hartgen of Twin Falls, Abby Lee of Fruitland and Julie VanOrden of Pingree voted “no.”