Sarah Zabel, a retired U.S. Air Force Major General, is running as an independent candidate in the congressional race for Idaho’s first district. Zabel is up against Republican Rep. Russ Fulcher, who has held the seat since 2019.
On Jan. 27 and 28, Zabel held a “Meet the Candidate” event at the University Inn, where Latah County residents were able to learn more about her campaign.
One of Zabel’s goals, if elected, will be to “challenge both parties to stop calling each other names and get to the issues at hand,” she said during the event.
The overwhelming theme of the night was Zabel’s dedication to a sound economy. The first point on her agenda is to reduce borrowing and health care costs and support small businesses by removing hidden taxes.
Zabel’s campaign website includes policy proposals that address her congressional agenda, including hopes to support the working class through challenges such as artificial intelligence.
“You’ve got to protect the workers [and] protect the people,” said Zabel in an interview with The Argonaut.
Many of the event’s attendees discussed their concerns with job security and the protection of local agriculture. One lentil farmer from Genessee shared an experience where foreign buyers are no longer willing to do business with American growers.
Zabel said she hopes to “get rid of the self-inflicted wounds,” noting that the damage done to foreign relations is being reflected in trade.
Alongside issues surrounding the nation’s relationship with former allies, Zabel also discussed domestic damage, referring to the U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, as “a criminal organization.”
Zabel said she hopes authorities are preserving evidence and that those responsible will be held accountable.
While Zabel was willing to share her beliefs on the activities of ICE and its members, she was unable to do the same for the Trump Administration, citing the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Contempt toward Officials, Article 88, which states, “Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the president…shall be punished as a court-marital may direct.”
Zabel would only go as far as saying, “I do think that the administration is stretching the law and that some of the agents that are acting under them are breaking the law. But I think that justice will catch up with them.”
Other concerns brought to Zabel’s attention were climate change and women’s health. Zabel was clear on her stance for both.
“Climate change is real. It’s real, it’s measurable, it’s a fact,” Zabel said. While she is opposed to solutions like The Green New Deal, proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Dem-NY) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (Dem-V), which she feels does not propose solutions that are “valid or feasible,” she is in favor of funding research to provide solutions that work for the average American.
On women’s health, Zabel said, “I have signed the petition to get the women’s reproductive rights on the Idaho Constitution.” Idaho currently has a total abortion ban, which was enacted after the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
In a comment to The Argonaut after Zabel’s Meet the Candidate event, Native American Democratic Caucus of Idaho Chairwoman, Trish Carter-Goodheart, said, “She represents most people, not just the 1%,” showing her support for Zabel’s campaign.
Addressing the whole of Idaho’s voters, Zabel had one message to share: “[You] are not powerless. [You] have a choice.”
Mackenzie Davidson can be reached at [email protected].