Rancher who led armed occupation of federal land running for governor in Idaho
Ammon Bundy, the rancher who ran an armed occupation of federal land in Oregon in 2016, has announced he's running for governor in Idaho.
One person was killed and another was wounded as state and federal authorities arrested Bundy and several others with him, after they had occupied a national wildlife refuge in Oregon for over three weeks. Bundy said he left the militia movement in 2018, citing a backlash for opposing then-President Trump's stance on migrant caravans. He was arrested again in May after failing to attend his trial on charges that he trespassed during the state's legislative session in fall 2019.
"I'm Ammon Bundy and I'm running for Governor of the great state of Idaho," Bundy said on his website. "I won't bore you with the typical platitudes from politicians about how they're strong conservatives, and how they support small business and education and all that. Nor will I pose in a hard hat at some random worksite talking to workers, nor will I show you pictures of me reading books to little children. I'm running for Governor because I'm sick and tired of all of this political garbage just like you are. I'm tired of our freedoms being taken from us and I'm tired of the corruption that is rampant in our state Government."
Bundy also claimed President Biden is controlled by the "deep state," and said that the president and the deep state are "going to try to take away our gun rights, freedom of religion, parental rights, and more."
But Bundy will have a handful of competitors when the gubernatorial race takes place in 2022.
The incumbent is Governor Brad Little, a Republican who took office in January 2019. Idaho has no term limits for governors. Janice McGeachin, the current lieutenant governor of the state, has also announced a run, along with a handful of other contestants.