Republican Senator Dan Foreman stormed out of a bipartisan event after accosting another candidate, a Native-American woman, in a racist outburst.
The forum, a "Meet Your Candidates" event, was organized by both Republican and Democrat representatives. The event took place at VFW hall in Kendrick, Latah County, allowing members of the community to ask candidates questions about their stances directly. Only 3 candidates answered questions from the crowd, but all 6 Republican incumbents, as well as their Democratic competitors, attended the event.
During the event, Sen. Foreman was asked if discrimination existed in Idaho, to which he responded that it didn't. He said he didn't see racism in the Idaho community, and that people's perceptions and sensitivities led them to believe that discrimination was an issue in the state.
Democratic candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart was then presented with the same question, which she answered differently.
"I basically just stood up, and I said, you know, just because this isn't your lived experience does not mean that discrimination and racism don't exist today," Carter-Goodheart told KTVB. "And these are, you know, very real experiences of so many Idahoans, and it's not an Idaho issue. It's a national and even global issue."
Before she could finish her response, Sen. Foreman shot out of his chair and yelled "I'm so tired of your liberal bull****. Go back to where you came from!" before storming out of the event.
Carter-Goodheart is a member of the Nez Pierce Tribe in Idaho, making Foreman's statements all the more ironic.
"The real irony in it is where this forum was taking place in Kendrick, Idaho—literal miles just within miles. We have lots of land that are being leased out to family farms," Carter-Goodheart said. "This is exactly where I'm from. I was like, in my mind, I was thinking, I was like, yeah, this is exactly where I can belong."
In a statement she released following the event, Carter-Goodheart expressed her disappointment in what should have been a "respectful and constructive" public candidate forum.
"...just because someone hasn’t personally experienced discrimination doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Racism and discrimination are real issues here in Idaho, as anyone familiar with our state’s history knows." - Trish Carter-Goodheart https://t.co/RVbm2vwsMG pic.twitter.com/SDMNTeIpsf
— Jeanne Timmons (@MostlyMammoths) October 3, 2024
"What happened last night was a reminder of why this election matters. I am a proud member of the Nez Pierce tribe, fighting to represent the land my family has lived on for generations," read the statement. "People like Dan Foreman do not represent our diverse community, and I will continue to stand against the hatred and racism they spread. Our state deserves better. Our community deserves better. We deserve better."
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