Richard Marsh
Born and raised in Twin Falls, I dedicated nearly forty years to serving our nation. This included 22 years in the Air Force as a Master Sergeant and First Sergeant, followed by 16 years as a career U.S. Diplomat. Since retiring in 2020, I have felt called to serve Idaho. I am a fiscal conservative who enjoys helping people and making Idaho a better place for families. I have been married to my wife Tracie for 44 years and we attend Parkview Christian Church.
Idaho GOP Platform Responses
✓+ Strongly Agree ✓ Somewhat Agree O Somewhat Disagree X Strongly Disagree
| Topic | Candidate’s Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| ✓+ | Responsibility in Government | I do not support the privatization of social security, and am concerned with constitutional tampering in general. |
| ✓+ | Citizen Involvement | I support the 16th and 17th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, and term limits. |
| ✓+ | Education | I support strong oversight of our tax dollars. |
| ✓+ | Agriculture | N/A |
| ✓+ | Water | We need to be more proactive to defend water as a natural resource. |
| O | Natural Resources / Environment | We have a duty to protect our state’s resources from unnecessary or unlawful exploitation. |
| ✓+ | Energy | N/A |
| ✓+ | Idaho National Lab | N/A |
| ✓+ | Private Property Rights | N/A |
| ✓+ | State / Federal Lands | N/A |
| ✓+ | Wildlife | N/A |
| ✓+ | Economy | N/A |
| ✓ | Health and Welfare | I will support repeal when alternative proposals for replacement can demonstrate lower costs for most consumers. |
| ✓+ | American Family | N/A |
| ✓+ | Older Americans | N/A |
| ✓+ | Law & Order w/ Justice | N/A |
| ✓+ | Securing the Border | N/A |
| ✓+ | Election of Idaho Judges | Concerned about making judges partisan and creating more career politicians. |
| ✓+ | Religious Liberty | N/A |
Survey and Interview Responses
How long have you lived in Ada County?
Since 1974 and moved back in 2021 after military and U.S. foreign service.
How long have you been a Republican? Any prior party affiliation?
Since I turned 18 in 1979
Have you been involved with any political organizations? (IACI, Idaho Majority Club, IFF, etc.)
No
Have you supported candidates from another party?
No
Why are you running for this office?
I am not a career politician and would like to see more accountability for elected officials
Have you held elected office before?
None
What makes you qualified for this role?
I have a history of leadership, deep sense of patriotism, and commitment to doing right by constituents who want to see integrity and accountability from their elected officials.
If elected, what 2-3 actions do you intend to pursue in your first year?
Terms limits, ban on dark money in elections, and restoring funding for the Attorney General’s Idaho Crimes Against Children Task Force.
How have you served your community (boards, nonprofits, etc.)?
None
Do you consider yourself fiscally conservative?
Yes, I consider myself a strong fiscal conservative. I believe the standard Republican ideals of small government.
Do you consider yourself socially conservative?
Yes, I believe abortion is morally wrong.
Give us your one-minute elevator speech for the campaign.
I bring 22 years of military service and 16 years in the foreign service, and I want to bring a more diplomatic approach to the legislature. I support term limits, have pledged not to take PAC money, and believe in serving as a citizen legislator rather than building a political career. My focus is on representing my constituents and working for their best interests. I am not a career politician, and have no desire to become one. I’m not out to make a name for myself. I have already had two very successful careers and have been comfortably retired for the last five years. I just want to serve and honestly represent my constituency.
What are your top three priorities, and what would you act on first?
I plan to build coalitions with both like-minded and partially aligned legislators to advance priorities. My focus areas include supporting education, law enforcement and first responders, and the military. I believe collaboration is key to making progress on these issues.
The party calls for reducing non-core state spending. Which programs would you cut or sunset, and what principles guide your budget decisions?
My approach is to evaluate spending by asking whether a program is truly needed and whether it is essential or simply a “nice to have.” I would need to study specific programs more before identifying what to cut or sunset, but my guiding principle is prioritizing necessary spending.
Do you support education dollars following students to the school their parents choose, including private schools? Why or why not?
Housing affordability requires balancing growth with infrastructure. Boise has experienced cycles of rapid population growth that strain infrastructure, followed by efforts to catch up. We need to build more stability into growth planning so housing can become more affordable over time.
Housing costs and property taxes are major concerns. What specific state actions would you support, and what tradeoffs are you willing—or not willing—to make?
Getting into the housing market today is extremely difficult. I wish I had a great answer, but I don’t. I would support legislation that shows promise in solving this dilemma.
What is your position on holding employers accountable for knowingly hiring undocumented workers in Idaho?
If employers knowingly hire illegal workers, they should be held accountable. However, if an employer is misled, that situation should be treated differently and evaluated as an unintentional violation.
What is your stance on the legalization of marijuana?
While I oppose legalizing recreational marijuana, I would respect the will of the voters in supporting tightly controlled therapeutic use when prescribed by a licensed physician under established medical best practices, if passed by ballot initiative.
Medicaid costs are rising, and access remains a concern. What long-term reforms would you support to control costs, improve access, and protect taxpayers?
Healthcare support should focus on maintaining basic, life-sustaining needs. Government programs should prioritize essential care rather than more extensive or extraordinary measures.
Would you oppose multi-subject bills—even if you support part of them? Why or why not?
I oppose multi-subject legislation. Bills should be clear, focused, and limited to a single subject to maintain transparency and avoid hiding unrelated provisions.