Justin Plante
I’m a husband, father, and longtime Idahoan with over 30 years in the state. I work as a journeyman mechanic in Twin Falls and have spent my life solving problems, not just talking about them. I’m focused on enforcing laws, cutting waste, and making government work for the people.
Idaho GOP Platform Responses
✓+ Strongly Agree ✓ Somewhat Agree O Somewhat Disagree X Strongly Disagree
| Topic | Candidate’s Explanation | |
|---|---|---|
| ✓+ | Responsibility in Government | These values align with my campaign’s focus on audits, transparency, and waste reduction. |
| ✓+ | Citizen Involvement | These principles are at the heart of my campaign to empower everyday Idahoans and make the government accountable to the people. |
| ✓+ | Education | These values drive my commitment to overhauling education for practical skills, family empowerment, and taxpayer efficiency. |
| ✓+ | Agriculture | This resonates with my background on a family farm and my commitment to putting Idahoans first through rural resilience, water security, and efficient resource management. |
| ✓+ | Water | These principles mirror my commitment to securing our water resources for locals, farmers, and future generations through practical, accountable reforms. |
| ✓+ | Natural Resources / Environment | These principles perfectly align with my focus on sustainable development, rural resilience, and accountable management. |
| ✓+ | Energy | These principles align with my focus on self-reliance, rural prosperity, and efficient resource use without federal overreach or rate hikes. |
| ✓+ | Idaho National Lab | Supporting Idaho’s economic strength, innovation, and self-reliance while advancing safe, efficient nuclear power align seamlessly with my platform. |
| ✓+ | Private Property Rights | These principles are foundational to freedom, self-reliance, and limiting government overreach. |
| ✓+ | State / Federal Lands | These principles reflect my values of prioritizing state sovereignty, local control, and responsible stewardship to benefit Idahoans, not distant bureaucrats. |
| ✓+ | Wildlife | These principles reflect my values to promote balanced, science-based, state-led management that prioritizes Idahoans’ access to our outdoors, protects property rights, and prevents federal overreach. |
| ✓+ | Economy | These principles drive my vision for a thriving, self-reliant Idaho where innovation and hard work are rewarded, not burdened by bureaucracy. |
| ✓+ | Health and Welfare | These principles underscore personal liberty, fiscal conservatism, and limited government intervention. Self-reliance builds strong individuals and states. |
| ✓+ | American Family | These principles reflect my committment to strong families, personal responsibility, and protecting the vulnerable. While I fully support the right to life from conception, I believe in exceptions in cases of rape, incest, and to save the moteher’s life. This is a state’s right issue that should be decided by Idaho voters and legislators. |
| ✓+ | Older Americans | This article reflects my deep respect for Idaho’s elders as pillars of our families and society. I believe seniors deserve policies that empower independence, not hinder it. |
| ✓+ | Law & Order w/ Justice | These principles prioritize safety, personal responsibility, and protecting Idahoans from crime while respecting constitutional rights. I am in favor of regulated cannabis reform with strict rules to reduce black markets, generate tax revenue and prioritize evidence-based benefits |
| ✓+ | Securing the Border | These principles reinforce national sovereignty, state authority, and the safety of Idahoans from federal failures. |
| ✓+ | Election of Idaho Judges | These principles ensure judicial accountability, fidelity to the rule of law, and protection against activist judges. |
| ✓+ | Religious Liberty | These principles safeguard our God-given rights and prevent government overreach into matters of faith. Religious freedom isn’t just a policy, it’s the bedrock of our nation. |
Survey and Interview Responses
How long have you lived in Idaho?
Moved here in 1994. Raised in Franktown, Colorado.
How long have you been a Republican? Any prior party affiliation?
I have been a registered Republican for 34 years.
Have you been involved with any political organizations (IACI, Idaho Majority Club, IFF< etc.)
No.
Have you supported candidates from another party?
I voted for Ross Perot because he was a businessman. Same reason I voted for President Trump.
Why are you running for this office?
I’m running to build honest government that works for Idahoans and strengthens our state through accountability and self-sufficiency.
Have you held elected office before?
No.
What makes you qualified for this role?
I have a working man’s perspective and believe Idaho should be governed by its people—not career politicians.
What are your top priorities in your first year?
Four pillars are the base of my plan for Idaho: Expand audits and transparency; Upgrade Transparent Idaho; Establish a citizen oversight task force; Strengthen accountability. My ultimate goal: A limited efficient government that protects our rights and freedoms, keeps taxes low, and serves the people. See IdahoansFirst.com/theplan
How have you served your community (boards, nonprofits, etc.)?
I’ve served as a youth sports coach for 20+ years and as a firefighter for 15+ years, including as Captain with Rock Creek Fire Department.
Fiscal conservative
Yes. I support limited government, cutting waste, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
Social conservative
Yes. I support traditional Idaho values – protecting life, upholding the rule of law, securing our borders, defending the second Amendment, promoting personal responsibility, family, hard work, and limited government that respects individual freedom and faith.
Share your one minute elevator speech.
I’m Justin Plante, running for governor. I’m a mechanic by trade, not a politician. My approach is simple: government is a machine that just needs a little tender loving care. I got into politics, researched what a governor can and can’t do, and built a full repair manual. It has four main pillars that will make government transparent, more accessible to the people, and run smoother with fewer issues. Every page and every thought is open for everyone to see at Idahoansfirst.com.
What is your plan to advocate for your top priorities?
Most of my priorities are executive orders I can sign on day one using powers the governor already has—no extra cost, no greater tax burden, simple and easily implemented.
Regarding the budget, what criteria will you use to decide which programs to cut or protect?
I will use audits—internal, external, and independent—to find exactly where the money is going, including double payments and mismanagement. Then I will make everything super transparent so the public can hold agencies accountable and eliminate shortfalls. We can protect essentials by cutting waste and inefficiency instead of blanket reductions. This is how we free up resources without hurting core services
What performance metrics should agencies be held to?
i will hold every agency to high efficiency by running audits through multiple AIs—including Honest AI for unbiased views—then letting the Citizens Task Force review everything. The real metric is digging down to every dime and presenting it openly and honestly. Everyone at every level must fulfill their job, relay data openly, and be tracked for results. With Transparent Idaho and one-click FOIAs, we get accurate, timely information that makes accountability easy.
What role should state leaders play in preventing fraud, and how would you ensure accountability?
Already addressed in above answers.
How will you address illegal immigration in Idaho?
I’m not for blanket immunity. If you’re here illegally, repercussions are needed—mainly, deportation. I like Trump’s approach: remove the bad ones first—violent criminals, drug runners, gangs. Idaho has turned a blind eye too long. I want the federal government to speed up the legal process so good workers who want to stay can get in faster. To replace the illegal workforce, I’ll use inmate work programs for non-violent offenders (training them in trades like dairy mechanics) and empower able-bodied people on welfare to take those jobs.
How will you defend parental rights in education?
Parental rights in education are of supreme importance. Parents should have a real say over what their kids are taught in public schools. I believe parents need to be very informed and have a say on decisions made by school boards. We must make sure to reinforce the idea that parents know what’s best for their own children and that they have a voice in the process.
How will you protect Idaho’s interests when dealing with federal agencies and mandates?
I prefer to get away from federal government oversight as much as possible and run most of our dealings in Idaho for Idaho. Empowering the state helps empower the country. I’m for small government, so by building more manufacturing jobs and bringing in more income, we can support ourselves. We won’t be as handcuffed if we stay away from certain federal programs
What is your stance on legalizing marijuana?
I would support regulated, responsible reform of Idaho’s cannabis laws from our legislators as long as it comes with strict rules such as age limits, steep fines/community service for public use, and strong oversight to ensure that revenue benefits Idahoans.
How will you stay accessible and responsive to constituents?
The Citizens Task Force is key—people from low to high levels in every field check data and express issues openly instead of letting them get shoved aside. We will put everything into Transparent Idaho so anyone can scroll, click, and see exactly what they want. I’ll also hold virtual monthly town halls where the people actually involved in each program sit down, live-stream, answer questions, and let citizens from across the state contribute. This brings regular people together and makes them feel truly empowered.
What question do you wish voters were asking—but aren’t?
I wish voters asked more “how” questions instead of just “what.” How are you going to do the programs you say you want? How does that affect us? How does it improve our way of life? How is it best for the state and not just your personal pocketbook? “How” gets to the root cause of the problem. At events and town halls there’s only a short window, so I put every detail on Idahoansfirst.com so people can read the full “how” and see it already answers their questions.