COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho — A four-term northern Idaho Republican senator says she will run to become Idaho's secretary of state.
Sen. Mary Souza of Coeur d'Alene said Tuesday that she's been interested in the job for more than a decade. She says it's important to safeguard election integrity, noting what she calls a tumultuous election last year.
“In the wake of last year’s tumultuous election, it’s clear that to preserve voters’ faith and trust in our democratic process, we must safeguard election integrity,” Souza said in a Facebook post. “That goal will be my lodestar as Idaho’s Secretary of State.”
Republican Secretary of State Lawerence Denney has indicated he's unlikely to run in the 2022 election. Republican Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane has previously announced he's running for the office.
“Idaho elections are at risk from outside influence,” Souza said in the post. “Liberal big tech companies are trying to infiltrate and manipulate our election outcomes. But whether you’re liberal or conservative, free and fair elections should not be a partisan issue. I have worked with legislators from both parties in both houses to increase voting integrity.”
