By Dick Dorworth
Dale Ewersen has lived in Bellevue for 43 years where he has served as mayor and member of the city council. Ewersen is running as a Republican against Democrat incumbent Michelle Stennett to represent District 26 in the Idaho Senate in the November election. Ewersen challenged Stennett in 2014 and lost when Stennett tallied 58.7 percent of the votes.
Ewersen told The Weekly Sun that he is running again because “if I win, I can make a difference in the majority caucus in Boise and I think I can win because of the local contacts I’ve made in the past two years.”
Ewersen has been active in the Idaho Republican Party since 2000.
Ewersen feels that government regulation should be kept to a minimum. “The state should not increase the minimum wage: that’s up to the private sector,” his website states. He is also in favor of improving the vetting process for all immigrants, especially those from the Middle East.
As well, Ewersen is concerned about the rights of citizens to defend themselves.
“As government passes more gun regulations, this basic right is eroded,” his website states.
“I am not advocating the sale of federal lands, because title to the land is not as important as practicing sound management principles, including the multiple-use concept…
“The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will eventually collapse under the weight of subsidies, substandard risk pools and federal bureaucracy. This act should be repealed.
“I also support establishing and funding a separate Water Defense Fund, to protect Idaho’s water from out-of-state interests and the EPA’s proposed new definition of water under the Clean Water Act.
“One-half of the state’s budgeting (including federal funds) is spent on education. Education funding is prioritized in restoring the recession-era cuts and is now in line with state revenue. I support the education spending for the current fiscal year, including the career ladder for teacher pay. Parents must continue to be proactive in their children’s education.”
When asked whether businessman and reality television personality Donald Trump winning the Presidency of the United States would be good for the state of Idaho, Ewersen replied, “Yes, I believe so. Trump is pro-business and Idaho is an entrepreneurial state. Trump will implement tax policies that will lead to increased payrolls for the working man.”
Ewersen was born and raised in Port Clinton on the shore of Lake Erie in Ohio. His father was a carpenter. His mother taught in the public school system her entire career. After high school, Ewersen and a friend moved west to attend the University of Idaho, where Dale graduated in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in forestry with a major in wildlife management. He has been married to his wife, Jeanne, for 35 years and they have one daughter and twin granddaughters, who all live in Bellevue.