Idaho State Senate District 5 candidate surveys, 2022

Elections in Idaho, 2022

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This article shows responses from candidates in the 2022 election for Idaho State Senate District 5 who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey.

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Candidates and election results

General election

General election for Idaho State Senate District 5

Carl Bjerke won election in the general election for Idaho State Senate District 5 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carl Bjerke (R)	100.0	14,586

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 14,586
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

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Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

Carl Bjerke (R)

1) Maintain confidence in the election process – It is disappointing to see the low numbers of voter turnout.  Our republican form of government requires the people – (of the people, by the people, for the people) to participate in the system.  If there is any question in our future elections that our system of voting is not secure, we can expect a greater level of apathy, with corresponding low voter turnout.  The very existence of what we hold dear in our country, the right to vote and to have that vote count, is in jeopardy of being lost.  For example, a study conducted by the Heritage Foundation listed Idaho as being ranked 38h in voter integrity. 

2) A society will ultimately be the judge of how it takes care of the most vulnerable.  I believe it should be a priority to move forward new and existing proposed legislation that will protect our most precious resource, the unborn and the children of Idaho.  The future of this great state will lie in our desire and ability to secure the rights and freedoms of our next generation.  Although some headway is being made on these fronts, we will need to work on firming up additional legislation that will protect the rights of the unborn, eliminate the indoctrination of our school children, get back to traditional Idaho values.

3) Deviation from the intent of our founding documents, in all its forms, has a disastrous effect on the people of Idaho.  Article IV, Section 4 of the US Constitution guarantees every State in the Union a Republican form of Government, where the sovereignty of the state resides with the people.  A republican form of government respects all the tenets of the rule of law which include supremacy of the law, equality before the law and the principle of liberty.  What happened in the response to the COVID pandemic in Idaho was completely lawless-everything from illegally extending emergency orders and mandates, to forbidding proper governance by preventing the ability of the Legislature to convene and represent the electorate.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Carl Bjerke (R)

I am personally passionate about having government fulfill its roles, as spelled out in the US and Idaho constitutions, where protecting the rights of the citizens takes center stage, rather than protecting and being influenced by big business and special interests. I am passionate about returning Idaho's Legislature to a more representative form of government and maintaining the separations of power. I believe in limited governmental influence over the lives of Idahoans and specifically resent any attempt at government overreach; I believe in freedom and will fight to pass any legislation that returns power to the citizens of Idaho - (of the people, by the people, for the people).

Other than my three key areas above, my focus will be to shore up small business - we lost about 20% of our small businesses over the pandemic. I will legislate to limit the amount of money we are taking from the federal government and to create programs that will incentivize workers to get back into the job market, including enhancing and funding STEM programs.

Taxes are another area that I would concentrate on - I would legislate to completely abolish the grocery tax and work to find equitable solutions to lower property taxes, to allow native Idahoans the opportunity to maintain home ownership, rather than being tax out of their property, with the seemingly never-ending housing inflation.

Lastly, I will fight for legislation that that provides for medical freedom and school choice.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Carl Bjerke (R)

I have had the opportunity to be in the company of many people I admired and could find many reasons to want to emulate them: my father, coaches and leaders in the fire service, etc. But, if I had to follow someone's example, I would pick someone infallible - I would pick someone that in following, I would be assured of never falter, Jesus Christ.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Carl Bjerke (R)

I am a firm believer that the characteristics, principles, morals values, etc. most important to an elected official are those that are acquired before entering office, and those that are keenly vetted and known by the electorate, before entering elected office. The greatest principle should represent the desire to be a true servant leader - someone getting into elected office for their own aggrandizement or ego, is doing it for the wrong reason and is not the right representative.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

Carl Bjerke (R)

I was 16 during the Iran Hostage Crisis, - I remember it vividly, as it happened not too long after the end of the Vietnam war.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Carl Bjerke (R)

My first job was a paper route, when I was 8 years old. My next job was at age 10 delivering papers for the Long Beach Press Telegram. I had that job for about a year, before the Telegram stopped using young kids on bicycles to be carriers.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

Carl Bjerke (R)

The ideal relationship is formed by an acknowledgement that there are distinct powers granted to the executive branch and, likewise, to the legislature. And that each entity should not usurp the power of the other.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

Carl Bjerke (R)

I believe issues of the next decade will revolve around a growing loss of state sovereignty. Idaho receives approximately 49% of its funding from the federal government - approximately 65% of Idaho public lands are owned by the federal government.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

Carl Bjerke (R)

Our government should be a citizen government. The more varied the experiences, the more likely a greater number of citizens will be equally represented.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Carl Bjerke (R)

Compromise is very important; the win, win scenario should be sought, most definitely. This takes good faith on the part of each party. More importantly, knowing that each policy maker is intent on representing their constituents' concerns, it is important to ensure you are equally representing yours. The compromise that looks at each party's concern equally, like they would be representing the others concern, is where true compromise takes place; the give and take that best represents both sides equally.

See also

More about these elections:

• Idaho State Senate elections, 2022

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