Ammon Bundy Files for Idaho Governor

Ammon Bundy has filed official papers to run for the Republican nomination for governor. Bundy told the Idaho Press he will make an official announcement in June. He enters an already crowded Republican field challenging incumbent Brad Little.  His filing with the secretary of state's office has already drawn the attention of the Drudge Report.

Bundy has made headlines after his move to the Gem State a few years ago. The Emmet resident first made headlines by organizing an army of grassroots militia groups to defend his father's grazing rights. The standoff led to the Obama Administration backing down, and no one was hurt. I covered that standoff in Bunkerville, Nevada, for several days.

After moving to Idaho, Bundy traveled to Oregon to help members of the Hammond family imprisoned by the Bureau of Land Management. Bundy occupied the Malheur County Wildlife Refuge. He and his brother and several others were arrested while attempting to rally folks against the federal government. Rancher Levoy Finicum was killed by FBI agents when his vehicle ran off the road. I traveled to Oregon to interview the folks that were living on the refuge.

Ammon, Ryan, and Cliven Bundy were all arrested and placed in federal prison. Ammon kept in touch with supporters through phone calls and Facebook lives. Most legal experts believed that the Bundy's would spend the rest of their lives in prison. All of them eventually won their court cases and returned to their homes.

Covid Idaho presented Ammon Bundy with an opportunity to express his disagreement with local law, mask mandates, and who runs the statehouse. He has been arrested several times for not complying with police orders. He is one of the founders of the emerging 'People's Rights Group. Bundy faced criticism for showing up outside of a Meridian Police Officer's home during the many days of the lockdown. The officer has arrested a woman who did not comply with his instructions.

Bundy's candidacy will attract the attention of the voyeuristic national press corps that cares little about the state of Idaho. Critics may not believe Mr. Bundy to be a serious candidate; they would be wrong to underestimate the man who fought the law and won.