Idaho Republicans choose new House majority leader after ousting Megan Blanksma

Republican lawmakers in the Idaho House elected a new majority leader Monday.

Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian, was chosen by the House Republican Caucus as majority leader after Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, was ousted from that seat last week.

“I am humbled and grateful to have received the vote of my colleagues to serve,” Monks said in an emailed statement. “Public service is both a privilege and responsibility. I am dedicated to continuing the work of the passing of good policy for the state of Idaho.”

Blanksma was the first majority leader in living memory to lose her position mid-session and the first woman to serve in the role. Her ouster displayed conflict within the GOP between the party’s far-right and more traditional members — Blanksma was the only member of House leadership to vote against a scaled-down budget bill last week, amid controversy over a new process to approve budgets. Critics have said the new process, which requires that lawmakers pass minimal budgets first without any additional funding, could make it harder to approve new aid for agencies and reduces transparency.

Blanksma also sponsored Gov. Brad Little’s initiative last year to create workforce training and college grants for students pursuing training in in-demand careers, known as Idaho Launch. House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, has been publicly critical of the program and called it a “big government handout.” The bill to fund the program narrowly passed the House by one vote, and most House Republicans opposed it, including Moyle and Monks.

”To say that I am disappointed by today’s outcome would be an understatement,” Blanksma told the Statesman by text last week.

Moyle did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In an interview with the Statesman, Monks said hopes to “help the caucus put forth good legislation.” When asked about Blanksma’s ouster, he declined to offer specifics on how she had split with the other members.

“I’m sure everybody had their own reason why they wanted to make a change,” he said, noting that it came down to a “difference of opinion on which way they wanted the caucus moving forward.”

Monks also serves as chairman of the House Revenue and Taxation Committee. He said Moyle and the party’s leadership have yet to decide whether he will retain that position or whether he will be replaced.