Twin Falls House Candidate Continues Marijuana Legalization Push
The Idaho 2nd Congressional District Election of 2018 includes a Twin Falls' man who has a noteworthy past when it comes to one of the nation's most debatable topics.Peter Rickards, who is running opposite Aaron Swisher in the Democratic primary, has two main goals right now, the removal of nuclear waste from the Gem State, and making marijuana legal, particularly for medicinal purposes.
Rickards, a former Twin Falls' podiatrist, is no stranger to Idaho's political scene. In 1998, his pursuit to become governor of Idaho (ran as Independent) ended after gaining just 3.2% of votes, in the three-way race with Dirk Kempthorne and Robert Huntley, according to state election archives. He also ran, unsuccessfully, in the 1996 Republican primary ( vs Mike Crapo), and again in the state legislature race of 2008.
In 2013, Rickards was arrested after a search warrant yielded more than 30 marijuana plants, and over four pounds of processed marijuana, from his Twin Falls home, according to his arrest file. Rickards is once again the underdog, due in large part to the state's knowledge of his past.
High health insurance premiums, and the presence of nuclear waste in Idaho, are two other issues Rickards would like to see dealt with, according to his website.
State elections will take place November 6, 2018.