Mike Pohanka for Idaho House District 26 Seat A

Mike Pohanka

State Representative Legislative District 26 Seat A

Biography and Background

I am Mike Pohanka, and I am running for District 26, Seat A for Jerome, Lincoln and Blaine Counties. I am here to be your voice and represent you.

I am a proud, first-generation citizen born in Twin Falls, Idaho, and I have been a Jerome County resident for the past 32 years. My parents emigrated from Czechoslovakia and Germany. My father escaped Czechoslovakia in the late 1940’s from Communism. They taught me strong work values and ethics. I learned that you must work hard in life for what you want and not to expect things to be handed to you. I have been married to my wife, Susan for 44 years and have two children and 10 grandchildren.

I have a Bachelors Degree in Management Technology and a Masters Degree in Business Management. I have been employed at Buttrey Foods, Idaho Power and the College of Southern Idaho as an Economics Professor. I have enjoyed community volunteer work as a Little League coach, Board member and President of the Jerome and Twin Falls Chambers of Commerce, Jerome High School Boosters and Jerome Rotary Club. I was a former Reserve Deputy and am a current Chaplain of the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office and Idaho State Police. I was a recipient of the Citizen of the Year Award and Lifetime Achievement with Jerome Chamber of Commerce and the Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International.

Top 3 Issues

Issue 1

Education-As our population has grown so have our educational needs. I have met and will continue meeting with our local school districts to see what can be done to meet those needs. COVID and remote learning caused our children to fall behind in subjects across the board. We need to keep our children in the classroom as this is the key to our student’s health and success.

Issue 2

Water- Water is the lifeblood our our agriculture industry. We must continue to look for ways to conserve this vital resource. As fast as our state population is growing, we must make sure that will have enough water to serve those needs. One option may be reclaiming waste water whether is be from manufacturing, or waste treatment plants. Idaho’s water rights must be protected and preserved for agriculture, tourism, manufacturing and our day to day needs. We must do everything to preserve water for our future generations.

Issue 3

Transportation and Public Safety- As the valley has grown, so have our transportation needs. One solution is to work towards building a third bridge to help ease traffic off the Perrine Bridge and give commuters an alternate route in and out of Twin Falls. By having a third bridge, it will help move commerce more smoothly and efficiently through the valley. We need to defend our law enforcement and not defund. We need to make sure our Law Enforcement Agencies are adequately staffed and funded. With the influx of illegal drugs that continue to flow into Southern Idaho, I will fight to make sure our police agencies have what they need to combat this issue.

Integrity in Affiliation

Submission: Yes

“I have read the Idaho Constitution and the Idaho Republican Party Platform. I support the Idaho Republican Platform and accept it as the standard by which my performance as a candidate and as an officeholder should be evaluated. I certify that I am not a candidate, officer, delegate or position holder in any party other than the Republican Party.”