Doug King to challenge as independent

Doug King will challenge incumbent Larry Rose for the Elmore County Commission district two seat as a write-in candidate in the Nov. 4 election.

King ran against Rose in the primary contest but lost by 65 votes. He said he is running as a write-in at the encouragement people who want him to run because the race was close.

"I figured I'd give them the option," King said.

King, 52, is a partner in Diamond Laundry. He said through his business and deliveries, he gets the chance to talk to people from the entire county and the air base.

"I've had a lot of conversations with a lot of people," he said. "I get to hear a lot, see what's going on in the county and see a lot of different things. I want to try to make the county a better place. I think it needs someone that is going to listen to the people."

If elected, the Mountain Home native would like to see the commissioners look into taking a pay cut and look at hiring a full-time manager/economic developer that can bring new businesses in or have a full-time commissioner at the court house while the other two work part-time. He thinks the $35,364 annual salary is too much for someone who goes to weekly meetings.

King said the county needs to get something done with the ambulances but he wasn't sure what the answers were.

He said the proposed power plant near Hammett could be a good thing for the county but a person needs to check all the facts before making a decision on such a matter.

King ran in a three-way primary for the same seat in 2004 and lost. He has served on the planning and zoning commission, the Elmore County Soil and Water Conversation Board and the county ag coalition committee.