BOISE, Idaho — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little and Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin both filed to run for governor on Friday, ensuring a tense competition between two GOP candidates.
The deadline for candidates to file to run for office is 5 p.m. Friday.
According to Little's campaign, he has already received $1.6 million in campaign contributions.
Little was elected to his first term as Idaho governor in 2018.
“As Governor, my priority has been to make Idaho the best place to live, do business, and raise a family," Little said in a news release. "During my first term, together, we achieved billions in historic tax relief, record investments in transportation, and continued our strong support for education in Idaho – and we are just getting started!”
McGeachin announced she had filed for candidacy through a video posted on her Facebook campaign page.
"I can't wait for this opportunity for the people of Idaho and our great state, and the opportunities that exist, so stay tuned for more next week," McGeachin said in the video.
McGeachin has been critical of the way Little has handled the COVID-19 pandemic, calling him a liar in a Twitter post from March 10.
Little has never enforced statewide vaccine or mask mandates and tried to keep the economy open during the early stages of COVID's arrival in Idaho. McGeachin, however, claimed this is untrue in the aforementioned post.
Tension between the two has been building; McGeachin has issued multiple executive orders during short stints as acting governor when Little has traveled out of the state, and Little rescinded each one shortly after returning.
In Idaho, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run on separate tickets.
Ammon Bundy is among a slew of candidates who filed to run for office earlier this week. Bundy is running for governor as an independent, though he initially said he'd run as a Republican. GOP House Speaker Scott Bedke and Rep. Priscilla Giddings, R-White Bird, are among those running for lieutenant governor.
The primary election is May 17 and the general election is Nov. 8. The full list of candidates can be found at the Idaho Secretary of State's website.
This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press, read more on IdahoPress.com.
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