James Dawson:
First of all, this is obviously your second term, like one and a half.
Rep. Ned Burns (D-Bellevue)
Yeah, I'm like sophomore-ish. Right?
[Editor’s note: Rep. Burns was appointed in 2021 to serve the remainder of former Rep. Muffy Davis’ (D-Ketchum) term]
Dawson:
Almost.
Burns:
Now I know my way around. I know a lot of the people. That's the most convenient part. Like, the hilarious thing for me was we get a two-day orientation session for freshmen and I chose to do it.
For all the brand new freshmen, they felt like they were kayaking a Class V river and I felt like I was canoeing on a flat lake because I got that same orientation in half a day last year.
Dawson:
For folks who don't know you for your year and a half here in the legislature, what's your background?
Burns:
So, I grew up in Twin Falls, born and raised in Twin Falls, went to college in Montana, at University of Montana, and then.
Dawson:
Soon to be part of Greater Idaho.
Burns:
No, we are soon to be part of Greater Montana.
When [Rep. Colin Nash (D-Boise)] made that map two days ago, he showed it to me and [Blaine County] was left off and I was like, “Dude, you are not leaving me. Take me with you.” So, he drew the map and added me in.
But after I got out of college, I stayed in Twin for like six months, had an opportunity to move up to Bellevue, had a decent job opportunity, and plus, I wanted to hunt and fish and ski, and I didn't want to do that in Twin Falls. So away I went. I’ve really never left.
Met a girl shortly thereafter, the classic tale. Fell in love, got married, no kids and I actually followed in her footsteps in a lot of the civic things.
She was the first one to be on city council, and then I won election to city council. She was the first one to substitute in the legislature, and then I substituted in the legislature and it was like an absolute fish on a hook.
Dawson:
So why are you here and not her?
Burns:
First of all, because she's less willing to work across the aisle than I am. She she has, I think, a more firm distinction of like what she's willing to do… Like, I understand the party mechanics, I think, a lot better than she does and understand that somebody may vote for something, but they might not believe in it. But you know, it's what they've got to do to stay here, to do the things that they want to do. And she can't tolerate that.
Dawson:
That's fair. That's a very important skill.
Burns:
Yeah, for sure.
Dawson:
So why did you ultimately decide to run for caucus chair?
Burns:
Well, I basically got swindled into it by the other members of my caucus. You know, a lot of the folks that had been here previously, they wanted to continue to do the lanes that they wanted to work in, to do the things that they wanted to accomplish. I saw it as an ability for me to have, I think, a bit more access to getting the things done that I wanted to.
I look at what [Assistant Minority Leader Lauren Necochea (D-Boise) and [Minority Leader Ilana Rubel (D-Boise)] do in their role and they can cause more of a ruckus out on the floor. Then I try and go and say like, “Hey, where can we find areas to compromise on things?”
I think it's just a difference in roles and a difference in how we choose to utilize those roles. I truly enjoy it. Even though I've got a small caucus, at times, it can still be hard to wrangle.
It's given me an opportunity to get to know my fellow caucus members, I think, deeper, have different conversations with them. How are you doing? What can I help you with? All that kind of thing? Do you need any help? You need help talking to a chairman? Do you need help finding co-sponsors? Blah, blah, blah.
Dawson:
I was going to ask you to explain a little bit more about what the role does, because I think a lot of people, when they hear “caucus chairman,” they don't necessarily have any frame of reference for what that person might do.
Burns:
First of all, I tried to get [the title on] my door changed from Minority Caucus Chairman to Minority Whip, but they wouldn't let me do it.
I wrangle votes, I help find out where people are on [their] positions. Are we going to be in a position where we can make an impactful vote and if we might be one or two short, try and see what it's going to take to help get those folks to help make that impactful vote, whether it's either for or against.
You help whip the committee votes. If one of my folks is carrying something and, you know, it's a tougher committee and I've got relationships on that committee, I'm going to go talk to those members on that committee and be like, “Hey, this is a good bill. Help us. Let's do something good for Idaho.”
Dawson:
Are you more of a velvet glove or a chainmail glove when it comes to whipping votes?
Burns:
It's situational. There was a little bit of heartburn from a couple of folks on [the Idaho Launch Program], and it was like, “I don't care. I don't care about your heartburn. This is the right thing to do for 12,000 graduating seniors.
Dawson:
Well, it meant something because it only passed by one vote
Burns:
Yeah, exactly. But you know what I mean? You can vote your district, you can vote your conscience. We don't vote as a monolith. There's no expectation except for a couple of times.
There's a lot of expectation from my friends across the aisle about how to vote and they'll tell us, “I don't like this,” but they've got to toe the line. Got to ride for the brand.
Dawson:
You talked about working with Republicans a lot. How involved are you with their leadership team? I mean, do you have meetings every week or anything?
Burns:
We don't have set meetings. I talk to them all the time. I’ve got good relationships with almost all of them.
Dawson:
Care to say who you don't?
Burns:
No, and even that relationship, it ebbs and flows. I mean, it's not like it's terrible.
The other relationships are all very, very collegial. We talk seemingly daily. We talk on close votes, “Where are you guys on this? Where are you guys on that?” Obviously, I work pretty closely with [Majority Caucus Chair Dustin Manwaring (R-Pocatello)] to make sure that we always get pairs covered.
[Editor’s note: pairing means two lawmakers who plan to cast opposing votes can let the House Clerk know their choice in advance. That way, they don’t have to be physically present in the chamber to vote]
Dawson:
So, what about being caucus chair appeals to you?
Burns:
Honestly, for me, I think the ability to have more conversations across the aisle. This position comes with a modicum of more importance in the body. So, I've been able to be part of a lot more conversations about policy than I think I would be otherwise and if I can use that position to help effect more good policy, then that's how I want to use it.
Dawson:
Do you have any higher aspirations?
Burns:
I'm an Idaho Democrat. I know where my ceiling is and I’m basically bumping up on it.
Dawson:
Well, until Rep. Rubel or Necochea leaves.
Burns:
Well, I mean, yeah, sure. But people are like, “What about running for statewide office?” I'm like, “I don't like to lose elections. I only like to win them.”
Dawson:
You don't want to be the next Cecil Andrus?
Burns:
I would love to be, but I don't think that's in the cards anytime soon.
Dawson:
You're the previous mayor of Bellevue. Why did you decide to move from that position, which is more of like a CEO-type position to one where you're one of 70?
Burns:
That's an interesting question. First of all, I think the ability for me to affect state policy was very appealing. For me to be one of 105 people in the state that sets policy was a really, really exciting opportunity and when I get stopped in the grocery store now they're like, “Hey, what's going on with this or that?” It's not like, “Why didn't you fix the potholes?”
Dawson:
I always have a Song of the Week [in my newsletter] trying to relate it to whatever happens the previous week in the legislature. Do you have a pick right now off the top of your head? If you don't, you can default to whatever is stuck in your head or has been recently.
You know what? I have been listening to a song that I like a lot, and I'll tell you that it's not a Phish song, although I listen to a whole lot of Phish.
Dawson:
Why weren't you born in Vermont [where Phish formed in 1983]?
Burns:
I ask myself that all the time. [Rep. Chris Mathias (D-Boise)], he's from Vermont.
Dawson:
Oh, he is?
Burns:
Yeah, and he’s got friends that know the members of the band. I'm going to see them in April in Seattle. I've been to more Phish shows than I should probably admit.
Dawson:
I'm sure that gets Republicans talking.
Burns:
Yeah, exactly. The song that I had been listening to a bunch lately is “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Leon Russell.
Dawson:
Oh, Leon Russell's fantastic.
Burns:
Leon Russell is amazing. I was bartending in Hailey a very long time ago at the Mint, and he played a show there.
Leon Russell was like 1,000,005 years old at that point. He died a couple of years after he played there. They basically carried him upstairs, carried him onto the stage, put him in front of his piano and he played for 75 minutes. Exactly. And was gone. That was it.
Dawson:
But how was it?
Burns:
I didn't know his music that well then, but it was really, really good.
Dawson:
What's your favorite thing about the Capitol? It can be about the building itself. It could be about the people. Whatever.
Burns:
My favorite thing about the Capitol, honestly walking in the dark and seeing the Capitol all lit up and just being in awe of of all the work that's been done in here and being able to be a part of it.
We get smacked around most of the time, but that doesn't mean that we're not going to continue to do the work and keep fighting hard for the people of Idaho. And it's an unbelievable honor to be able to be here and to do this.
Follow James Dawson on Twitter @RadioDawson for more local news.
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