Former Idaho State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield secured the Republican nomination for the state’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, swiping the victory from two-term incumbent Sherri Ybarra. The Associated Press called the race around 10 a.m. Wednesday, after Critchfield secured 40% of the vote.
Ybarra took third place in the race with 26% of the vote, while far-right challenger and State Senator Brandon Durst took home 34%.
Critchfield’s campaign manager, Tyler Hurst, spoke to Boise State Public Radio at the Republican primary headquarters Tuesday. He says his candidate wants more focus on career education.
“We are looking at asking for some required classes, maybe a financial literacy class. We’ve got kids that graduate with four courses of calculus but they can’t balance a checkbook.” Hurst said. “Just some more integrated, pragmatic education.”
Critchfield will go up against Democrat Terry Gilbert in November’s general election, who ran unopposed in his party’s primary.
The Ybarra campaign did not reply by deadline for comment.
