Sarah Zabel

“I spent decades in the military, where politics had to stay out of the room. I was a Republican throughout that time, but I never told anyone that and they never told me what they were. We just worked the mission. That’s what we need now: a Congress that works for the people, not the parties.”

“It's blatantly unconstitutional, the fact that Congress has managed to kind of swim on through and ignore the Act is really very disturbing”

“When I retired in 2018, I had always assumed that I was Republican. But I retired into this world where I could not recognize the Republican Party as it wasn't the sort of values and the worldview that I had grown up with”

“The Republican Party used to have principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility. It has flipped those entirely, and yet the institutions and the pundits seem to think that all of Idaho just suddenly flipped with that.”

“https://www.idahopress.com/elections/why-an-ex-gop-independent-is-challenging-rep-russ-fulcher/article_1d505bcb-a512-4ee4-a9d6-c3d08fccd80e.html Why an ex-GOP independent is challenging Rep. Russ Fulcher | Idaho State Election Coverage | idahopress.com Skip to main content You are the owner of this article. Edit Article Add New Article Close You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Facebook Twitter LinkedIn YouTube Instagram Sign Up Log In Dashboard Logout My Account Dashboard Profile Saved items Logout Subscribe Today Or get a Day Pass for only $1.99! Newsletters Sign up for news in your inbox every day! 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Subscribe Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save For Idaho District 1 congressional candidate Sarah Zabel, the decision to run for office as an independent came out of witnessing polarization in her community during the 2024 presidential election. “In Bonner County, if you look on a political map, you’re going to see a dark red sponge around Bayview,” Zabel, who hails from the far north of the state, told the Idaho Press during a campaign trip to the Treasure Valley. “But I know my neighbors, I talk to my neighbors, and I know that it doesn’t represent who we are, what we value, what we want to see done.” The retired Air Force major general, who worked in computer systems and cybersecurity, moved to the Gem State in 2020 and was a registered Republican until eight years ago. She said that for many Idahoans, the recent presidential election was a matter of voting “against,” rather than about enthusiasm for either side on their own merits. She saw both major parties as being overly concerned with runaway spending and interfering with people’s business. “I retired in 2018, and then you go through the whole 2020 and the polarization around COVID and COVID responses, and then everything going into the 2024 election where getting the job done is not even a second priority,” she said. “The priorities all have to do with our elected officials stoking conflict, keeping their power base, making money.” Examining her own background, including her three decades of military service and her work for the global policy think tank RAND Corporation, she decided to enter the race to represent the middle ground between two familiar names: four-term Republican incumbent Rep. Russ Fulcher and Democratic challenger Kaylee Peterson, who faces Fulcher for the third consecutive time this November. It will be a steep climb: the last time a candidate was elected to the House of Representatives as an independent was in 2000 (several others have switched to independent from the major party they were initially elected with during what would be their last term). But Zabel garnered signatures from Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and fellow independents when she was accumulating the requisite amount for ballot access. “We have independents running for governor and for Senate, and they are legitimate candidates, but you won’t see that discussed. We’re just assumed away,” she said. “The Republican Party used to have principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility. It has flipped those entirely, and yet the institutions and the pundits seem to think that all of Idaho just suddenly flipped with that.” Zabel mentioned the national debt, Social Security and immigration reform as areas demanding not-currently-taken action from Congress. Do you LOVE local news? Get Local News Headlines in your inbox daily. Yes! Include special offer& contest announcement emails Thanks! You'll start receiving the headlines tomorrow! She referenced a recent report forecasting that Social Security recipients will see a 22% reduction in their benefits without reform to the program, stating that people like her who retire fairly wealthy should take cuts. “We have an immigration system that is not set up to do what employers need, especially in this area with the temporary seasonal workers. Seasonal is nine months. If you’re a dairy farmer or a rancher, there is no nine-month season. It’s year-round,” Zabel said. “Straightening out immigration helps broaden the base of people who are paying (into Social Security)” Zabel has a section addressing artificial intelligence on the Policy Priorities section of her website, and mentioned it as a way to minimize government interference with business and everyday life. She argued that satellite imaging should be utilized to streamline the process of renewing a grazing permit, for example, so that it could be determined whether an area was being overgrazed without requiring visits from multiple agencies. But she also has concerns about deepfakes and the increased capability of AI image generators heading into the 2028 presidential election. “They’re getting harder to identify,” she said of AI-created images. “You see somebody has six fingers - OK, probably not, they used to be kind of sloppy. But it’s not just the hardcore Democrats and hardcore Republicans who want to, you know, mess with everything. You’ve got foreign powers also.” She admitted that her campaign logo was designed with the help of AI. Zabel cited the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act - authorizing grants and loans for the construction or improvement of housing and increasing public welfare investments for banks - and the Major Richard Star Act, authorizing combat-injured veterans to receive retirement and disability payments without offset, as examples of currently pending federal legislation that she admired. The author of a self-published book on the biology of depression, she says that more than half of her campaign expenses so far have been covered by her own $30,000 contribution. She is not running TV commercials but has invested in digital advertising, and said she would love to debate her major-party rivals if they are willing. “It was very informative to me that to get on the ballot, since (independents) don’t have a primary, I had to get signatures on a petition,” Zabel said. “I understand why people doubt (an independent candidate’s chances), but I think they ought to talk to their neighbors and realize that so many people are not happy with their representation.” (5 Ratings) Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Kelly Holm Reporter Author email Follow Kelly Holm Recommended for you Load comments Footer Offer Promo Join now to get home delivery for as low as $10/month, any way you want it! Already a member? Login Here Local News Worth Holding Sign up for a new subscription today and get home delivery or digital-only access for only $10/month!. Join Today! © Copyright 2026 Idaho Press 1618 N. Midland Blvd., Nampa, ID | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Powered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital”

“In Bonner County, if you look on a political map, you’re going to see a dark red sponge around Bayview,” Zabel, who hails from the far north of the state, told the Idaho Press during a campaign trip to the Treasure Valley. “But I know my neighbors, I talk to my neighbors, and I know that it doesn’t represent who we are, what we value, what we want to see done.” The retired Air Force major general, who worked in computer systems and cybersecurity, moved to the Gem State in 2020 and was a registered Republican until eight years ago. She said that for many Idahoans, the recent presidential election was a matter of voting “against,” rather than about enthusiasm for either side on their own merits. She saw both major parties as being overly concerned with runaway spending and interfering with people’s business. “I retired in 2018, and then you go through the whole 2020 and the polarization around COVID and COVID responses, and then everything going into the 2024 election where getting the job done is not even a second priority,” she said. “The priorities all have to do with our elected officials stoking conflict, keeping their power base, making money.” Examining her own background, including her three decades of military service and her work for the global policy think tank RAND Corporation, she decided to enter the race to represent the middle ground between two familiar names: four-term Republican incumbent Rep. Russ Fulcher and Democratic challenger Kaylee Peterson, who faces Fulcher for the third consecutive time this November. It will be a steep climb: the last time a candidate was elected to the House of Representatives as an independent was in 2000 (several others have switched to independent from the major party they were initially elected with during what would be their last term). But Zabel garnered signatures from Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and fellow independents when she was accumulating the requisite amount for ballot access. “We have independents running for governor and for Senate, and they are legitimate candidates, but you won’t see that discussed. We’re just assumed away,” she said. “The Republican Party used to have principles of limited government, fiscal responsibility. It has flipped those entirely, and yet the institutions and the pundits seem to think that all of Idaho just suddenly flipped with that.” Zabel mentioned the national debt, Social Security and immigration reform as areas demanding not-currently-taken action from Congress. Do you LOVE local news? Get Local News Headlines in your inbox daily. Yes! Include special offer& contest announcement emails Thanks! You'll start receiving the headlines tomorrow! She referenced a recent report forecasting that Social Security recipients will see a 22% reduction in their benefits without reform to the program, stating that people like her who retire fairly wealthy should take cuts. “We have an immigration system that is not set up to do what employers need, especially in this area with the temporary seasonal workers. Seasonal is nine months. If you’re a dairy farmer or a rancher, there is no nine-month season. It’s year-round,” Zabel said. “Straightening out immigration helps broaden the base of people who are paying (into Social Security)” Zabel has a section addressing artificial intelligence on the Policy Priorities section of her website, and mentioned it as a way to minimize government interference with business and everyday life. She argued that satellite imaging should be utilized to streamline the process of renewing a grazing permit, for example, so that it could be determined whether an area was being overgrazed without requiring visits from multiple agencies. But she also has concerns about deepfakes and the increased capability of AI image generators heading into the 2028 presidential election. “They’re getting harder to identify,” she said of AI-created images. “You see somebody has six fingers - OK, probably not, they used to be kind of sloppy. But it’s not just the hardcore Democrats and hardcore Republicans who want to, you know, mess with everything. You’ve got foreign powers also.” She admitted that her campaign logo was designed with the help of AI. Zabel cited the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act - authorizing grants and loans for the construction or improvement of housing and increasing public welfare investments for banks - and the Major Richard Star Act, authorizing combat-injured veterans to receive retirement and disability payments without offset, as examples of currently pending federal legislation that she admired. The author of a self-published book on the biology of depression, she says that more than half of her campaign expenses so far have been covered by her own $30,000 contribution. She is not running TV commercials but has invested in digital advertising, and said she would love to debate her major-party rivals if they are willing. “It was very informative to me that to get on the ballot, since (independents) don’t have a primary, I had to get signatures on a petition,” Zabel said. “I understand why people doubt (an independent candidate’s chances), but I think they ought to talk to their neighbors and realize that so many people are not happy with their representation.” (5 Ratings) Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Kelly Holm Reporter Author email Follow Kelly Holm Recommended for you Load comments Footer Offer Promo Join now to get home delivery for as low as $10/month, any way you want it! Already a member? Login Here Local News Worth Holding Sign up for a new subscription today and get home delivery or digital-only access for only $10/month!. Join Today! © Copyright 2026 Idaho Press 1618 N. Midland Blvd., Nampa, ID | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Powered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital”