Angie Craig: “I never had the opportunity to serve with Bruce Newcomb in the Idaho State Legislature, but having been privileged to…”

“I never had the opportunity to serve with Bruce Newcomb in the Idaho State Legislature, but having been privileged to get to know him, I very much would have enjoyed working with a man of his caliber. Bruce is retiring from the Idaho House of Representatives at the end of the 2006 session, and he will be sorely missed by his colleagues in the legislature and his constituents in Idaho. Bruce has developed a reputation of being an honest and evenhanded speaker of the house whose sense of humor helps in tackling contentious issues and a heavy workload. In addition, he is a strong leader who is not afraid to make a strong stand when the situation calls for it. Having grown up on a working farm and ranch in Idaho myself, I understand the difficulty of going to Boise to serve in the legislature in the middle of the calving season. Bruce has been able to handle his work as a rancher while serving the constituents of Idaho, without sacrificing the quality of either profession--not to mention his important duties as a family man, the husband of Celia Gould and father of five children. It takes a truly talented man to handle all these responsibilities and continue to have such strong loyalty and respect from colleagues, family, and friends. Over the 2006 President's Day recess, I had the opportunity to share the floor with Bruce at the Mini-Cassia Lincoln Day Luncheon in Burley, ID, to answer questions from the constituents of Idaho.…”