Why I'm Running
I love Idaho. I first moved here when I was 14. I learned to ski and fish here. I fell in love with Idaho's never-ending skies, high mountain lakes teeming with brook trout, sweeping praries, wide-open roads, and good, hardworking people. After college, it took me six years of "big-city" living to realize that Idaho was the only place I really wanted to live and raise a family. Now, I want to ensure that everything I love about this place will also be protected for my own daughters and succeeding generations. I want to ensure that our children will have access to great schools and universities and upon graduation will find opportunities to earn a good living by staying in the state and pursuing a wide variety of careers.
Idaho is at a critical juncture. We are undergoing rapid and dramatic demographic and economic changes and need leaders who can understand and navigate change rather than desperately clinging to the past. Our Legislature must safeguard Idaho's greatest assets in the face of growth and give local communities the tools they need to manage growth wisely. Instead, our current Legislature fails to adequately plan and their shortsightedness ends up costing taxpayers more. As a legislator, I will be dedicated to ensuring that state government is looking ahead, focused on our critical energy and water needs, a diverse economy, promotion of research and development, infrastructure investment, resource conservation, and protection of our public lands.
Our political system is broken. Single-party rule in Idaho has bred incompetence, arrogance, cronyism, and a lack of accountability. Many Republican legislators smugly ignore the people's will, shut down debate before it even starts, seize control from local governments, and ignore the state's most pressing needs (i.e. growth, healthcare, education, transportation, and conservation). The status quo is unacceptable. A healthy two-party system is the best means of forging sound, balanced policy out of competing ideals. We need a vibrant opposition party to restore balance, common sense, real debate, and accountability to the Statehouse. As such, I intend to be a vocal and articulate advocate for the public interest and the issues listed on this site.
Meet Brian Cronin
Brian Cronin is a community leader, political activist, business owner and former public school teacher who is seeking to represent District 19 (encompassing Boise ’s North End, East End, Foothills, and downtown) in the Idaho Legislature. Brian owns two small businesses. In 2003, he launched his marketing and communications firm, Cronin & Associates, which serves such clients as HP, Hitachi, and The Kennedy Center. With his wife Veronica, he founded Garabatos Spanish Preschool in 2006.
Brian is active in the Treasure Valley community, serving on the boards of the Idaho Human Rights Education Center, Boise State Radio (public radio), and the Chamber’s Small Business Success Center. He is a volunteer for the United Way’s Community Impact Review Team, the Agency for New Americans, Direct Impact Response Team (D.I.R.T.), and the American Red Cross. He is a former member of the Ada County Highway District Neighborhood Advisory Committee (appointed to represent Boise by Mayor Bieter) and a graduate of Leadership Boise, a two-year leadership development program. He’s a member of the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Idaho, and Boise Young Professionals.
Brian is not a newcomer to politics, having served as Chairman of the Ada County Democrats (2005-2007), during which time Ada County vastly increased the number of locally elected Democratic officials. He also worked as press secretary for both Jerry Brady and Mayor Dave Bieter. While working for Brady during his 2002 gubernatorial race, Brian traveled to nearly every corner of the state, from Sandpoint to Soda Springs and Rexburg to Riggins. This year, Brian is a delegate for Barack Obama to the Democratic State Convention. He has emceed several large Democratic events, including the Frank Church Banquet, two JFK Banquets, and the Egyptian Theater fundraiser for Jim Hansen that featured Carole King.
Born in New York City, Brian moved to Idaho when he was 14 years old. After graduating from high school as valedictorian, he returned to the East Coast to attend Haverford College (PA), where he graduated with honors with a B.A. in History. In 1993, Brian set off for a year-long stint in Ecuador as a WorldTeach volunteer. Dispatched to the Universidad Tecnica de Manabi, Brian created and taught the university's first English language program for staff, faculty, and graduate students--a program that still flourishes today.
Upon returning to the U.S., Brian attended Harvard University, where he obtained an Ed.M. in teaching and curriculum, while also completing his student teaching at an inner city high school in Boston. He then went on to teach U.S. and Latin American history at Scarsdale High School, NY. In between teaching stints, Brian worked as an educational writer and editor at Scholastic, Inc. in New York City. He also served as communications specialist and magazine editor at Junior Chamber International's headquarters in Miami.
Brian and Veronica have have been married for 12 years and have twin five-year-old daughters, Kyra and Alana, who will be starting kindergarten at Roosevelt Elementary School in September. They've lived in Boise since 1998.