Nicole LeFavour

Nicole LeFavour (born February 8, 1964) is an American politician and educator from Idaho who served as an Idaho State Senator from 2008 to 2012.

LeFavour taught at the University of Montana from 1989–1990.

They moved to Boise in 1990.

They worked for the Snake River Alliance from 1992–1994.

In 1996, LeFavour taught at the Fort Boise School.

A news reporter for the Boise Weekly from 1997–1998, LeFavour was a board member for the Ada County Human Rights Task Force from 1999–2002.

They were also a board member of the Choices in Community Giving from 2000–2002 and the Western States Center from 2002–2005.

LeFavour worked for the Idaho Center on Budget & Tax Policy from 2000–2004.

LeFavour owned a small business, LeFavour Graphic Design, from 2000 to 2005, and has taught writing at The Cabin Literary Center for more than a decade and at the Writers at Harriman program for the past four years.

This was in and of itself the strongest showing of any Democratic candidate against Mike Simpson as an incumbent: Craig Williams got 25.9% of the vote in 2000, Edward Kinghorn 29.0% in 2002, Lin Witworth 29.3% in 2004, Jim D. Hansen 34.43% in 2006, Deborah Holmes 31% in 2008, and Mike Crawford 24.4% in 2010.

LeFavour noted after the election on the campaign's Facebook page that, as a candidate, they had received the most votes in eastern Idaho of any Democrat who had run against Simpson as an incumbent, and that "last but not least, we've put to rest the question of whether Idahoans will actually vote for a gay person."

After their service as a public representative, LeFavour has remained active in LGBT affairs.

LeFavour had previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2004 to 2008.

Nicole LeFavour was born in Colorado to Pat and Bruce LeFavour.

They grew up in Central Idaho in Custer County, near the Frank Church Wilderness where they later worked.

LeFavour received a bachelor's degree in cognitive science from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master's of Fine Arts in writing from the University of Montana-Missoula.

In 2004, they was a lobbyist for the Idaho Community Action Network.

In 2004, incumbent Democrat State Representative Ken Robison of Idaho's 19B House District decided to retire.

In 2006, LeFavour ran unopposed and won re-election to a second term with 14,217 votes.

In 2006, LeFavour criticized the passage of Idaho Amendment 2, which made it unconstitutional for Idaho to recognize or perform same-sex marriages or civil unions.

They heavily criticized many of the state's budgets which in their view cut taxes and spending too much, thus eliminating thousands of jobs.

In 2007, LeFavour was a delegate for the Idaho Human Rights Education Center's 2007 European Human Rights Mission.

In 2007, LeFavour was named "Idaho Business Review Women of the Year".

They fought to reduce prison population by improving the state's substance abuse and mental health programs.

In 2008, LeFavour was named "Legislator of the Year" by the Idaho State Planning Council on Mental Health.

LeFavour announced in March 2008 they would retire from the Idaho House to run for the 19th Senate District, seeking the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic State Senator F. Michael Burkett.

In the general election, LeFavour defeated Chuck Meissner with 15,163 votes (71.3%).

In 2010, LeFavour completed Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government as a David Bohnett LGBTQ Victory Institute Leadership Fellow.

In 2010, LeFavour was re-elected to a second term with 10,246 votes (68.8%).

LeFavour was extremely active in Idaho's Add The Words campaign.

LeFavour proposed amending Idaho's Human Rights Act to cover discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

In 2012 the Add the Words bill ultimately did not make it out of committee.

Twice elected to the Legislative Council by their peers, LeFavour was an advocate for increased spending in Idaho schools and access to mental health/substance abuse treatment programs.

LeFavour's past committee assignments were:

In February 2012, LeFavour announced that they would not be seeking re-election to the state legislature, but announced their candidacy for the United States Congress in Idaho's 2nd District the following month.

They challenged seven-term Republican U.S. Congressman Mike Simpson, whom they debated twice and criticized as being only superficially moderate, citing his vote against discrimination protections for women in the workplace.

Had LeFavour been elected, they would have been the second openly lesbian member of the U.S. Congress, but polled 34.8% of the vote.

They were one of 44 activists arrested on February 3, 2014, at the Statehouse on suspicion of misdemeanor trespassing, having blocked the Idaho Senate's entrances for more than two hours in a silent protest two months in the planning on behalf of the Add The Words campaign, an act of civil disobedience which they had organized.

LeFavour decided to run in the 19th district, which was placed in parts of the city of Boise.

They won the three-way Democratic primary with 2,163 votes (54.55%) and won the general election with 13,350 votes (67.2%).