About 150 sign-waving protesters gathered outside the state Capitol at noon to protest the pre-abortion ultrasound bill, SB 1387, and comments made in the Senate debate by the bill's sponsor, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Meridian. During the rally, James Mace, a 36-year-old self-published novelist from Meridian and Iraq war veteran, announced a write-in campaign against Winder, who is now running unopposed for re-election.



Mace told the crowd, "This is a decision I made about 11 o'clock last night. ... I won't lie to you - I got pretty upset yesterday." He said, "Why are we debating this, why? What's it got to do with jobs? What's it got to do with the economy? What's it got to do with education? ... The only thing I see this bill doing is humiliating and degrading women."



Mace added, "I'm tired of being embarrassed nationally and internationally. People know who Idaho is now - they don't mistake us for Iowa any more - however it's for the wrong reason." Rally participants carried signs saying, "Rape is not an 'issue,' rape is a crime" in response to Winder's closing debate on the bill, in which he referenced rape victims; and "Say NO to Winder."



Mace said he's a "recovering Republican" and former Dirk Kempthorne supporter who's now a Democrat. A registered write-in candidate must receive at least 50 votes in the primary election to make the general-election ballot.

