US State Senator Tells Native American Candidate ‘Go Back Where You Came From’
Tensions rose during a bipartisan forum this week when an audience question about discrimination led Idaho state Senator Dan Foreman to angrily tell Native American candidate Trish Carter-Goodheart, “Go back where you came from.” The incident left Carter-Goodheart, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, shaken and prompted discussions about security needs for future public events.
Senator Foreman left the event early and later denied making any racist comments in a Facebook post, calling the incident a “quintessential display of race-baiting.” He accused Democratic attendees of making personal attacks and insisted that “there is no systemic racism in America or Idaho.”
Carter-Goodheart shared her thoughts on the incident, highlighting that the exchange forced her to discuss racism with her young children, aged 8 and 5. “Having conversations about racism with my kids is something my husband and I were not prepared for,” she said. “They’ve never seen a grown adult man have a meltdown like that. They were scared. I was scared.”
The forum featured candidates from the local district, including Foreman and his Democratic opponent Julia Parker. About an hour into the event, when Carter-Goodheart pushed back against previous comments downplaying discrimination in Idaho, Foreman interrupted her with his outburst.
Carter-Goodheart pointed out that the state’s hate crime laws are weak and mentioned the historical presence of the neo-Nazi group Aryan Nations in northern Idaho. “Just because someone hasn’t personally experienced discrimination doesn’t mean it’s not happening,” she asserted.
In the wake of the incident, the female candidates checked on each other, and future candidate forums are planned. Carter-Goodheart has been advised to consider security measures at these events, emphasizing the need for honest discussions about race and discrimination.
