The Neal Larson Show

Neal Larson
  • 3.0 (2)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED DAILY

Neal Larson is an Associated Press Award-winning newspaper columnist and radio talk show host. He has a BA from Idaho State University in Media Studies and Political Science. Neal is happily married to his wife Esther with their five children in Idaho Falls. Julie Mason is a long-time resident of east Idaho with a degree in journalism from Ricks College. Julie enjoys reading, baking, and is an avid dog lover.  When not on the air she enjoys spending time with her three children and husband of 26 years. Together these two are a powerhouse of knowledge with great banter that comes together in an entertaining and informative show.

  1. 5.5.2026 - DEBATE: Stephanie Mickelsen v Kelly Golden

    12H AGO

    5.5.2026 - DEBATE: Stephanie Mickelsen v Kelly Golden

    Send us Fan Mail Neal Larson and Julie Mason set the table for a busy stretch of primary season, including a live, in-studio debate between Representative Stephanie Mickelsen and challenger Kelly Golden. Before the debate, we talked through how fried and combustible everything feels right now—local controversies, international tensions, and the reality that in Idaho, most races are effectively decided in the Republican primary. Neal made the case that conservatives can’t afford complacency and warned about candidates running with an “R” while signaling they don’t intend to govern like Republicans once elected. We also dug into a fiery Box Elder County, Utah blowup over a proposed Kevin O’Leary-backed AI data center—an example of how fast public trust can collapse when residents feel steamrolled, even when the project is framed as part of an America-vs-China tech race. In the debate itself, Mickelsen leaned on her experience—especially on water policy—arguing the Eastern Snake Plain Aquifer agreements require constant management and that some negotiations are constrained by downstream stakeholders only willing to commit in short windows. Golden emphasized trust and durability, arguing we need better data and longer-term certainty so farmers aren’t stuck in a cycle of renegotiations and curtailments. They also clashed on immigration enforcement (e-verify, 287(g), and what Idaho should do versus the feds), and spent significant time on abortion policy—Mickelsen focusing on clarifying statutory language to protect physicians treating life-threatening pregnancy complications, and Golden backing Idaho’s current Defense of Life Act and warning against broad “health of the mother” language. They closed with quick hits on medical marijuana (both opposed) and school choice/tax credits (Mickelsen said she’ll support it as settled law after the Idaho Supreme Court ruling), then finished with a direct question to each other about civic engagement and whether “the machine” drowns out grassroots voters. ### Highlights - A frank conversation about Idaho’s primaries being the “real election,” and why turnout and organizing matter right now   - Box Elder County, Utah erupts over an AI data center vote—local control vs national-tech-race urgency   - Water fight: long-term certainty, curtailment frustration, and what’s actually driving basin negotiations   - Immigration: E-verify reliability, 287(g) costs, and where state enforcement should begin/end   - Abortion: physician clarity and statutory language vs keeping current law tight with minimal exceptions   Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 46m
  2. 5.4.2026 - PARODY: "Larry Golden Kimball", INTERVIEWS: James Lamborn, D28 candidate, Supt. Debbie Critchfield

    1D AGO

    5.4.2026 - PARODY: "Larry Golden Kimball", INTERVIEWS: James Lamborn, D28 candidate, Supt. Debbie Critchfield

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s show was a mix of election-season levity and serious policy talk. We kicked things off with a parody ad imagining challenger Larry Golden trying to compete with the built-in name recognition of Brit Raybould by “upgrading” his last name into a full-on Southeast Idaho heritage sampler—funny because it’s a little too true about how politics can work around here. We also gave listeners the practical stuff: how to text in for the election “tools” packet (sample ballot, voting info, data sheets) and how to get the parody link again—plus some real talk about why it’s hard to pick keywords when autocorrect is out there sabotaging everyone. From there, we dug into actual races and issues. James Lamborn joined us in-studio to talk about his run against incumbent Rick Cheatum (with Mike Seville also in the mix), laying out a strongly conservative platform—budget cutting and oversight, opposition to medical marijuana and abortion initiatives, and a hard line on Second Amendment “incrementalism.” Later, Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield came on to talk campaign dynamics (including the IEA’s posture toward Republican leadership), why Idaho’s 1994-era school funding formula doesn’t match modern needs, and her interest in moving toward a weighted-student model. She also addressed how AI is already in schools and why the state is trying to build guardrails instead of pretending it isn’t happening. ### Highlights - The Larry Golden / Brit Raybould parody: name recognition, LDS-culture references, and election-season sanity breaks   - Lamborn outlines his platform: budgets, union funding oversight, pro-life stance, anti-medical-marijuana concerns   - Critchfield on education funding: outdated 1994 formula, weighted-student funding concept, and AI “guide rails”   - Behind-the-scenes frustration: candidates declining debates/interviews and why voter-facing accountability matters   - Culture-war issues (bathroom/locker room debates) framed around child safety and how adults complicate solvable problems   Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 29m
  3. PARODY: Larry Golden Kimball

    1D AGO

    PARODY: Larry Golden Kimball

    Send us Fan Mail Enjoy the latest Neal Larson Show Parody!

    1 min
  4. 5.1.2026 - S4C: Ruth sings Adele -- Also:Election Integrity, Candidate Records, Studio Performance

    4D AGO

    5.1.2026 - S4C: Ruth sings Adele -- Also:Election Integrity, Candidate Records, Studio Performance

    Send us Fan Mail We’re officially in that “two-and-a-half weeks to Election Day” stretch, and it feels like the volume keeps turning up—forums everywhere, social media at peak car-wreck energy, and a lot of people showing sides of themselves that aren’t exactly their best. We talked through why we keep coming back to voting records and scorecards, even when people hate them: it’s the scoreboard. Context matters, sure, but pretending the score doesn’t exist just protects politicians from accountability. Neal also shared some numbers he ran that suggest East Idaho’s voting outcomes in Boise don’t match how conservative the region actually is, and that the only real fix is turnout—especially from conservatives who’ve been a little too apathetic while moderates/left-leaning voters show up consistently. We also hit the fatigue point Julie mentioned—how exhausting it is watching people fight without decorum, and how frustrating it is when candidates run as Republicans while not actually intending to govern anywhere near the party platform. From there we got into why the longer-form debates have mattered (dark money, misleading campaign claims about votes and budgets, and how soundbites can distort what really happened). We closed out with a strong Studio 4 Cover performance from Ruth Holland (Ruthie dot Holland), a quick local note on the Shilo Inn closure in Idaho Falls, and then a wider-ranging grab bag: AI’s growth pains and energy demands (and why INL/nuclear keeps coming up), skepticism about AI tools “steering” results, and a reminder that “unfunded promises” from politicians deserve the same scrutiny as unfunded mandates. We ended on a sharp example of why taxpayers are skeptical: a Valley View school land deal under criminal investigation after trustees approved paying $5M for land appraised at $2.87M—exactly the kind of thing that makes “we need more funding” a harder sell. ### Highlights - Why voting records/scorecards are the “scoreboard,” and why context can’t replace accountability   - East Idaho’s conservative identity vs. what the voting data suggests happens in Boise   - Studio 4 Cover: Ruth Holland performs Adele’s “When We Were Young” (and nails it)   - Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls closes abruptly; questions for the Snake River Event Center   - AI: data centers, power/water concerns, and why the “energy problem” may be solved by AI (or nuclear)   - Valley View school land purchase raises fraud concerns and a criminal investigation Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 28m
  5. 4.30.2026 - DEBATE: Ehardt vs Cook, INTERVIEW: US Senator Jim Risch

    5D AGO

    4.30.2026 - DEBATE: Ehardt vs Cook, INTERVIEW: US Senator Jim Risch

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s show was one of those “no time to breathe” mornings: Neal Larson and Julie Mason set the stage for a live, in-studio legislative debate—complete with Facebook Live, listener texts, and a back-and-forth candidate question segment—because they genuinely believe these races deserve real scrutiny beyond campaign mailers. Before the debate, Neal and Julie also talked candidly about frustrations with party politics in Bingham County and why they still feel an obligation to examine races even when certain candidates refuse to show up. The main event was the debate between Representative Barb Ehardt and challenger Connor Cook. Cook, an Idaho Falls firefighter/paramedic, framed his candidacy around service, listening, and what he sees firsthand—mental health strain, public safety gaps, and pressure on schools—while arguing the state budget is tighter than leadership admits and that “cut, cut, cut” thinking has consequences. Ehardt emphasized a record built around family-first priorities, constitutional principles, women’s sports and privacy protections, and tax relief—especially property tax reform—while rejecting claims she’s out of touch and pushing back on what she called misinformation and outside political spending. The conversation hit hot points: endorsements and labor ties, the Republican platform, bathroom/privacy policy, property and income tax approaches, Medicaid work requirements and mental health funding, and the role of out-of-state money and PACs in local races. ### Highlights - Cook defended accepting AFL-CIO-linked support as solidarity from firefighters, while Ehardt distinguished her firefighter endorsement as tied to policy work and committee relationships. - A major clash on fiscal direction: Cook argued Idaho’s budget situation is being downplayed; Ehardt argued Idaho remains fiscally strong and adjustments reflect post-“inflated” revenue years. - Property taxes were a centerpiece: Ehardt reiterated interest in eliminating property taxes on a primary residence and floated the sales-tax tradeoff conversation as a starting point. - Medicaid and mental health: Cook said cuts create real-world fallout that ends up in ERs and jails; Ehardt said mental health reductions were executive-branch driven and that the legislature is working to restore support. - Both candidates voiced openness to limiting out-of-state political money—while also pointing out money flowing into the race on both sides. Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 32m
  6. 4.29.2026 - Dems warmly greet a... KING, Supreme Court Redistricting Ruling, Idaho Primary Showdowns

    6D AGO

    4.29.2026 - Dems warmly greet a... KING, Supreme Court Redistricting Ruling, Idaho Primary Showdowns

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s show was one of those “hold on, a lot is happening” mornings. We kicked it off with the optics (and comedy) of King Charles showing up to Congress, the standing ovations, and the way President Trump and the White House lean into trolling narratives—because, like it or not, the left reliably takes the bait. From there, we dug into the bigger subtext: Americans can enjoy the ceremony without “welcoming a ruler,” but it also raised the question of why some on the left seem far more comfortable with centralized power than they admit—especially when they’re the ones holding the reins. Then we got into what became the major policy headline of the day: the U.S. Supreme Court striking down Louisiana’s second majority-Black congressional district, with Julie and I unpacking the media framing and why we see race-based district engineering as discriminatory no matter how it’s marketed. We also talked Idaho politics at street level: an interview with David Worley (spelling note: **David Worley**) challenging long-time Senator Jim Guthrie in District 28, focusing on “desk drawer” gatekeeping in the legislature and votes on immigration and culture issues. We closed with some pure inside-baseball campaign talk—war chests, out-of-district money, how candidates brand themselves as “conservative,” and why voting records still matter more than glossy mailers (plus a detour into lawns, debates, and our ongoing talent for awkward transitions). **Highlights:**   - King Charles’ Congress visit, the “two kings” Trump/Charles social post, and why trolls work when people can’t resist reacting   - Supreme Court voids Louisiana’s race-driven district map; we break down the AP vs. Fox framing and what “Section 2” arguments miss   - David Worley vs. Senator Jim Guthrie: the “drawering bills” power problem and what constituents should expect from representation   - Idaho campaign money snapshot: who’s sitting on the biggest war chests, and why name ID + cash still aren’t enough if the record stinks   - Midterm outlook and strategy talk: why we’re less pessimistic than the “panic narrative,” and how campaigns can win cheaper with smarter media Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 29m
  7. 4.28.2026 - FlashPoll: Idaho Gubernatorial Race, Chemtrail importance, Assassination attempt aftermath

    APR 28

    4.28.2026 - FlashPoll: Idaho Gubernatorial Race, Chemtrail importance, Assassination attempt aftermath

    Send us Fan Mail Today’s show centered on the disturbing reality that we’ve now seen multiple credible assassination attempts against President Trump in a short span—and what that says about where our culture is headed. We tried to “reverse engineer” why this keeps happening, and landed on a mix of factors: overheated political rhetoric (especially the casual, joking “we’ll be happy when he’s dead” vibe), protest culture that normalizes violent imagery, and a media ecosystem where people share things fast without checking them. We talked through Jimmy Kimmel’s attempt to explain away a joke about Melania as an “expectant widow,” and why—even if someone insists it’s “just humor”—the underlying message still feeds a climate where violence starts to feel permissible. We also pushed back hard on conspiracy spirals (like “staged event” claims), arguing skepticism is healthy, but turning suspicion into instant certainty is how people lose their grip. From there we pivoted into two other big threads: a developing story about the Southern Poverty Law Center allegedly routing money through shell structures to extremist groups (and why some prominent commentators seem oddly quiet about it), and a deep dive into Netflix’s polygamy doc *Trust Me* about Samuel Bateman—an ugly, manipulative pipeline of abuse that’s hard to watch but important to understand. In hour two we hit local politics: the difference between real debates and “forums,” concerns about PAC branding and dark-money routing, and then a live flash poll on Idaho’s governor race. The result was pretty clear—most of our listeners are still leaning Brad Little, with Mark Fitzpatrick a distant second—and we were honestly surprised by how many people rated “chemtrails” as at least somewhat important. ### Highlights - Why assassination-attempt “humor” and celebratory rhetoric is corrosive—even when it’s framed as a joke   - Skepticism vs. conspiracism: asking questions is fine; declaring “staged” instantly is not   - Netflix *Trust Me* and the Samuel Bateman polygamy case: manipulation, control, and escape   - PACs, branding, and “follow the money” logic in Idaho politics   - Flash poll: Idaho governor race lean + unexpected chemtrails ratings Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 26m
  8. 4.27.2026 - Trump Security, Kempthorne Legacy, Political Temperature

    APR 27

    4.27.2026 - Trump Security, Kempthorne Legacy, Political Temperature

    Send us Fan Mail Neal Larson and Julie Mason spend the morning processing a heavy weekend: a third public assassination attempt against President Donald Trump and the death of Idaho statesman Dirk Kempthorne. We talk through the whiplash of covering high-stakes national news while also being knee-deep in an unusually intense legislative election season. On the Trump attempt, we push back on the “false flag/actors” narrative and point to how constant demonization and normalized calls for unrest can flip a switch in unstable people—especially when political opponents are described as existential evil. At the same time, we try to be clear-eyed about what actually happened at the event: it’s a hotel, you can’t hermetically seal it, and the Secret Service stopped the attacker before he reached the main room—good execution in a hard-to-control environment, even as we all worry that “law of averages” thinking means more attempts are coming. We also take time to honor Dirk Kempthorne—governor, U.S. senator, Boise mayor, and Interior secretary—as one of Idaho’s truly defining leaders, the kind of public servant respected even by people who disagreed with him. Callers add personal context, including Kempthorne’s forest management focus and his major role in the USS Idaho commissioning (with Idaho touches throughout the submarine). From there, we pivot into the messiness of modern politics: how conspiracy thinking spreads, why “scorecards” can be misleading if you don’t examine what the controversial votes actually were, and why citizens should be smarter than viral memes. Underneath all of it is a plea to lower the temperature—argue policy, not personal hatred—because the trajectory we’re on is corrosive and dangerous. ### Highlights - Breaking down the latest Trump assassination attempt and why “staged” conspiracies don’t hold up under the actual details   - Remembering Dirk Kempthorne’s legacy—and why he’d belong on an Idaho “Mount Rushmore”   - How political rhetoric and media echo chambers can normalize violence and radicalize unstable people   - Why voting “scorecards” can be noisy, cherry-picked, and misleading without context   - Inside look at the USS Idaho commissioning and Kempthorne’s role in making it happen   ### Tags (copy/paste) Neal Larson, Julie Mason, Donald Trump, assassination attempt, Secret Service, political violence, rhetoric, conspiracy theories, media polarization, Idaho politics, Idaho legislature, legislative races, Dirk Kempthorne, Boise mayor, Idaho governor, U.S. Senator, Interior Secretary, USS Idaho, Mountain States Policy Center, voting scorecards, party-line votes, civic discourse Let’s talk advertising. When you want to advertise on the radio, you call the station, right? But what about Facebook, Instagram, Hulu, Disney+, Peacock, and other streaming platforms? You could try clicking around, reading books, or taking online courses to figure it out—or you can let us handle it. At Sandhill Media Group, we’re your local experts in both radio and digital marketing. Visit SandhillMediaGroup.com today. a href="https://www.sandhillmediagrou

    1h 24m
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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Neal Larson is an Associated Press Award-winning newspaper columnist and radio talk show host. He has a BA from Idaho State University in Media Studies and Political Science. Neal is happily married to his wife Esther with their five children in Idaho Falls. Julie Mason is a long-time resident of east Idaho with a degree in journalism from Ricks College. Julie enjoys reading, baking, and is an avid dog lover.  When not on the air she enjoys spending time with her three children and husband of 26 years. Together these two are a powerhouse of knowledge with great banter that comes together in an entertaining and informative show.

Information

  • Creator
    Neal Larson
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    437
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Neal Larson Show
  • Show Website
    The Neal Larson Show

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