6.9.2026 - Vacation Roadtrip, Faith Identity, GOP Leadership

Send us Fan MailNeal Larson and Julie Mason are back in the studio after Neal’s roadtrip loop through the Northwest, including a strong recommendation to put the Route of the Hiawatha Trail on the bucket list—an easy-to-plan, beautiful ride with a memorable tunnel stretch. From there, the conversation shifts into heavier territory: the Pentagon’s chaplain-faith categorization list that initially placed The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints outside a “Christian” umbrella. Neal walks through why that distinction lit a fuse politically (and personally), how he defines “Christian” in a straightforward way centered on belief in Jesus Christ, and why neither the government nor outside critics are the authority on someone’s faith—while also acknowledging the Pentagon likely approached it as a logistics document and later corrected course.The show then checks in on a Capitol Hill hearing focused on the Southern Poverty Law Center, reacting to testimony and allegations that SPLC money and influence have been used in ways that fuel division, including claims about funding flows tied to extremists and the labeling of mainstream conservative groups. After the break, Neal and Julie bring on Mark Fuller—current first vice chair of the Idaho Republican Party—who announces his run for IDGOP chair. Fuller frames his candidacy around behind-the-scenes “servant” leadership, stricter rule-following, rebuilding stable staffing and fundraising (including recurring small-dollar giving), and managing internal party factionalism through a more collaborative, council-style process rather than winner-take-all “team” politics.## Highlights- Neal’s takeaways from the Route of the Hiawatha Trail and why it’s worth planning.- The Pentagon chaplain listing controversy and the renewed debate over LDS Christians.- Capitol Hill hearing reactions: SPLC allegations, “manufactured outrage,” and corporate gatekeeping concerns.- Mark Fuller enters the IDGOP chair race, focusing on rules, fundraising, and internal unity-through-process.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