Ronald M. Nate


Ronald M. Nate was a Republican Idaho state representative, representing District 34 in the A seat, from 2014 to 2018. He is a currently an economics professor at Brigham Young University–Idaho.

Early life, education & academic career

Ronald M. Nate was born in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He earned B.S. in economics from the University of Utah and an M.A. and Ph.D. in economics from the University of Connecticut. He has been a professor of economics at Brigham Young University-Idaho, since 2001; and is a member of the faculty network.

Political career

In 2014, he ran against the incumbent Douglas A. Hancey in the Republican primary, winning with 55.3% of the vote. He ran unopposed in the general election.
In 2016, Nate won the Republican primary against Doug Ricks with 51.6% of the vote. He ran unopposed in the general election. He supported Ted Cruz in the Republican Party presidential primaries, 2016. He called on Donald Trump "" due to the Donald Trump and Billy Bush recording.
In 2018, Nate faced a rematch with Doug Ricks in the 2018 Idaho Republican Party primary. He lost the May primary by 159 votes with 49% of the vote. He endorsed Russ Fulcher in the Idaho 1st Congressional district race. He also endorsed Raúl Labrador for governor.
In 2018, Nate was named Idaho Republican Party state legislator of the year. Previously, he served as chairman of the Madison County Republican central committee, from 2006 to 2010; chaired the Idaho Republican caucuses, 2012.; and served as an adviser to the Brigham Young University–Idaho College Republicans. The group was officially dissolved by the university in 2009.
In the 2020 elections Nate plans on running for District 34 Seat B.
From 2007 to 2013, he was a member of the Idaho Judicial Council. He was a Ted Cruz delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention, in Cleveland Ohio; and a John McCain delegate at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was an alternate delegate for George W. Bush at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City, New York.
Additionally, he is a co-founder of the ; chair of the Idaho state Republican Party's rules committee; a state committeeman for the Madison County Republicans; member of the Idaho state Republican resolutions committee; the Madison school district's plant and facilities citizens advisory committee; and the Republican National Committee's Church of Latter Day Saints outreach committee.
While in office, Nate served on the , , and committees.

Research & publications

Frontier, a BYU-Idaho Economics research project. May 2011 - 2013.
Presentation: “The Irrationality of Voting: Getting Stronger?,” Public Choice Society meetings, March 2001, San Antonio, TX.
Presentation: “Budget Maximization and Institutional Choice: Do Institutions Matter?,” presented at Public Choice Society meetings, March 2000, Charleston, SC.
“The Economics of Bureaucracy,” published in Institutions and Collective Choice in Developing Countries: Applications of the Theory of Public Choice, edited by Mwangi S. Kimenyi and
John M. Mbaku, Ashgate Publishing 1999.
Dissertation: Public Choice Perspectives on Public Education: Implications of Jurisdiction Size and Institutions in Connecticut School Districts, University of Connecticut, May 1998, Principle Advisor: Professor Mwangi S. Kimenyi.
“Does ‘Welfare to Work’ Work?” published in The Connecticut Economy, Spring 1997, vol. 5 issue 2, p. 3.
Book Review with Mwangi S. Kimenyi: Welfare Realities: From Rhetoric to Reform ; published in Public Choice, September 1996, vol. 88, pp. 417-419.
“Suburbanization in Connecticut,” with Dennis R. Heffley, published in The Connecticut Economy, January 1996, vol. 4 issue 1, p. 6.