The Neal Larson Show
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.
The Neal Larson Show
5.18.2026 - Stump Speeches on Election Eve!
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It’s election eve, and we’re all feeling that mix of “let’s get this done” energy and pure exhaustion—mostly because we’re about 48 hours away from the political ads, mailers, and doom-scroll campaign videos finally disappearing. Neal and Julie kick things off reacting to a clip from a candidate who claimed the only “official debates” he was invited to were with “Neal Larson and Julie Mason” (wrong names and all), then used that to call the show biased. From there, we push listeners to actually make a voting plan for tomorrow, reach out to three like-minded people, and remember that first-time voters can register at the polls (with the usual party-affiliation caveats). We also point everyone to the station’s “toolkit” (text **TOOLS** to **208-542-1079**) with candidate interviews, sample ballots, donation info via the Sunshine Report, and Neal’s “party cohesion index”/data sheet so people can evaluate real voting patterns instead of vibes.
Then the show turns into a rapid-fire open mic for candidates—especially precinct committee officer races—who call, text, email, and even stop by the studio to deliver stump speeches. We hear from challengers and locals across East Idaho: Neal and Julie hear from a Congressional candidate, along with several legislative contenders, a coroner candidate, and PCO candidates as well. Along the way there’s plenty of inside-baseball radio humor (including a mock “stump speech” for a four-step lawn program), a quick correction about a local road-meeting location change, and some blunt commentary about out-of-area PAC money influencing even small local races—plus a strong defense of the show’s debate format and fairness after being criticized by a candidate who refused to participate.
**Highlights**
- Election-eve push: make a voting plan, recruit three people, and help first-time voters register at the polls
- The “TOOLS” toolkit: interviews, Sunshine Report, sample ballots, and Neal’s party cohesion index/data sheet
- Stump-speech parade: congressional challenger, local commissioner/coroner races, legislators, and lots of PCO candidates
- Discussion of PAC/outside money targeting local races (even precinct positions)
- Defending the show’s debates/forums and calling out candidates who avoid tough questions
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