Jesse Watters: 'The Truth Always Wins' at MSPC Fall Dinner

Mountain States Policy Center’s 2026 Fall Dinner & Anniversary Gala will be remembered as an evening filled with celebration, inspiration, laughter and a renewed commitment to advancing freedom.

The annual event held Saturday night brought together a sold out crowd of supporters, community leaders, elected officials and advocates of free-market principles to celebrate another remarkable year of accomplishments for the award-winning policy organization.

The evening featured the presentation of MSPC’s prestigious Elevation Awards, the announcement of the 2026 Sawtooth Scholarship winner and a keynote address from Fox News Channel personality and bestselling author Jesse Watters.

Honoring Those Who Make a Difference

One of the evening’s highlights was the presentation of MSPC’s Elevation Awards, the organization’s highest honor, recognizing individuals whose leadership and commitment have made an extraordinary difference in advancing freedom and opportunity.

Jeremy and Melissa Radford received an Elevation Award for their tireless efforts to protect private property rights and reform short-term rental regulations in Idaho.

The Radfords spent three years advocating for meaningful reform, even temporarily relocating to Boise to help advance legislation protecting the rights of property owners. Their persistence helped secure a landmark victory for property rights in the Gem State.

A second Elevation Award was presented to Bill and Milly Kay Baldwin, whose vision, generosity and unwavering support helped establish Mountain States Policy Center and build it into one of the region’s leading voices for free-market public policy.

The Baldwins were recognized for their extraordinary commitment to the organization’s mission and their lasting impact on the future of freedom throughout the region.

Brunson Smith Wins Sawtooth Scholarship

Another highlight of the evening came with the announcement of Brunson Smith as the 2026 recipient of MSPC’s $5,000 Sawtooth Scholarship, recognizing his outstanding research on protecting children from the potential dangers of artificial intelligence.

Smith’s winning study, “Closing the Age Loophole: How Idaho Should Protect Children from AI Companions,” examined gaps in Idaho’s protections for minors using AI companion platforms. His research focused on the lack of requirements for companies to determine whether their users are children, potentially leaving young people exposed to inappropriate or harmful interactions.

Smith recommended privacy-preserving age verification measures, automatic safeguards for younger users and a process to protect adults from being incorrectly classified as minors.

The scholarship competition generated significant public interest, with more than 3,000 votes cast for the policy studies written by students participating in MSPC’s Sawtooth Leadership Academy.

This year’s five finalists tackled a wide range of important policy issues, including artificial intelligence, agricultural overtime regulations, water management, public lands and government spending limits.

The Sawtooth Leadership Academy is designed to develop the next generation of policy leaders by giving students hands-on experience researching complex issues, evaluating evidence and developing thoughtful policy recommendations.

Smith was recognized on stage during the gala, as attendees celebrated not only his achievement but also the important role young people can play in shaping the future of public policy across the Mountain States.

Jesse Watters Delivers Humor and a Powerful Message

The evening concluded with a highly anticipated keynote address from Jesse Watters, host of Fox News Channel’s Jesse Watters Primetime and co-host of The Five.

Watters entertained the packed audience with his trademark humor, sharp political observations and entertaining stories, drawing laughter and applause throughout his remarks.

But beyond the humor, Watters delivered a serious message about the ideological challenges facing America and the important role organizations like Mountain States Policy Center play in defending individual liberty, free enterprise and limited government.

He challenged attendees to help their fellow citizens resist the growing temptation of socialism and instead embrace the principles of freedom, personal responsibility and economic opportunity.

Watters also praised MSPC’s work.

“This is a battle of ideas. And Mountain States Policy Center arms policymakers with the truth. And the truth always wins,” Watters said.

His remarks reinforced the evening’s central theme: the future of freedom depends on citizens willing to stand up, speak out and engage in the battle of ideas.

Building on a Year of Success

Throughout the evening, attendees also heard about MSPC’s growing impact across Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Washington.

From helping defend Idaho’s landmark education freedom law to advancing property rights, advocating for tax reform and expanding civic education opportunities for young people, the organization highlighted the results of its research, outreach and advocacy.

The celebration also recognized MSPC’s expanding network of supporters, including members of its Summit Club, whose investments help sustain the organization’s mission.

As Mountain States Policy Center looks toward the future, the evening served as both a celebration of what has been accomplished and a reminder of the important work still ahead.

The message was clear: Freedom is worth defending, the battle of ideas is far from over, and Mountain States Policy Center intends to remain on the front lines.

To learn more about Mountain States Policy Center or support its work, visit mountainstatespolicy.org⁠.