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Revival of Idaho's 'Reagan Republicans' gets another boost with visit from late president's son

Dan Popkey - dpopkey@idahostatesman.com

Published: 11/17/09


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Michael Reagan, the oldest son of President Ronald Reagan and a nationally-syndicated radio talk-show host, will be in Twin Falls in February to keynote an important stop on the GOP campaign circuit.

Reagan will highlight the Twin Falls Republican Central Committee's Lincoln Day celebration on Feb. 19, according to the Twin Falls Times-News. Lincoln Day banquets are held across the state in the winter and spring and are an important prelude for hopefuls in the May party primary.

"We're just wanting to recharge our party and get back so some of our conservative roots and values," said Mya Goodman, chairwoman of the event. "His father was a very conservative Republican and had great values. We can't begin to say how excited we are."

President Reagan's iconic status has prompted a group of conservatives in the state's third most populous county -- Kootenai -- to form an alternative to the county GOP central committee.

Kootenai County Reagan Republicans was criticized in some circles for endorsing candidates in the Nov. 3 non-partisan city council races in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls. The group hosts weekly meetings and draws prominent speakers. Former U.S. Rep. Bill Sali addressed the group Nov. 5, feeding speculation that he may run in 2010 to reclaim the seat he lost to Democrat Walt Minnick last year.

The mission statement of the Kootenai County Reagan Republicans says its aim includes party building. "The Reagan Republicans are not a faction or ideological sub-set of the Republican Party. We are an organization dedicated to expanding the party and rebuilding the Reagan Coalition that created the greatest electoral landslides in American history."

Reagan was enormously popular in Idaho, beating President Jimmy Carter with 67 percent of the vote in 1980 and winning re-election over Walter Mondale with 72 percent of the vote in 1984.

Dan Popkey: 377-6438

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