‘Civility and common sense eroded’: Idaho Democrats react to Republicans’ convention
Abortion, voting eligibility in primary elections and the 2020 presidential election were all front and center at the Idaho Republican Party convention in Twin Falls over the weekend.
Held at the College of Southern Idaho, the event lasted from Thursday to Saturday and hosted hundreds of delegates from around the state, who voted on the party’s platform and leadership.
And while the state’s dominant party was gathering and moving further to the right, its minority party was watching — and was generally displeased with what transpired.
“I have witnessed this extreme takeover of the GOP since I was elected to the House,” Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, told the Idaho Statesman in a text Monday. “I have seen civility and common sense eroded and replaced by paranoia, fear and a complete breakdown of sensible solutions to Idaho’s challenges.”
On Saturday, the GOP convention elected Dorothy Moon as its new chair, and the far-right lawmaker from Stanley made headlines, saying at one point, “Our guns are loaded and ready to keep this state free.” She also lamented that at the convention, firearms were not allowed in campus buildings.
Moon, who ran unsuccessfully for Idaho secretary of state this year in the GOP primary, campaigned in that race on her belief in Donald Trump’s baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen and that Joe Biden was not the legitimate president, an issue that delegates discussed at the convention — although they ultimately did not pass a resolution rejecting the election results.
“The election of Dorothy Moon shows that the Idaho GOP has fully transitioned to an extremist party,” Rep. Lauren Necochea, Idaho Democratic Party chair, told the Statesman in a phone interview.
The convention voted against having any exemptions when it comes to an abortion ban, including instances of rape, incest and danger to the life of the mother.
Delegates also put forth a new slate of rules governing who should be eligible to vote in Republican primaries, after an outcry that non-Republicans were “interfering” at the ballot box.
Idaho Democrats decry ‘direction’ of Republicans
Necochea, assistant minority leader in the House, said she is “deeply concerned about the direction” that Idaho’s Republican Party has taken. She said neither Moon nor the platform the GOP put forth represents the beliefs of Idaho voters, including traditional Republicans.
Wintrow and Necochea both expressed concern about the direction on abortion. Idaho’s trigger law, passed by Republicans and set to take effect in August now that Roe v. Wade has been overturned, would ban nearly all procedures, except in the case of rape or incest — as long as the crime was reported to police — or when the life of the mother is in peril.
The GOP convention voted to oppose all abortions, regardless of circumstance — even if it would save the mother’s life.
“People will die if Idaho Republicans get their way,” Necochea said.
Wintrow said she thinks the GOP has become obsessed with “spying” on sexual relationships and pregnancies. She said Idaho Republicans are not focused on the issues that matter to everyday Idahoans, such as property taxes, affordable housing and education.
“I would encourage every voter to look hard at the Democrats’ platform and compare it to the Idaho Republican platform, and look for the leadership that is going to make a difference for their family, for their children, for their communities,” Necochea said.
This story was originally published July 18, 2022 at 5:57 PM.
