Former chair sets Idaho Democratic Party ‘toward significant goals,’ dies at 64
.jpeg "Fred Cornforth was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in 2022 and spent time traveling with his family in recent years.")
Former Idaho Democratic Party Chair Fred Cornforth has died after a battle with cancer. He was 64.
Cornforth was CEO of Community Development Inc., an affordable housing developer in Boise. An Idaho native, he founded the company in 1994, which also built housing projects around the country. He was appointed head of the Democratic Party in 2021 but resigned a year later, when he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, according to the party. He died Friday.
“Fred brought historic levels of energy and excitement to Democrats in Idaho, and when we can finally fund public education adequately and protect basic rights in this state, it will be in large part thanks to his work,” said House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, of Boise, in a news release.
Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea, D-Boise, who succeeded Cornforth, said the party broke fundraising records during Cornforth’s tenure and that he “set us on the path toward significant goals the party has achieved: conducting year-round field organizing, building party infrastructure in every county, and recruiting Democratic candidates to run in every corner of Idaho.”
Necochea announced last month that she would not seek reelection to her House seat in Boise’s North End and would instead focus on her work as chair of the party.
Cornforth lived in Garden City with his wife, Jill, and had four children: Charlie, Kadie, Andrew and Holly.
This story was originally published March 18, 2024 at 12:45 PM.
