Idaho Republican Party dodged a bullet with anti-voter rule change for the primaries

Over the past several years, I’ve publicly criticized and testified in legislative committee hearings against several Republican efforts to change the rules of political participation. So it’s only fair to applaud the party when it does the right thing.

Some members of the Idaho Republican State Central Committee proposed a change that would severely limit the role of Republican voters in the primary election.

Basically, the proposal would give the 210 members (or some subset of members) of the Republican Central Committee the authority to decide who could or could not run in the primary election in Idaho. Such a plan, if implemented, would shift power from the registered Republican voters to this small cadre of county and precinct party members.

It would apply to the Republican primaries for statewide, legislative and county elections and would be the most restrictive political party nomination rule in the United States. Fortunately, the rules committee of the Republican State Central Committee declined to send the proposal to the full 210-member body for a vote. In fact, the rules committee voted unanimously, 16-0, against the proposal. So, thank you, Republican State Central Committee members, for your strong statement in support of common sense. Kudos for protecting the rights of voters.

Nonetheless, one must wonder how many of the 210 members might actually vote in favor of this proposal if it had gone to a floor vote. Six State Central Committee members proposed the resolution, so we know there was at least some support. I’m guessing that considerably more than six would support it.

The point is, while we are encouraged that the rules committee members acted responsibly, there is ample recent evidence of some Republican Party officials behaving otherwise. Last November’s theater of the absurd, performed in the Capitol by some Republicans, is a good example. That little bit of special session tragicomedy cost Idaho taxpayers over $45,000.

Even more expensive was last year’s Republican effort to virtually eliminate the initiative and popular referendum process in Idaho — an effort so mean-spirited and draconian that it was struck down unanimously by the Idaho Supreme Court. It cost Idaho taxpayers over $330,000 to protect their very own constitutional right. The thing most shocking was that Republican leaders seemed so surprised that they lost that case. How could they be that out of touch with constitutional reality?

We will hope the 2022 Idaho legislative session is short and productive and attends to the true business of the citizens of the state. We can hope for that, but we can expect shenanigans, as legislators strike their various postures for the May primary season.

Remember, about 40% of all Idaho state legislative elections are uncontested in the general election, so the office is won in the primary.

And by now, it should be obvious to all that a great many elected officials care foremost about one thing: getting reelected. Therefore, they will play to those who are most instrumental in their reelection. They will play to those who watch carefully. Watch carefully. Be vigilant.