What a week! Primary Election Day has come and gone, and the many months worth of work by candidates and their volunteers has come to an end. The winners move on to the general election. Some don’t have opponents, so they are free to help candidates who do.
The Idaho GOP still has some intraparty battles ahead. Next week, 44 county committees and 35 legislative district committees will meet to elect new officers and select delegates to the 2024 State Convention. If you are a newly-elected PC, click here to find the time and location for your own reorganization meetings.
Next month at the convention, delegates from throughout the state will meet to vote on a platform, resolutions, new rules, and of course, party officers. Nevertheless, it’s time to focus on the future.
Yesterday, Idaho GOP chair Dorothy Moon called on Republicans to unite now that the primary is complete. Kootenai County GOP chair Brent Regan said that “hate lost” and now it’s time to move forward in our work.
Dorothy Moon sat down with Andrew Baertlein of KTVB after the primary to share her impressions:
It wasn’t just legislative races on the ballot. County commissioners, county sheriffs, school bonds, and of course every precinct committeeman race were all up for grabs. Visit VoteIdaho.gov to find all the results.
I had a great time at the Idaho GOP watch party on Tuesday night. Feel free to catch up on my live stream, but it was pretty scattered because I kept leaving to go talk to people I saw. Daniel Murphy caught me chatting with Rep. Bruce Skaug at one point:
This week at the Chronicle…
On Sunday, I looked at the responsibilities of Christians in the American Republic. How do we honor God while taking part in the political process?
On Monday, I looked at some of the tough races in the primary. Most choices were easy — conservative versus moderate — but many were not so clearly defined.
On Wednesday, I looked at the previous night’s results and shared my initial thoughts on each competitive race.
On Friday, I looked at some of the strategy behind campaigning, dispelling some myths about what it takes to win elections.
Did you know about the podcast of the Gem State Chronicle? It’s true! Paid subscribers usually get to hear it a week in advance. The latest episode discusses how conservatives need to make sure their rhetoric remains credible with the average voter.
Last Saturday, I wrote about how a PAC sent libelous text messages regarding Sen. Tammy Nichols, falsely accusing her of having been arrested 21 years ago. Thankfully they did not seem to make a difference in the race, which Nichols won by nearly 30%. Nichols had shirts made showing a “wanted” poster.
In other news…
In a press release the day after the primary election, Sen. C. Scott Grow of Eagle declared his intention to seek the position of president pro tempore now that Sen. Chuck Winder has been defeated. The race for leadership will heat up toward the end of the year, but Grow is making an early move to gain support from both the moderate and conservative sides of the Senate caucus.
In this short clip from TimcastIRL, the hosts discuss the Greater Idaho movement and what it portends for the future of our country:
13 Oregon counties have voted to secede and join Idaho. It’s not that easy, of course. Moving a state border requires consent of both state legislatures as well as the US Congress. However, the discussion is growing. Last November I interviewed the spokesman for the Greater Idaho movement:
The results in LD23 were somewhat odd. Voters chose to replace conservative Rep. Tina Lambert with Shawn Dygert, who campaigned against “extremist” rhetoric and in support of agriculture, however they also ousted moderate Rep. Melissa Durrant in favor of the socially conservative Chris Bruce. The KunaPod examined those results:
Auron MacIntyre recently spoke with Meg Basham, who writes about issues related to evangelical Christianity for the Daily Wire. Basham exposes how Christian leaders have sold out on issues such as immigration:
Finally, the Critical Drinker looks at the 1993 film Falling Down to explain how it exemplifies a moment in American history, and how it remains relevant today:
Thank you all for your support as I continue to bring you news and analysis that empowers you to make positive change in Idaho. The big takeaway from Tuesday’s election is that conservatism is winning. Keep the faith and focus on the goal and we can protect this state for our children and our grandchildren.
Make sure to subscribe, follow me on Twitter, and follow the Chronicle on Facebook, Telegram, YouTube, and Rumble. Have a great weekend!
About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
