I have long been interested in the concept of party platforms. As a writer, I believe that words mean things, and the words we as the Idaho Republican Party choose to define ourselves should be meaningful. You can trace the evolution of my thinking on the platform through a series of articles I’ve written over the past two years:
- I had the privilege of serving as secretary of the Platform Committee at the 2024 State Convention in Coeur d’Alene, and I shared my thoughts on that experience.
- Later that summer, I compared the Idaho GOP Platform to the new RNC Platform developed by President Trump and his team.
- Last year, I examined how the platform fits into questions of who gets to call themselves Republicans. I was already beginning to express some skepticism that a document as long and detailed as the Idaho GOP Platform could serve as a litmus test for every Republican in Idaho:
Our current platform is a mixture of social conservatism, traditional conservatism, and Ron Paul-style libertarianism, covering both local and national issues. Roughly one-third of the platform deals with matters strictly under federal jurisdiction, which often have little to do with in-state legislation. As much as I appreciate the Idaho GOP calling for repeal of the 16th and 17th Amendments (income taxes and direct election of senators, respectively), I’ve grown skeptical about the value of keeping these federal issues in our state platform.
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What do you think? Should the Idaho GOP adopt a more concise platform focused on broad principles, or should it continue to lay out specific policy prescriptions? Should Republican nominees have more input into the platform they’re asked to support? Should the platform focus more narrowly on state issues, or continue weighing in on federal policies and national debates? How strictly should Republican candidates be judged? If the platform changes during a campaign, to which version should candidates be held?
- Last fall, I looked at what happens when precinct committeemen and party officers lose touch with their voters regarding what it means to be a Republican, and how that affects the platform.
- Finally, last month I presented an annotated edition of the Idaho GOP Platform, making it easy to see where our nominated candidates disagree but also where there is broad agreement.
I am now prepared to present the culmination of two years of consideration, study, and conversations with thoughtful men and women throughout the Idaho GOP: a proposed amendment to the Idaho GOP Platform that would reduce it from 20 pages to fewer than four, consolidating the current list of principles into a preamble followed by concrete legislative priorities. I submitted this proposal to the state office before the filing deadline.
Click here to view the Google Doc, or read the attached PDF below:
Notice that I eliminated much of the national focus, which accounted for roughly one-third of the previous platform. As much as I’d like to repeal the 17th Amendment—I believe it disconnected the states from the operation of our federal government and contributed to many of the problems we face today—there is currently no national movement to do so, and many of Idaho’s Republican leaders oppose such a measure. Keeping it in the platform will only further divide us at a time when we should be standing together against the radical left.
I structured it much like party platforms of old, with the first half outlining the principles upon which we build our policy positions and the second half presenting specific policy priorities for our elected officials to pursue. I believe this approach makes the platform far more useful, not only for the average voter—who is unlikely to comb through twenty pages of policy prescriptions before casting a ballot—but also for the candidates who carry the Republican banner.
I recognize that this is a significant change, and not everyone will be on board. It’s possible the Platform Committee will reject it entirely and continue incrementally adding to the platform instead. It may take more than one cycle to convince Idaho Republicans to rethink the role of the platform. I am prepared to present this proposal to the Platform Committee next week, but in the meantime, I invite your feedback.
I’ve opened the Google Doc to comments, so if you have ideas for changes or additions, feel free to leave them there. If I receive enough feedback, I may walk into the Platform Committee meeting with a set of prepared amendments.
After all, this document should represent the beliefs of the Idaho Republican Party—voters, volunteers, precinct committeemen, officers, candidates, and elected officials—not just one or two people. If this platform is to serve as a litmus test for Republicans in Idaho, it should not be so narrow that it effectively disqualifies 90 percent of candidates and the voters who support them. At the same time, it must remain grounded in the same rock-solid principles that defined the founding of this nation.
I look forward to your comments as I prepare to present this proposal to the Platform Committee. I am honored to serve on the committee this year and will have an active role in the debate. I especially welcome ideas and suggestions from my fellow committee members.
I believe Idaho Republicans face a fork in the road regarding our platform: Do we continue adding more and more specific detail, or do we return to a tradition of concise platforms that emphasize high-level principles and a concrete legislative agenda? We’ll find out next week whether the Idaho GOP is ready for such a major change in perspective.
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.
