We believe it is crucial to address the recent allegations and veiled threat made by former IDGOP chairs Tom Luna and Trent Clark suggesting that the Idaho Republican Party is disenfranchising voters, as this claim is pure sophistry, twisting information to deceive the people. The Idaho Republican Party repeatedly asked the legislature to restore the presidential primary, even passing a formal resolution that was co-signed by a broad number of Idaho Republican leaders.
Our intention is to re-enfranchise as many Republican voters as possible. Unfortunately, the removal of the Presidential Primary by the State Legislature, Secretary of State, and Governor had a significant impact on hundreds of thousands of voters, both Republicans and Democrats alike.
In response to this disenfranchisement, we have established a presidential caucus as a means to provide an alternative avenue for voters to participate in the selection of the presidential candidate. This decision was made with the objective of ensuring that every qualified Republican voter has the opportunity to express their preference at the Idaho Republican Caucus.
It is important to note that the removal of the Presidential Primary was not our decision, and we are working within the framework established by the Republican National Committee to meet their deadline for nomination. Idaho is leading the way as other states have followed by establishing their own Presidential Caucuses out of concern about election integrity.
The former chairs unfounded statement is disingenuous. Neither of them are part of the caucus planning process, so they have no factual basis for their claims. Our primary goal is to facilitate a fair and accessible process for as many Republican voters as we can. By doing so, we are saving the state of Idaho taxpayer dollars by hosting our own caucuses using the filing fees from the Presidential candidates. As the fifth state in the Republican nominating calendar, the excitement and enthusiasm is palpable from the six Presidential campaigns that have declared and paid the filing fees, including Donald J. Trump, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, and Ryan L. Binkley.
Ironically, we would like to point out that former IDGOP chair Trent Clark supported a Presidential nominating convention as a solution. A convention would have been comprised solely of roughly 700 party delegates, while a caucus allows all registered Republicans to participate in the presidential nominating process.
We remain committed to upholding the conservative principles of the Republican Party and ensuring that every eligible Republican voter’s voice is heard.
The course correction that Idaho Republicans demanded within the Idaho Republican Party was made in July of 2022, when the grassroots supported and elected new leadership that committed to follow the rules, adhere to the Republican platform and honor the Idaho and U.S. Constitutions.
Resolution 2023-38 calling to restore the Presidential Primary can be found here.
Visit www.IdahoRepublicanCaucus.com for more information about the Idaho Republican Presidential Caucus on March 2, 2024.