By former Mayor Darrell Kerby
Bonners Ferry
With the close of 2025 Idaho Legislature, let us again reflect on who we truly are and what it means to be an Idahoan.
Idaho has long been a stronghold for conservative values, a tradition deeply rooted in our identity. This conservative environment is not under threat or at risk in our state. Claims to the contrary by certain Republican candidates are attempts to manufacture a crisis and manipulate voters through misleading tactics. Such approaches fail to resonate with the true spirit of Idahoans.
We are a community that values limited government—one that is frugal, efficient, and responsible with taxpayers’ money. We believe in providing quality public education under the guidance of local school boards, ensuring public safety through effective police, courts, and transportation systems, and supporting health and safety nets for those in temporary need or facing challenges due to disabilities. Idahoans stand for protecting our most vulnerable citizens and fostering a business-friendly environment free from excessive bureaucracy and regulation.
Our values are rooted in respect and inclusivity. We do not harbor hatred toward others based on differences in appearance, faith, or thought. Idaho schools reflect the communities they serve, rather than promoting partisan agendas. We unequivocally reject white nationalism and all forms of extremist ideologies.
Idaho’s brand of Republican conservatism champions individual freedoms as enshrined in the Constitution, resisting the expansion of government into overreach or socialism.
Let us preserve the principles that have kept Idaho strong and united. We must not be swayed by the radical right, whose extreme ideologies threaten to undermine the conservative foundation that defines our state.