Idaho Democratic Party

History

Created in 1863 after the discovery of new mining territory, the early Idaho Territory was heavily populated by settlers from western Oregon, California and Nevada who supported a radical Republican agenda. However, towards the end of the Civil War, Idaho became flooded with Confederate refugees from states like Missouri who voted, like the miners in Idaho, heavily Democratic. The state became a Democratic stronghold for the next two decades.

At the dawn of statehood, despite ceding Idaho almost entirely four years earlier to the Populists and Republicans (Cleveland won only 2 popular votes in 1892), a fusion Populist/Democratic ticket behind William Jennings Bryan's candidacy won the state with 78.1% of the vote with the support from Silver Republicans. Nevertheless, the three– man congressional delegation remained two-part Populist, one-part Republican.

It was not until the turn of the century that Idaho saw its first Democratic representation in Congress, Senator Fred Dubois, U.S. Marshal of the Idaho Territory and a former Republican. He successfully campaigned on the disenfranchisement of Mormons on the grounds that they broke the law by practicing polygamy, already having barred them form holding office while he held office in the state legislature. Ironically, while his anti– Mormonism as a Republican kept Democrats out of office after 1882, his anti-Mormonism as a Democrat had the same result after 1902.

Though Democrats and Jewish governor Moses Alexander were able to implement a radically progressive agenda with the backing of the Nonpartisan League while in control during Woodrow Wilson's presidency, they quickly ceded power and it was not until Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1932 landslide that they began to turn out state and local (as well as national) Republican office holders for a sustained period of time. That year, all three congressional Republicans up for re– election were defeated by Democratic challengers by at least 11 percent. All three challengers, like their state party, were stalwart supporters of FDR's New Deal. Despite a turn of opinion against the federal government's programs years later, Democrats retained two of their three newly attained seats for at least 15 years and managed to control the legislature for eight until the chambers evened themselves out during and immediately after the war.

Decline

In the post-war decades, as state politics was professionalized, Republicans dominated the state legislature and the governor's mansion, but Democrats maintained a steadfast presence across all other executive offices. A platform of environmental concerns gave Idaho its last Democratic governor to date even as it became more conservative in its congressional delegation and state legislature. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, Democrats lost two key voting groups. After the national party adopted a host of liberal social issues like abortion rights and feminism, Idaho's Mormons left the party in droves. Meanwhile, unions lost influence in already declining mining and timber industries.

Since 1994, when four-term Democratic governor Cecil Andrus retired and Representative Larry LaRocco was defeated, only one member of the party, Walt Minnick, has won either statewide office or election to Congress; after winning election to the latter capacity in 2008, Minnick was subsequently defeated for re-election by Republican Raúl Labrador two years later. Idaho Democrats currently seat only twelve members of the state House and six members of the state Senate, slightly worse than the ~20% they held in each chamber in 1996 when the party first collapsed. Unlike with other Mountain West states, such as Nevada and Colorado, immigration has not shifted Idaho leftward. Rather, Californians and other West Coast residents who have moved there have done so largely for cultural instead of economic reasons.

Elected officials

Members of Congress

• None

Statewide offices

• None

Legislative leadership

• Senate Minority Leader: Melissa Wintrow
• Assistant Senate Minority Leader: James Ruchti
• Senate Minority Caucus Chair: Janie Ward– Engelking
• House Minority Leader: Ilana Rubel
• Assistant House Minority Leader: Lauren Necochea
• House Minority Caucus Chair: Ned Burns

Municipal

The following Democrats hold prominent mayoralties in Idaho:

• Boise: Lauren McLean (1)

Chairs

• Lauren Necochea
• Deborah Silver
• Fred Cornworth
• Evangeline "Van" Beechler
• Bert Marley
• Larry Kenck
• R. Keith Roark
• Larry Grant
• Richard H. Stallings
• Carolyn Boyce
• Kathie Garrett
• Bill Mauk
• Mel Morgan
• A. K. Lienhart– Minnick
• Conley Ward, 1988–1991
• George Klein 1978
• John F. Greenfield 1976–77
• A. W. "Bill" Brunt 1952–1954
• John G. Walters 1958
• John Glasby
• George A. Greenfield 1954– 1955
• Gilbert Larsen ?–1952
• Ed P. Brennan 1949
• Dan J. Cavanagh 1947–1948
• David L. Bush 1944–1946
• Ben W. Davis 1939
• Ira H. Taylor 1937
• T. A. Walters 1931
• Edwin M. Holden 1930
• L. E. Dillingham 1925–1929
• Dr. W. R. Hamilton ?–1918
• Joseph T. Pence 1914
• Ben R. Gray 1912
• John F. Nugent
• Kirtland I. Perky 1900–1902
• George Ainslie 1890–1891
• Wayne P. Fuller 1979–1980

Election results

Presidential

Gubernatorial

References

References

1. "Voter Registration Totals".
2. (2014-12-04). "Idaho unions: A history of conflict". Post Register.
3. (1976). "Idaho Political Periods". [[Idaho State Historical Society]].
4. (13 May 2014). "How Idaho Became A One Party State". [[Boise State Public Radio]].
5. (20 May 2013). "How right-wing emigrants conquered North Idaho". [[High Country News]].
6. Tribune. "Fred Cornforth named the new chairman of Idaho Democratic Party".
7. (2019-03-21). "IDP elects new Party Chair, Van Beechler".
8. (2015-08-01). "Bert Marley: New IDP Chairman - Idaho Democratic Party". Idaho Democratic Party.
9. "Larry Kenck, Idaho State Democratic chairman, will step down". idahostatesman.
10. "Keith Roark elected Idaho Democratic Party chairman {{!}} 43rd State Blues: Democracy for Idaho".
11. (2012-11-07). "Election 2012: Larry Grant, Chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party - Idaho Democratic Party". Idaho Democratic Party.
12. Prentice, George. "Same Name, Different Face: Two Larry's, One Democratic Party".
13. "Idaho Democratic Party selects Post Falls native as new chairman". OregonLive.com.
14. release, Idaho Democratic Party press. "Bannock County Democrats to host Richard Stallings Banquet". Idaho State Journal.
15. "Richard Stallings Resigns as State Democratic Party Chair".
16. Wayne Hoffman, Staff. "Voters to Have Lots of Choices in Primary." ''Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID)'', 2002, p. 01.
17. Popkey, Dan. "Democrats See Frank Walker as Key to Rebuilding." ''Idaho Statesman, The (Boise, ID)'', 2000, p. 01B.
18. "Moscow-Pullman Daily News - Google News Archive Search".
19. "Moscow-Pullman Daily News - Google News Archive Search".
20. "The Spokesman-Review - Google News Archive Search".
21. "Mel Morgan's Obituary on Idaho State Journal".
22. "Moscow-Pullman Daily News - Google News Archive Search".
23. "Hillary Clinton announces her Idaho campaign leadership". idahostatesman.
24. "Minnick A Populist Millionaire Ex-Nixon Aide, Ceo Comfortable On Top, Bottom Floors Of Factory". Spokesman.com.
25. (2013-11-01). "Former IDP Chair Conley Ward Passed Away This Week".
26. "When Gov. Evans wanted a new chairman, he got one (w/ video)". idahostatesman.
27. "George Matthew Klein". The Lewiston Tribune.
28. "About John F. Greenfield Law {{!}} John F. Greenfield Law Offices".
29. "When a past Idaho governor wanted his own state party chairman, he got him...". Spokesman.com.
30. (2012-10-02). "John F. Greenfield, Of Counsel". The Huntley Law Firm, PLLC.
31. "Idaho Democratic Delegation 2008".
32. Wickline, Michael. "ANONYMOUS FLIER RAISES SUSPICIONS". The Lewiston Tribune.
33. "March 11, 2016 Press Release Hillary for Idaho Announces Leadership Council".
34. "Idaho State Journal, Pocatello, Idaho, June 25, 1972, Page 2". Newspapers.com.
35. "Lewiston Morning Tribune - Google News Archive Search".