BOISE, Idaho — The Democratic National Committee is sending at least $100,000 to Idaho ahead of the 2022 general election as part of a strategy to bolster campaigns in states dominated by Republicans, a spokesperson told the Idaho Statesman.
Last year, the governing body of the Democratic Party promised to send $23 million to state parties before the 2022 midterm election. That includes a $2 million "red state fund" for states that meet two of the following criteria: The state must have no Democratic senator or governor, less than 25% Democrats among its congressional delegation, or a supermajority of Republicans in the state Legislature.
Idaho meets all three. The Legislature is 82% Republican. The governor and Idaho's four federal delegates are also Republicans.
The Democratic National Committee pledged a six-figure investment in Idaho, including direct investments in the state and grants for the local party.
"This investment gives us what we need to organize in communities across the state early on, helping us build the critical infrastructure needed to lead Democrats to victory in 2022 and beyond," Idaho Democratic Party Executive Director Jared DeLoof said in an emailed statement to the Statesman this week.
Tom Luna, chairman of the Idaho Republican Party, said it's not the first time out-of-state money will support local Democrats.
"They're building the infrastructure, they're playing the long game, and this is just more evidence of it," he told the Statesman.
The "red state fund" targets "traditionally Republican" states, the DNC's news release said. That includes states like Idaho and nearby Montana as well as Kansas, Indiana, South Carolina, Mississippi and others.
In an emailed statement, DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison — former Democratic Party leader in South Carolina — said the national organization is "committed to providing unprecedented resources to empower state parties ... to hold Republicans accountable for betting against Idahoans."
Idaho voters haven't backed a Democratic president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, and Republicans' stake among voters has strengthened in recent years.
Data collected by the Idaho secretary of state's office shows the share of Republicans among total voters has grown 21% since 2013. Democrats' share of total voters climbed just 6% during the same period.
The Idaho Republican Party's growth coincided with its decision to close its primary elections in 2012. The change required unaffiliated voters to register as Republican to vote in the GOP primaries over the last decade. The number of unaffiliated voters in Idaho has significantly declined since 2013, despite population growth.
Luna told the Statesman that the party growth is a credit to the local GOP's efforts to reach out to new voters. A so-called "political welcome wagon," led by a party member, should be the first time a new resident hears about Idaho Republicans, he said. That strategy is driven by fears that Democrats could flip Idaho as they did former Republican strongholds.
"We're not waiting, like Colorado and Nevada and other states did, and let the Democrats reach out to them first," Luna said.
But the GOP chairman admits Idaho is already attracting right-leaning voters — welcoming committee or not.
Recent polling shows new Idaho residents are even more likely to be conservative than long-term residents. Boise State University's annual Idaho Public Policy Survey found that 53% of new Idaho residents identified as conservative, compared to 49% of people who have lived in the state for at least 10 years.
Among the goals of the "red state fund" is breaking the GOP supermajority in the Idaho Legislature. That would mean flipping 17 seats to Democrats.
House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise, acknowledged that Idaho Democrats face an "uphill battle," but she said "anywhere is flippable" with the right candidate.
Idahoans actually align with local Democrats on many issues, such as Medicaid expansion, education funding, infrastructure investments, property tax relief, affordable housing and child care, Rubel told the Statesman by phone.
"I think there's a lot of potential for the Democrats here," she said. "We just need to snap people out of reflexive Republican voting."
Idaho might be poised for a shift in power as Republicans in the Legislature focus on "divisive, social war" issues like "criminalizing librarians" and banning operations and medications for transgender kids, Rubel said.
"When you see those trends, that's when your average voters start looking for another option, and I think we can deliver that other option," she said.
A common theme among former GOP-dominant states was party infighting, Luna said, and he's pushing for unity as the minority party looks to make inroads.
"We are in the Democrats' cross hairs," he said. "There's too much infighting in the Republican Party."
As of Wednesday, only nine Democrats have filed to run for legislative seats currently held by Republicans. The two-week primary election filing period ends Friday.
