Idaho Democratic Party News and Articles

The mental health of our children is on everyone’s mind, including school leaders. That’s why 10 rural districts and charter schools jumped at the chance to apply for mental health support through Idaho’s Rural Health Transformation Program. The plans included counseling, telehealth, and behavioral health coordinators to help students and families connect with care. Their work was wasted when a Republican-only interim committee voted to shut down the opportunity [...]

What political parties choose to fight for says a lot about their values and what they demand from elected leaders. At a recent Idaho Democratic Party meeting in Coeur d’Alene, grassroots members passed three resolutions addressing concerns we have heard from Idahoans: rising grocery costs, protecting citizen-led ballot initiatives, and safeguarding our water and future. Idaho is one of only four states that charges its full sales tax rate [...]

On Saturday, Idaho Democratic leaders from across the state gathered in Coeur d’Alene for the Fall State Central Committee Meeting, where members focused on the work ahead in the home stretch of the 2026 election and the issues Idahoans are demanding action on. The committee voted to support ending Idaho’s sales tax on groceries as families continue to get hit by higher costs. Since Trump returned to office, the [...]

Politics can be full of disagreement. But on some things, Idahoans are pretty clear. We value our public lands. We want them protected and kept open for the people who live here, not handed over for private development. Across the country, voters are increasingly concerned about rapidly expanding data centers and their demands on land, water and electricity. So what are Republican officials doing? Pushing in the opposite direction. [...]

Any worthy candidate takes the time to understand the challenges facing Idaho families, businesses and communities and the solutions needed. They should have a plan and tell voters what they will do about it. But that is not what we are seeing from some Republican campaigns in Idaho. I recently came across an ad from a longtime Republican officeholder running for reelection. After decades in public office, he should [...]

Idaho deserves leaders who study the bills instead of simply deferring to the lobbyists pushing them. The debate over data centers shows why that matters. The 2020 legislative session was my first as a state representative, and I was lobbied hard to support a valuable sales tax exemption for data centers. The pitch was slick. One lobbyist told me data centers would jumpstart our tech industry and create new [...]

Diesel prices in Idaho have hit the highest level ever recorded, reaching nearly $6 a gallon statewide, up more than $2 from $3.82 a year ago. It is the latest hit for Idaho drivers, who just faced the most expensive Labor Day weekend in state history. While Republicans gather in Dallas to fawn over Trump, Idaho families are stuck paying for his reckless agenda. Since Trump took office, the [...]

In decades past, Idahoans elected leaders who worked to preserve public lands for future generations. Sixty-two years ago, Democratic Senator Frank Church helped pass the Wilderness Act, the most significant land protection law in American history. It now safeguards more than 111 million acres nationwide. Democratic Governor Cecil Andrus helped secure the Sawtooth Wilderness and later protected more land as Secretary of the Interior. Democratic Congressman Larry LaRocco passed [...]

At the end of the work week, every Idaho family ought to be able to cover their bills. Our government can make that easier. But the Republicans in power keep making it harder for the people who work, farm, and run businesses here. Donald Trump’s tariffs are part of a chaotic economic agenda that keeps putting Idahoans on the losing end. Six months after the U.S. Supreme Court struck [...]