Idaho Democratic Party News and Articles

Investments in public education benefit all Idahoans. Regardless of whether we have children attending school at any given moment, the advantages of strong public education resonate throughout our communities. Unfortunately, the latest effort by the out-of-state voucher lobby and a faction of Republicans to implement a school voucher scheme poses a grave threat to our already underfunded schools and the state budget. House Bill 447 would start as a [...]

All Idahoans should agree: the safety of our children is paramount. How we decide to protect them may differ from community to community. When it comes to guns in schools, current Idaho law allows locally elected school boards to set the policies they deem appropriate. Some districts keep guns out of schools unless they are in the hands of law enforcement. Others have policies providing oversight. Unfortunately, House Bill [...]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Democratic Party today announced that U.S. Sen. John Fetterman will keynote the Frank and Bethine Church Gala on Saturday, March 9 in Boise. “We are thrilled to welcome Sen. Fetterman to Idaho,” said Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea. “His 2022 victory is a testament to what can be accomplished when Democrats invest and compete everywhere. John exemplifies the independent spirit, [...]

When I was a kid, Idaho enjoyed a fairly healthy balance of political power. Democratic Governor Cecil Andrus served alongside a Republican lieutenant governor and for one legislative term, the Idaho Senate was evenly divided. As I grew up, Idaho veered rightward. Today, new migration patterns are rapidly accelerating the trend, and an interesting paradox has emerged in Boise State University’s new polling.  The 2024 Idaho Public Policy Survey finds [...]

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Budgets are moral documents” because they show our real values. Allocating our public dollars demands thoughtful, transparent deliberations. Unfortunately, recent moves by Republican legislative leaders have compromised Idaho’s process with serious consequences. The integrity of our nationally-lauded budgeting process started eroding last year. GOP leaders knocked House Democrats down to just one member on the budget committee, taking away our proportional representation. This month, [...]

If we truly valued our children, we would ensure they spend their days in safe school buildings. But decades of neglect have caused Idaho schools to slide into a shameful state of disrepair. Raw sewage leaking under a cafeteria, collapsing roofs, and freezing classrooms illustrate the dire condition of school facilities across the state. Most frighteningly, a fire destroyed much of a Pocatello high school after faulty electrical wiring went [...]

Today, Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren released the following statement in response to the Supreme Court allowing Idaho to enforce its strict abortion ban, even in medical emergencies: “Idaho’s abortion ban, passed by the Republican-controlled legislature and signed by Governor Brad Little, endangers the lives of pregnant Idahoans and undermines the duty hospitals have to treat and stabilize sick patients. Simply preserving the patient’s health is considered a criminal [...]

The Idaho State Capitol is not just a building; it's the People's House. Regular Idaho families don’t have lobbyists and can’t afford big campaign donations, but their interests should always be front and center. As the legislature reconvenes, Idaho Democrats are prioritizing the working families who are too often left behind. First, we are committed to thriving Main Streets with economic opportunity in towns big and small. A fundamental building [...]