BOISE — The idaho GOP is in disarray heading into the March 2nd presidential caucus. A group of more centrist Republicans called Take Back Idaho is hoping to push out the more right wing elements of the party in this election year.
- Take Back Idaho wants to bring back open primaries.
- GOP Chair Dorothy Moon says Secretary of State's office should look into Idaho Bulletin, an anonymous political flier critical of her leadership.
- Take Back Idaho says it has nothing to do with the flier.
(verbatim of story below)
Bitter, cowardice, trouble makers, nasty, crazy
That may sound like Democrats and Republicans going at it. But it’s not.
…..Welcome to the Idaho GOP.
“We formed to try to steer the Republicans party back to reasonable lawmaking,” said Jim Jones with Take Back Idaho.
Take Back Idaho is a group of republicans who think the party has lost its way deep in right field.
“Just pursuing these culture war issues that mean nothing when ignoring educational needs fixing school buildings fixing bridges and roads,” said Jones.
He says he’s talking about things like Representative Heather Scott trying to expand the state’s cannibalism ban because she says she’s worried about the possibility that people are eating other people.
But the head of the party, Dorothy Moon says the bulk of Republicans, including new ones moving to Idaho, agree with the party platform.
And she says she at least goes on record, unlike this mailer — the Idaho bulletin — which was put out anonymously and criticizes the Party.
"the fact that this collective of people are trying to undermine not only our current state central committee but also this caucus shame on them,” said Moon.
Jones says take back Idaho is not responsible for the mailer.
Moon says she’ll get to the bottom of it.
“So far a lot of support from the public at large that they know what this is it’s a hit piece by a dark money group and we will find out who it is,” said Moon.
If Take Back Idaho gets it’s way, the rift is likely to come to a head, not during the march 2nd caucus, but during the Local republican primary on May 21st when jones hopes moderates will join them.
3214 “I think we’re going to get the open primaries initiative on the ballot.its got almost enough signatures now.and that will be the deathnell of the crazy branch of the Republican Party.”
“When you look at republicans working with democrats to do that and open our primary I think it’s wrong. Either you be a republican and follow the republican platform or else you know what maybe you need to find a different party," said Jones "Dorothy moon and her people can pack their bags and they know it. And that’s why they’re fighting it tooth and nail,” said Moon, "they need to start playing nice."
