The Sleeping Giant
Do Idaho's leaders reflect Idaho? More voters need to show up in the primary to make it so. Plus, news from GA, TX and the US.
Very simply put, only 1/3rd of Idaho voters shows up when it really matters. Most contests are decided in the primary given Idaho is predominantly a Republican state. Yet 2/3rds of the people that vote in the Presidential election do not show up to vote in the primary, rendering their voices largely irrelevant.
I get asked fairly often given the research and attention I have devoted to studying our elections here in Idaho if there is cheating going on? I will continue to address that, but as of now, I am more disheartened by the above data than anything else I have found. (My opinion would be different if I lived in other states where cheating is far more evident).
Further, consider who does show up to vote in the primary. In Ada County, approximately 100,000 votes were cast in the 2022 primary. Ada, according to the State Controller’s Office, has nearly 19,000 state employees. Ada County employs another 2100 people. Then add all of the city employees, school district and other special district employees and I think it easily tops 30,000 people that are employed by government/education in Ada County. If you add spouses, family and others within the sphere of influence, I think you can extrapolate the impact such a block of voters can have on the primary election and that they are much more highly motivated to show up than the average voter. Do those voters reflect Idaho?
I have spent the last three weekends knocking the doors of non-primary voters, and based on that experience, I don’t believe so. For example, in terms of elections, we continue to hear the mantra from state leaders that our elections are ‘safe and secure’. Polling, particularly of Republicans, shows they overwhelmingly think cheating has impacted our elections (even if in other states). That is a critical disconnect between state leaders and the average voter.
The 2024 primary is just around the corner, and the outcome will largely be a function of whether the sleeping giant is sufficiently roused to weigh in. It is a republic, if you can keep it. Please remind the giant of that. It is time for it to wake up.
GA: Powell, Chesebro Take Plea Deals in Trump Case - The tally is now three individuals who have taken plea deals in the Trump case in Georgia including high profile attorney Sydney Powell. Powell pled guilty of misdemeanor charges in exchange for several felony charges being dropped and will serve probation and no jail time. Powell has not spoken about the deal but did point to this article which claims the drop from serious felony charges to misdemeanors shows the weakness of the DA’s case and it proves the weaponization of the criminal justice system to get Trump.
TX: Dallas County Hires Controversial Elections Director - Garcia was the former elections director in Tarrant County, TX but resigned after a new judge won office running on a platform of election integrity. Garcia is touted by some as a top elections expert, but others point to his involvement with corrupt elections in the Philippines and his one-time employment with voting system vendor Smartmatic. Dallas County is the second largest county in Texas.
TX: Harris County Blasted for 2022 Election Management - The Texas Secretary of State released its preliminary findings highlighting ballot count inconsistencies, ballot paper shortages, poor training, and other issues in Texas’ largest county.
US: Trump Gets Another Gag Order - Stating that the 1st Amendment yields to the administration of justice, Judge Chutkan placed a gag order on Trump from speaking harshly against witnesses and court officials. It follows an earlier gag order in another case. Trump continues to point to these lawsuits and now these gag orders as election interference bent on hampering his ability to campaign.