Pierce: Out-of-state radicals have helped take over local GOP
A column by Jim Pierce, former Idaho GOP vice chairman:
There has been quite a bit of banter in the Press lately regarding the status of the local Republican Party. I think we can establish a final decision on some of these points, but more importantly, we need to straighten out what a local political party’s role is in the first place.
Was the local party “taken over” purposely by a group of non-traditional Republicans, mostly from the far right side of the spectrum and many from out-of-state? Absolutely. Melanie Vander Feer’s 2010 column in the Press very clearly admitted that fact publicly and most of the folks I know in that group have no trouble proudly admitting it as well. Many of these folks are good, sincere people but it was a calculated, well-executed plan to wrest “control” of the GOP from traditional Idaho Republicans. It occurred all over the state and country.
Has this takeover changed the flavor, culture, and purpose of the county GOP? Absolutely. More here.
