When it comes to politics, character matters. It’s not about style; it’s about values like integrity, honesty, empathy, and respect. Character is what a person does when no one is watching and what they try to get away with. A central question we ought to ask about leaders is: Do they care about themselves, or do they care about making life better for the people they serve?

When a leader mocks injured service members or disrespects Gold Star families, it’s not something to shrug off. These attitudes become policies that dishonor military sacrifices. For example, it took too long to provide benefits and care to veterans exposed to toxins like burn pits. And many Republicans, including Russ Fulcher, Mike Simpson, Jim Risch, and Mike Crapo, voted against this.

Character drives policy decisions in Idaho, too.

Senator Dan Foreman famously berated University of Idaho students who traveled to Boise to discuss birth control access with him. After an angry outburst belittling the students, he sponsored legislation to force rape victims to carry pregnancies.

During a House Ethics Committee hearing, Idaho GOP Chair Dorothy Moon suggested that because a victim touched her hair while talking to her rapist, she was flirting. Representative Priscilla Giddings publicized a photo of the victim and then denied doing so under oath. Notably, the perpetrator was their far-right political ally. Both Moon and Giddings support abortion bans without exceptions for women facing medical emergencies.

Politicians can incite harmful actions outside the lawmaking process with their words.

The deadly violence we saw on January 6 was fueled by reckless lies claiming a “stolen election.” These lies were repeated, by Idaho’s GOP leaders and others, to curry favor with the former president and his followers.

Hateful rhetoric from Idaho’s GOP about immigrants and LGBTQ+ people no doubt encourages violence. Two years ago, diligent law enforcement officers interrupted a plot targeting the Coeur d’Alene Pride Festival. This week, an Idaho man involved with a white supremacist group was arrested for plotting violence.

When leaders overlook severe character deficits for political gain, they reveal something about themselves. Meanwhile, strong leaders speak out against unbridled self-interest and thirst for power. That’s why Republicans like Dick Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and 200 former Republican staffers who worked with President Bush, Mitt Romney, and John McCain have courageously endorsed the Democratic candidate for president.

Similarly, many Republicans in Idaho will cross over and vote for Democratic candidates this year. They see the danger that single-party rule and an extreme Idaho Republican Party have put us in.

Let the leaders who put people before party inspire you in this moment — and always — to cast your ballot for integrity, decency, and the values that protect our future.

Onward,

-- Lauren Necochea
Idaho Democratic Party Chair