Idaho Democrats appeal to Latino, Native voters in swing legislative districts

The Idaho Democratic Party is focused on reaching two demographics that could impact the results in this year’s legislative races in District 6 and 26 – the Native and Latino vote. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

Republicans have a supermajority in the Idaho Legislature, but there are two swing districts that the Idaho Democratic Party is focused on winning legislative seats on Nov. 5 – District 6 and District 26.  

To win seats in those districts, the party is focused on reaching two demographics that could impact the results in this year’s legislative races – the Native and Latino vote. 

Meanwhile, Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon says the Republican Party’s core tenets of faith, family and limited government can resonate with Idaho’s Native and Latino voters. 

“Our foundational principles of limited government, strong local communities, and individual freedom guide our efforts to create a prosperous state for everyone,” she said in a statement.

District 6 is based in North Idaho, and it borders the state of Washington, spanning from Nez Perce on its eastern boundary to Lewiston on its western boundary. District 26 includes Blaine, Lincoln and Jerome counties, where Latinos make up between 22% to 40% of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.  

Jared DeLoof is the executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party. (Courtesy of the Idaho Democratic Party)

The Idaho Secretary of State does not collect information about race and ethnicity upon voter registration, so it is unclear how many Latino and Native American voters are showing up at the polls. However, Idaho Democratic Party Executive Director Jared DeLoof said he believes those communities are even more at risk than most Idahoans at being “harmed by the Idaho Republican agenda.” 

“I don’t think it’s any question that when we look at statewide results, Democrats have a ways to go in Idaho,” DeLoof told the Idaho Capital Sun. “I think our two biggest opportunities that exist, two of them are in increasing the participation of members of these communities, particularly Hispanic voters and Native American voters.”

The party’s strategy is to engage these communities with the Idaho Democratic Party and make sure they turn out to vote, he said. 

This year, the Idaho Democratic Party received a $70,000 grant from the Democratic National Committee for a State Party Innovation Fund, which incentivizes state parties to engage with marginalized communities.

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The Idaho Democratic Party is using those funds to fund two field workers in the two battleground districts.

Annella Tucker, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe, is one of the field workers conducting that role. She is the Native American Get Out the Vote relational organizer based in Lapwai, where her role is focused on increasing voter participation on the Nez Perce reservation and highlighting the District 6 candidates to the community.

“Generally, there’s a lack of engagement between politicians in Idaho and reservation communities, and I think the community can really feel that,” Tucker told the Sun. “I think that most people in Idaho in general probably don’t have a ton of connection to legislators in Boise, and I think this is especially just true for voters on the Nez Perce reservation.”

Tucker said some of the issues she sees her community care about are the environment and public education. 

One of the candidates running for District 6’s Idaho House Seat A is Trish Carter-Goodheart, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. Carter-Goodheart previously told the Idaho Capital Sun her legislative priorities were reducing grocery costs and taxes, increasing education funding and increasing comprehensive health care. 

Koii Lauritsen is the party’s relational organizer in District 26, where there is an emphasis on reaching out to Latino voters, he told the Sun. Something he’s heard from people in District 26 is the idea that their vote doesn’t matter. 

“The state Legislature races in a lot of these districts are really close and tight races, and their vote does matter,” Lauritsen said. “Part of my job is to just introduce them to the possibility of voting and the benefits that it can have for them.”

While the Idaho Democratic Party is specifically targeting diverse demographic groups, the Idaho Republican Party is committed to faith, family and freedom for all Idahoans – including those in Native American and Latino communities, GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon told the Sun in a statement. 

Moon said the party engages in outreach with Native and Latino voters through targeted outreach initiatives, such as providing Spanish-language palm cards and statewide radio ads. 

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“Our core values resonate strongly with our Native and Latino voters,” Moon said. “Faith is a cornerstone of our community, in addition to supporting the family unit, and ensuring freedom in every aspect of life. We are dedicated to empowering every Idahoan with success and freedom, anchored in the principles of hard work and self-determination.”

Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, who is running against Carter-Goodheart, has lived in her district for over 50 years. A former educator and business owner, McCann has worked closely with many members of the Nez Perce Tribe on various issues, including promoting the local casino, emergency services, and career development programs.

However, McCann said some issues, such as dam breaching, are outside of her legislative scope because she also represents the farmers and ranchers in District 6 who rely on the transportation from the Port of Lewiston, she told the Sun. 

“I make it very clear that the state also has responsibilities to work with our Native friends to be sure that we are doing everything we can as a state to protect our salmon, and protect what is important and sacred to the tribe,” she said.

McCann said that just as Native Americans in her district are drawn to the values of the Republican Party, others can be as well.

“If a person finds that they believe in some of the business policies, some of the free enterprise ideas that the Republican Party is very strong in their belief, I think they also would be drawn to that,” she said. “And if they’re a small business owner, I think the Republican Party has a lot to offer that and for and to offer a Native American just as a non Native American.”