BOISE, Idaho — A local legislative district committee voted Thursday, March 7, and said a representative could not run as a Republican in the upcoming election for not following the party platform.
In the summer of 2022, under the new leadership of Chair Dorothy Moon, Idaho's GOP established its new party platform. A return to conservative principles, they called it. They also passed their state party rules, which have been amended multiple times since then.
Article XX of the Idaho Republican Party Rules has been a staple since the summer of 2023. The article allows the county, central, and legislative district committees to censure a lawmaker for not following the platform closely enough.
On Thursday, the Legislative District 32 Committee in Bonneville County took the ultimate step allowed in the party rules playbook. They have not only censured a sitting lawmaker but also voted to remove party support from Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen and prohibit her from running as a Republican.
Those who voted in favor claimed the lawmakers violated Idaho's Republican Party platform.
"I think we just need to make sure that the party reflects the people instead of a faction of the party, I think that's been kind of the problem," Rep. Mickelsen said in response to the news.
Neither Rep. Mickelsen nor Sen. Kevin Cook, who was also censured, attended the meeting to justify their voting.
"I didn't attend because, for one thing, I was in the middle of the legislative session, and my most important responsibility is to be here to make votes for my constituents," Rep. Mickelsen said.
During the meeting, a committee member said, "Do we want to live in a society where somebody can promise anything and then not abide by that..."
Rep. Mickelsen said she wasn't surprised by the decision. In November 2023, the committee censured the representative for, again, not following the party platform.
In executive session, LD 32 censured Rep. Mickelsen for a second time for her House votes regarding school choice and parental rights, party disaffiliation, and conduct unbecoming of a Republican representative. It also resolved that Rep. Mickelsen isn't a real Republican.
But what does that mean?
"I think for them, it means that they can stop me from running as a Republican for the next five years," Mickelsen said in response. "They don't think I meet the qualifications of being a Republican in this state, and I have every right to affiliate the way I choose and to run in that party."
Mickelsen admits to signing a pledge to follow the party platform in 2022, a party affiliation agreement. However, she said, with a few exceptions.
"What they forget is that they went and have had multiple meetings since then and have changed the party platform and loyalty and affiliation pledge," she said. "They came back to me in January and said, 'Hey, we want you to fill out this questionnaire and re-sign the party affiliation pledge.'"
"I responded that I would not be signing any more party or loyalty affiliation pledges because then they turnaround, and they beat you up with it on the other side," she said.
Sen. Mickelsen said the party shouldn't dictate her loyalty but, "My loyalties are to the state constitution, to the United States Constitution, and to my constituents because that's ultimately who voted me into this seat," she said. "I'm a Republican. I'm tired of being told I'm not a Republican because I'm not pure according to their purity test."
According to the cover letter from District 32, Chairman Doyle Beck stated, "This is not about any purity test. This is about an integrity test."
However, Mickelsen disagrees.
"I don't believe that at all. That's always what this has been about, which is that they want to purge the party of the people that they don't think fits their ideal of what a Republican is," she said.
Mickelsen said even given the recent ruling from the committee, she is still determined to run as a Republican.
"I think it makes me more impassioned to go out and stand up for people in my district, especially the people in our area who are continually being bullied by this faction of the party," she said.
As for the legality of saying Sen. Mickelsen cannot run as a Republican, Secretary of State Phil McGrane told KTVB they are still looking into it.
The vote to censure Rep. Mickelsen wasn't unanimous. Three committee members submitted their protest in writing.
Senator Cook, who was also censured by the district committee but not told he couldn't run as a Republican, has the full backing of the Senate Majority Caucus. They released a statement last Thursday, stating they strongly support Senator Cook as a respected member of their caucus.
"He works for his constituents and upholds the core conservative principles of our party. The attempt to exploit the electoral process and dictate party allegiance is a dangerous overreach, undermining the fundamental principles of our democratic system. We support Senator Cook and all who face attempts at intimidation by groups seeking to usurp the power rightfully held by the electorate," the statement read.
KTVB contacted Legislative District 32 chair Beck to get the committee's explanation for the decision but he refused an interview.
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