Idaho Politics & Beyond — Election Commentary (posted 11/07/25)

The November 4, 2025 elections have come and gone, with pundits smarter than we are opining in droves.

We provide our take (last) along with selected articles we especially liked (outside articles summarized with Grok ai and edited for clarity; images from the articles).

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The Election Blues. How the west lost on election day in 2025. By Dr. Robert W. Malone (11/05/25): tinyurl.com/2wdv5wcy

Summary: Dr. Malone analyzes U.S. off-year election results, which were consistent with historical voting patterns. Key points:

• Democrats outspent Republicans nearly 3 to 1 and performed well in Virginia, New Jersey, New York, and California.

• Democrat wins in Virginia attributed to funding advantages and weak Republican candidates.

• New Jersey’s close race was unusual but not decisive.

• Issues in New York City’s electoral system including fusion voting (tinyurl.com/yne4bvy8) and risks of confusion or fraud.

• California’s Proposition 50 permits redrawing congressional maps mid-decade, favoring Democrats

• Results underscore challenges for Republicans in upcoming 2026 and 2028 cycles, including concerns about economic forecasts, gerrymandering, and lack of congressional support for Trump’s executive actions.

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The Morning After. Taking stock of the odd-year elections. By Brian Almon (11/05/25): tinyurl.com/5rjpdpkv

Summary: National and local Idaho election results. Almon served as a poll worker in Boise and emphasized critical need for better voter turnout.

National:

• Left-wing Democrats won in blue Virginia, New Jersey, and New York, including socialist Zohran Mamdani election as New York City mayor.

Idaho:

• Boise: Incumbent Jimmy Hallyburton re-elected to city council with over 70% of vote; over 80% approved a property tax increase for open spaces.

• Eagle: Nancy Merrill and Robert Gillis won council seats.

• West Ada (Idaho) School Board: Lori Frasure reelected with 54%.

• Meridian: Incumbents ran unopposed. Property tax levy for public safety passed with 66%.

• Canyon County: Conservatives swept Caldwell and Nampa races, with Eric Phillips as Caldwell mayor and Rick Hogaboam as Nampa mayor.

• Eastern Idaho: Mayoral races in Idaho Falls and Pocatello advanced to runoffs.

• North Idaho: Conservative candidates won most races except in Coeur d’Alene, where Dan Gookin became mayor. Conservative Randy Westlund elected mayor in Post Falls.

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Will a Ugandan Communist Become Mayor of New York City? By Rob Beiswenger, Idaho Freedom Caucus (11/02/25): tinyurl.com/yc59xk87

Zohran Mamdani, a Ugandan Communist, followed Barack Obama’s path by getting elected young to a state legislature, maintaining a low profile, and building his image through left-wing identity politics. Mamdani’s priorities include affordable housing via government rent controls, free bus rides, faster busing, and more taxpayer-funded housing projects.

ED NOTE 
Following Mamdani's win, many New Yorkers who can are fleeing, leaving behind illegals and far-left Democrats. Oh boy, will they feel the pain when their taxes go up and up and up. Eventually, the city will run out of money and people to foot the bill. Then what?

In stark contrast, Idaho Freedom Caucus (IFC) is committed to limited government spending, lower taxes, and deregulation, as indicated by recent votes to cut income taxes and eliminate them on veterans' benefits. IFC advocates pushing back against big spenders in Boise, eliminating wasteful programs like Launch, and potentially abolishing state income and property taxes to promote free markets, less government, and personal responsibility in Idaho.

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The Republican Party Needs to Learn That One Scott Presler is Not Enough. By Mike LaChance (11/04/25): tinyurl.com/bdfdnn8y

Summary: Conservative Republican activist Scott Presler registered thousands of new GOP voters across multiple states. He worked hard in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, and New York campaigns, where he has been registering voters and knocking on doors. Unfortunately, Presler is one of only a few visible activists and influencers focusing on campaign work.

ED NOTE
Turning Point USA also avidly seeks conservative voters — especially younger voters — both before and after Charlie Kirk's assassination. See events: tinyurl.com/44st9h2p

One or just a few people are insufficient for handling multiple elections, as Presler's unsuccessful efforts in New Jersey show. The Republican Party must build an army of similar activists by hiring Presler to train others immediately in preparation for 2026 midterms if the GOP hopes to retain control of the House and Senate.

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Our Take

A Ugandan Communist mayor of NYC is a frightening indicator of things to come in America. November 4, 2025 was a big night for Socialist Democrats — and not such a great one for Republicans or even centrist Democrats. CA, NY, NJ, VA were just few states where leftists swept high offices or will exert control over future elections.

Many races in Idaho also went to left-leaning candidates or big spending (though with some bright spots). What wasn’t a bright spot was Idaho’s lousy turnout. Only a few counties exceeded 40%, with some in the high 20s. Idaho turnout numbers: tinyurl.com/yw8349b8

Clearly, people love free stuff paid for with other people's money. In hard times, this desire becomes even stronger, when people readily adopt communist, socialist, Marxist ideas like those of Obama and Mamdani. They support illegal immigration to achieve “compassion,” obtain cheap labor (especially in agricultural Idaho), and secure left-leaning votes (many states allow illegals to get drivers licenses and vote).

Unfortunately, we're seeing left-leaning ideas creeping into Idaho at an alarming rate. The move to the left has increased just a few years, especially as incoming population increases and illegal residents arrive in our cities and towns.

Many Idaho candidates register Republican to get elected, then implement left-leaning policies and float bills that provide an easier path to popularity. (Many are philosophical Democrats in Republican affiliated clothing.)

We looked at nearly every Idaho legislative bill in 2025 (tinyurl.com/2s6njae2). Some wonderful conservative bills passed (including Idaho Medical Freedom Act); but we also saw left-leaning, corporation vs. citizen supporting, and unintended consequence bills pass that will haunt Idaho for a long time.

Some conservative bills (e.g., school and city flag displays) had no enforcement mechanisms, so blue cities flouted the laws. And over-the-counter ivermectin law wasn't truly over-the-counter as many discovered when trying to buy this drug at local pharmacies.

In Idaho, public education has become a panacea, with cities, towns, legislators, and the executive pouring more money into a failing system (e.g., LAUNCH, supplemental tax levies, healthcare funding). Health and Welfare gobbles ever more and more of Idaho's budget due to reliance on federal funds and unwillingness to cut wasteful expanded-scope programs.

Idaho voters are apathetic as well, thinking they're in conservative Idaho now and don't have to worry. They don't bother voting in off-year elections where local tax levies, mayors, and city councils are on the ballot. But local elections matter!

We've also seen Idaho voters focus too much on national politics, which may be fun and dramatic, but often have little impact at home (except for abominable mandates and extravagant federal spending; but again, many of these problems can and should be solved locally).

We're also seeing a push for "affordable housing" and more density in many Idaho cities; support for Islamic philosophies including by the mayor of Mountain Home, whose air force base is slated to host Qatari pilots in training; and the kinds of ideas and behaviors many of us hoped to leave behind when we fled blue states.

Boise, Mountain Home, Coeur D'Alene, Twin Falls, and other cities are all moving left. Even rural areas, traditionally resilient and conservative, are succumbing to the lure of more services, more costs, and more government.

Conservative Idahoans and legislators must remain strong in their principles and not cave to pressures that will turn this state purple, then blue (Arizona, Colorado, Texas, and even California were once red).

📌 New voters in Idaho should know: Republican party affiliation does NOT always mean conservative red. One only has to look at voting records of Idaho Republican legislators to realize that many Republicans are supporting left-leaning policies. We always compare left leaning IACI score cards (scorecard.iaci.org) with conservative leaning Idaho Freedom Foundation score cards (index.idahofreedom.org) when evaluating Idaho legislators. The scores — not just party affiliation — reveal much about a state legislator's actions. (Other scorecards from liberal and conservative organizations show similar results.)

Idaho conservatives must remain vigilant. We appreciate that Idaho Freedom Foundation, Idaho Republican Party, Idaho Freedom Caucus, and the Gang of 8 are holding strong for Idaho. But we need more legislators, voters, and our executive branch to exercise the same vigilance if we want Idaho to remain one of the few truly red states in America.

If Republicans, and especially conservative Republicans, wish to prevail, they must clean up voter rolls, register new Republican voters, and inspire all to get off their you-know-whats and vote. Republicans have become too complacent, especially after Trump’s Presidential win.

Good ideas aren’t enough. Voters must be energized to cast their ballots in favor of those good ideas and support good candidates.

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Related:

• Big E Substack Voting Guide: tinyurl.com/52wevecb