Dems fend off takeover attempt

COEUR d’ALENE — A plan by local Republicans to infiltrate and dismantle the Kootenai Democrats has failed, and it’s reportedly strengthened the local left-wing party.

In a recorded phone call published in March by The Press, Kootenai County Central Committee Youth Chair Dan Bell outlined a plan to take over the Democratic Party by running Republicans for precinct captain positions.

When Kootenai Democrats Chair Evan Koch first learned of the plot, he said he feared all was lost.

“I was distraught,” he said. “I had no hope at all.”

The plan came to light three days before the deadline to run as a precinct captain. Just 11 people had filed for Democratic positions at that time, at least one of whom was reportedly a Republican plant.

“Our precincts have been dark for a long time,” Koch said.

But by the deadline, 82 people had filed as Democrats.

Tuesday’s primary election saw a handful of contested races between legitimate Democrats and what the party called DINOs, or “Democrats in Name Only.”

Koch said the Kootenai Democrats worked hard to let local voters know which candidates were legitimate and which were fake.

The alleged DINOs were all defeated Tuesday. Just two ran unopposed in their precincts.

The remaining 59 precinct captains are reportedly real Democrats — more than the local party has had in years.

“It was an unmitigated success,” Koch said. “We experienced greater enthusiasm than we’ve had in this party in this state for a long time.”

KCRCC Chair Brent Regan has repeatedly denied any involvement with the takeover plan, though Bell said Regan was “totally on board” and even came up with the idea to install a candidate with a history of antisemitic writings as party chair.

Regan said in March that it’s impossible for the KCRCC to have hatched the plot because no discussion of it appears in the party’s meeting minutes.

Meanwhile, Penelope Harries-Morris said North Idaho College Trustee Greg McKenzie approached her at a KCRCC meeting and tried to recruit her for a “scheme” to infiltrate the Democratic Party and fill their ranks with Republicans.

When Morris refused to participate, she said McKenzie asked if she would be willing to recruit other volunteers instead.

McKenzie told The Press he did not recall the conversation.

Coeur d’Alene resident Randy Neal, who publicly decried a group of Republicans not affiliated with the local GOP as “fake,” confirmed to The Press that he switched his affiliation and ran for a Democratic precinct captain position after Bell recruited him.

If the takeover effort succeeded, Bell said KCRCC plants would vote David Reilly in as party chair.

A recent Pennsylvania transplant, Reilly ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Post Falls School Board last year. His social media posts include comments that “all Jews are dangerous” and that more Americans should believe antisemitic stereotypes.

The KCRCC recommended him as a candidate in 2021 and doubled down as national criticism poured in.

When Reilly registered as a Democrat in April and filed for a precinct captain race, the Idaho Democratic Party and the Kootenai Democrats repudiated his candidacy.

Reilly received one vote.

He confirmed to The Press Wednesday that he voted for himself, adding that he accomplished the goals he set for his campaign.

“We have brought attention to the indisputable fact that Democrats switched to the Republican Party to influence our elections and undermine our democracy,” Reilly said.

The Associated Press reported last week that about 3,200 Idaho Democrats changed their affiliation to Republican ahead of the primary election.

More than 550,000 of Idaho’s roughly 1 million registered voters are Republicans.

Between January and May, the number of registered Democrats in Kootenai County dropped by 299, while the number of Republicans grew by around 2,200.

It’s unknown how many of those voters weren’t registered to vote previously or were affiliated with a different party.

The narrowest county-level Republican primary election was won by around 4,300 votes.

Koch said it’s hard to predict the long-term impact of the attempted takeover, but he’s heartened by how many local Democrats stepped up to save their party in its time of need.

“We have a lot of work to do,” he said. “But now we’ve got the right people in place and the energy to grow the party.”