MY TURN: One voter's guide to choosing wisely

With the upcoming primary election May 21, we're seeing lots of questions and misunderstandings about the candidates on social media. Understandably so, for anyone new to our area, or someone who has only recently become concerned with what’s happening in our growing county and state. I think it can be very confusing to know how to get answers.

For newbies, and those wondering to which candidate they should give their vote, I recommend checking out this voter guide: watchmenministrynorthidaho.com. You will read in the candidate’s own words exactly what they believe. It won’t be deciphered through the lens of anyone but your own. As well, the candidates have done informative interviews by video and those videos have also been posted to this site.

I would recommend at this time in our party history, that we NOT simply take the endorsement of the two, current factions of the Republican Party. The two groups, North Idaho Republicans (NIR) and Kootenai County Republican Central Committee (KCRCC) are basically at war with each other and it hasn’t always been pretty. KCRCC is the official group for the GOP, but both groups have a right to endorse their own candidates. There are faulty candidates in both groups.

Yes, there are Democrats and RINOs trying to infiltrate the GOP. But that has gone on for decades! It is a well-known fact that anyone with a “D” behind their name cannot win in red, red, red, North Idaho; so in deceit or desperation, (you choose) they change their party affiliation. 

But this tactic certainly didn’t just recently begin because of Brent Regan’s enlistment of the “most conservative candidates.” Maybe some of KCRCC’s candidates are the real RINOs, because some are libertarian, NOT conservative; and there IS a difference. Some of them are fantastic and it's important they win again! But it's time to do our own homework and stop letting people tell us how to vote.

Personally, I wouldn't vote for some of the candidates endorsed by NIR; but there ARE also some very good candidates within that group. It is not fair to label them all as a RINO. Conversely, there have, at times, been some very poor candidates that have been endorsed by KCRCC. Too much power from any group is never good. And it's certainly OK to vote outside of any group’s endorsement. That NIR is a “takeover group” is simply not accurate. These are people who have served the GOP in our community for decades. If they aren’t conservative enough for us, that's another issue. But they shouldn't be unfairly maligned as “infiltrators.”

It isn’t that difficult or even that time consuming to do our own research. We only need to vote for one precinct committeeman. So that involves researching just two people for that position. Candidates for all the other offices are heavily covered in the media. 

So, read the “Letters to the Editor” in The Press. Talk to your neighbors. Google the candidate; research their occupation and how that might affect their decisions. Perhaps that will be a warning. What might they gain privately from their position is an important issue to consider.

It is also wise to watch the videos that the Press provided in their “Meet the Candidates” section at cdapress.com. It's information that can help in our decision. Read the candidates’ answers on “Watchmen Ministry” and if they have a lot of “I don’t know, but I will learn” answers … then this isn’t their time to win, regardless of how much we might like them. To be able to admit, “I don’t know, but I will seek answers” is admirable and important! But if that's the majority of their answers, it should be a red flag to tell us they're not ready. We are in a desperate situation in North Idaho right now and we need qualified candidates.

Just because someone is an “incumbent” doesn’t mean they're the right person for the job, either. They may be the ones who messed things up! But KCRCC will endorse them again anyway out of loyalty to the party leaders — that’s unhelpful cronyism. Research their voting history. There are many sites to find good and accurate information.

Also important to know is the fact that there are some very good candidates running who don't have the endorsement of either group. It isn’t because they don’t align one way or the other. And it isn’t because they aren't qualified. They just couldn’t receive an endorsement from the KCRCC. (Again, the loyalty thing or cronyism — you choose.) I don’t believe NIR has endorsed candidates for any position other than precinct committee positions.

One last thing, though it seems KCRCC and many of their supporters would have us believe that the NIR are working to get their candidates in place, in some kind of illegitimate “take over of the Republican Party,” the truth is, primaries are exactly the time to do this to let the voter decide! They have the right to run whether we like what they stand for or not! This is still America, after all! In fact, this is exactly what the KCRCC did for the elections of 2008-2012 in order to get the candidates (many libertarian, not conservative) they desired in place. They were successful.

Personally, I would like to see a mix from both groups elected. This will ensure discussion, ending in a necessity to think for themselves, rather than just falling in line.

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Jan Conner is a Kootenai County resident.