OPINION: Politics is local
This week, my column is a little shorter than usual — not because there’s less to say, but because so much is happening. We’re deep in the final preparations for our Democracy Dinner on Feb. 21, when friends and neighbors will gather for connection and inspiration. These are the kinds of moments that remind us why community matters so much — and why politics, at its heart, is deeply local.
When people think about politics, they often picture big, thorny national issues. They picture seemingly powerful politicians making decisions they don’t agree with on issues they have no say about.
The reality is something entirely different. Political activity begins in living rooms, school gyms, coffee shops and community centers. It starts when we talk to our neighbors about what’s working, what’s not and what kind of place we want to call home. It starts when we build unbreakable relationships around shared values and our future hopes for our home.
It starts at events like the Democracy Dinner, where we gather to connect.
That’s what this weekend is really about. It’s about surrounding ourselves with people who care — about Kootenai County, about our Constitution, and about one another. When you sit down at a table with someone who shares your love for this place, something powerful happens. You feel a little more hopeful. A little more connected. A little more willing to believe that positive change is possible.
This Saturday evening, we will be announcing the Democratic candidates who will be courageously stepping forward to turn those shared hopes into action by running for office. I am really excited about our slate of Democratic candidates for State Legislature this year, and I hope you will join me in supporting each of them. These are neighbors who have decided that caring isn’t enough; they’re ready to serve.
When we rally together to support them — whether by knocking on doors, delivering flyers, or making phone calls — you’re not just helping a campaign. You’re building a community. You’re standing shoulder to shoulder with people who believe in fairness, dignity and opportunity for all. You’re meeting folks who are driven, optimistic and willing to show up even when the odds feel long.
The conversations you’ll have while volunteering for these local candidates are where local politics comes alive. Suddenly Medicaid cuts, land use, budgets and education policy aren’t abstract issues. They are embodied in real stories, told by real neighbors.
That’s why the decisions our elected officials make must always be rooted in local realities. Every decision touches someone’s life in a meaningful way. When our politics is rooted in community, decisions from our leaders become more humane, more thoughtful and more just.
So, as we embark on this weekend, and the 2026 legislative campaign season, I hope you’ll feel what I feel: a sense of belonging, and a reminder that democracy isn’t something that happens somewhere else. It happens right here, with us. Through grassroots efforts, shared meals and open hearts, we come closer together. And in doing so, we discover just how local — and how powerful — politics really is.
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Sarah Martin is chairman of the Kootenai County Democrats.