ACHILLES: Vulnerable candidate

What do you call an Independent candidate who is really a Democrat? An I-I-N-O (Independent in Name Only)? Not as catchy as RINO. Senator Bernie Sanders is an IINO. He claims the label of Independent but caucuses with Democrats. In 2020, Sanders ran as a Democrat. He now prefers Independent while maintaining his ties to the Democrat Party and voting far left. 

Senate candidate and former Representative Todd Achilles was a Democrat from Boise when he served in the Idaho Legislature two years ago. I remember him. Achilles was appointed to replace resigning Democrat Colin Nash in February 2024. He didn’t sit back, right off the bat he made a name for himself as an articulate, outspoken promoter of Democratic policies. 

Todd Achilles voted for spending taxpayer money on transgender surgeries and against the library bill restricting sexually explicit material in the children’s section. He voted against enforcing immigration laws. Todd Achilles was for the failed ranked choice voting initiative and is now supporting the extreme pro-abortion ballot initiative. 

Remember the Greek demigod Achilles. Promised fame and eternal glory, he fought in the Trojan War. However, in exchange, it was prophesized he’d have a short life. Dipped in the River Styx by his mother Thetis to make him immortal, his body was protected except for his heel. A fatal flaw. Today, known as an Achilles’ heel. 

Todd Achilles has a problem. His Achilles’ heel is the fact that he was a Democrat and now claims to be an Independent. Or maybe, he is still a Democrat that has rebranded himself to win the votes of the unaffiliated and low information voter. 

JENNY HOLMES

Post Falls