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Idaho Dems rock the caucus
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Ada County Democratic Party Chair Brian Cronin asked the crowd at the Ada County Democratic Caucus Tuesday evening.
The event, held at Boise’s Qwest Arena, attracted almost 6,500 Ada County voters. This does not include the nearly 2,000 people left standing outside when the doors closed at 7 p.m.
“It was the most ridiculously long line I have ever seen in my life,” 29-year old Dave Rodarte said. “I don’t know if it was worth it, but I feel like it was worth it.”
Rodarte and his friends did not make it into the arena. They were, however, able to cast their ballots thanks to dozens of volunteers that provided ballots to those waiting outside.
Seats were scarce for the voters who made it inside the arena. Seating reserved for the supporters of Sen. Barack Obama quickly filled. Caucus officials and volunteers quickly regrouped, allocating sections reserved for Sen. Hillary Clinton’s supporters to Obama voters.
High school and college students attended the caucus in unprecedented numbers Tuesday. Like many young people at the caucus, 24-year old Tyler Walker voted for Obama.
“I think 24 years of two names in the White House – just Bushes and Clintons – seems like a slap in the face to Democracy,” Walker said. “That’s the majority of my life with the same people in the White House, and I don’t think I’ve ever been satisfied with the way the White House has been run.”
Boise State student April Hoy said she also intended to vote for the junior senator from Illinois.
“It’s not often you have a chance to make your vote count in Idaho,” Hoy said. “I think it’s going to count tonight.”
State Democratic Party Chair Keith Roark said in his address that more Idahoans participated in the caucuses than ever before. For the first time, all 44 Idaho counties held Democratic caucuses.
“To be a Democrat has always been the right thing to do, but tonight it’s also the cool thing to do,” Roark said. “This is a step on the long road back to relevancy for Democrats.”
Cronin served as master of ceremonies for the evening’s events, which included speeches for the representative of each candidate.
Bethine Church, the widow of Sen. Frank Church, spoke in favor of Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Church cited Clinton’s plan for universal healthcare, as well as her knowledge of the American education system and military. Church also praised the western U.S. for its progressive ideas on women in politics.
“We elected the first women to both local and national offices,” Church said. She stressed that the American people are all winners, regardless of who wins.
Boise Mayor Dave Bieter spoke on behalf of Sen. Barack Obama later that evening.
“I am here to talk about the politics of hope,” Bieter said. “Out here in Idaho, it’s hard to believe, but then he comes here – to Boise, Idaho – and we simply have to believe.”
Bieter kept his message brief, quoting Obama’s own comments on unity among America’s red states and blue states.
Boise Attorney Kurt Holzer addressed the crowd in support of Sen. John Edwards.
Dave Whaley, president of the Idaho State American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, rounded out the evening by representing the caucus’s undecided voters.
Despite vigorous efforts by the other candidates and their spokespeople, Obama walked away with all of Ada County’s 121 delegates. Eighty-five percent of approximately 8,000 voters cast a ballot in support of the only Democratic candidate to visit Boise during this election.
Similar results poured in from counties all over Idaho, with almost 80 percent of Idaho democrats voting for Obama.
The delegates assigned Tuesday will attend the Idaho Democratic Convention June 12-14. At this event, 23 delegates will be assigned to represented Idaho democrats at the national convention in August.
Twenty-eight of the 50 states have now held a caucus or primary. As of Wednesday morning, Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York led the delegate race with 818 pledged delegates. Obama follows closely with 730 delegates and Sen. John Edwards has 26 delegates. The candidates need 2,025 delegates to take the Democratic Party nomination in August.
Idaho’s Republican voters will have the opportunity to cast their votes during the Idaho Republican Primary May 27.
Democratic voters seemed excited Tuesday that, one way or another, a Democrat may be on the road to the White House.
“Tonight, as a party, we make [.] history,” Holzer said. “Whether it be Sen. Obama’s message of hope, or Sen. Clinton’s message of experience and toughness. Government can make society better."
CHARLOTTE TAYLOR
News Editor
