Challis, IDAHO (CBS2) — The Idaho GOP approved a rule this weekend creating an enforcement mechanism for when Republican elected officials fall out of line with the party platform.
The rule establishes what steps need to happen before a Republican lawmaker or other elected official is censured. Such violations could eventually result in the party stripping its support for the elected official.
"My issue is that we have a platform. We have a constitution, and we need to have those followed," said Idaho GOP Chairwoman Dorothy Moon by phone.
When Republican candidates run for office in Idaho, she says they look through the party platform.
"You do sign a pledge or you at least look at the party platform. If there's a few things you don't agree with, you put, 'I agree with the platform with the exception of this,'" Moon said.
Lawmakers are often called out on social media when they vote out of step with most Republicans.
This weekend, 14 lawmakers and the governor were given a vote of no confidence from the state party over a single vote last session - against overriding Gov. Little's veto of H314, the "library porn" bill.
In a response via email to the vote of no confidence, Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls, said," I am proud to be a strong conservative for District 25. I was elected by thousands of voters in my community — this is something I take very seriously. I am disappointed that Chairman Moon has taken the position to disregard the many Idahoans who voted to elect me, my fellow legislators and Governor Brad Little."
But now, under the new rule, a mechanism is in place if a Republican strays from the party platform.
"I guess what we've seen in the past is that Republicans have deviated from the platform, and the platform for the Republican Party are our rules, more or less that they're kind of expected to follow," Moon said.
The party's state central committee, the legislative district committees and the county central committees can call into question the conduct of a Republican elected official if they went against the platform. The committee would need to give the official the chance to be heard, but if substantive violations are found to have occurred, the respective committee could censure and/ or provide guidance to the official after that first substantive violation.
For subsequent substantive violations, the party could remove its support and prohibit the official from using Republican party identifiers during their current term and future campaigns for five years. The rule in its entirety can be found here on page 4.
So how then should a lawmaker weigh voting in accordance with their constituents and the party?
"Their constituents is their main, should be their main concern. I represented rural Idaho, District 8 for six years. I represented the loggers, the miners and the ranchers, so, of course, my votes would be very conservative because my folks were very conservative, and so if you're living in a more liberal area, I guess you have a bigger balancing act," Moon said.
The rule says, "Without enforcement, the expressed principles of the party are nothing more than ideals and philosophy."
In a Tweet this week from Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, she praised Chairwoman Moon's "continued efforts to purge the party of Democrats in disguise," and said, "the exit sign is flashing for all closet RINOs."
Critics say the new rule places the party above voters.
"Legislators and people who run for office should be responsible to their constituents. Their constituents should be able to let their voices be heard with those people," said Tracey Wasden, the president of the Idaho Federation of Republican Women. "Think about one day if maybe you want to run for office, and the party says, 'no, you're not Republican enough. You don't walk down this line where we are. It's not up to the people to decide, we'll decide.'"
When asked if the party is becoming more of a closed tent party, not welcoming to those of differing points of view, Moon said, "Not at all. You know, and I ran for a statewide race, and the number of people who have moved into this state who are very conservative, who are refugees from California, Washington and Oregon, these people are alarmed at what they've been seeing and at what kind of legislation is getting through, or legislation that is not getting through that supports the Republican Party."
Several lawmakers we reached out to on the vote of no confidence were not yet willing to do an interview.
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