Even in Idaho, where the wingnuts are running the moderates out of the totally dominant Republican party, the Representatives know when the jig is up, and a wrong vote could cost them their job. A big surprise happened yesterday.
A couple of weeks ago, a Senate member introduced a bill that required any woman who seeks an abortion would be required to undergo an ultra-sound before the procedure would be performed. This was an obvious attempt to shame the women into accepting a pregnancy.
The Senate hearings were conducted by an all-male committee. The two women on the committee both walked out in protest of the proceedings, and for the next few days, the committee was bombarded by women who spoke strongly against the bill. One, a conservative, said the bill betrayed the very foundation of the Republican party- individual freedom- and was greeted with long and vocal approval.
But the bill passed the committee anyway, and sailed through the Senate.
It was expected to speedily pass through the House with wide approval. But all the Representatives were deluged with email and phone calls from women who were solidly against the bill, and most soon changed their minds.
One Representative contacted 14 conservative women personally on the phone to get a real assessment of how they felt. Only 1 of the 14 supported the bill, and he changed his vote.
Here, the primaries have yet to be done, and all the Republicans are facing party opposition. Some district's Representatives are facing 2 or 3 others who want the job, and many of the seniors from the Senate and House are retiring after this session, rather than facing a withering campaign. Many were once considered to be ultra-conservatives when they were elected, 10 to 20 years ago, but are now too moderate for the party's far-right wing. Several in leadership positions have bemoaned the state of the party, saying it is no longer fit to be responsible state leaders.
But even the wing-nuts knew when the jig was up. They tabled the tabled the bill, and it is effectively dead; no one showed any interest in reviving it next year.
The Idaho Democratic party has done a great job against all odds. They have candidates for almost all the open seats this year. They face only steep uphill fights this election, and most of them are first-timers. They need all the help they can get this November, since most are running campaigns funded out of their back pockets. If you can, please give the Idaho DCC some support- we need it badly here!