Gov. Butch Otter signs onto petition for open primaries initiative
Former Gov. Butch Otter and First Lady Lori Otter signed on to the Idahoans for Open Primaries petition Wednesday, but not before criticizing current GOP Party leadership.
At a press conference held by the Idahoans for Open Primaries coalition, the Otters both criticized this year’s Republican party meeting and Idaho GOP Chair Dorothy Moon.
“That was the day I saw our party go downhill,” Butch Otter said about the meeting.
In addition to the Otters, a list of 114 other prominent Republicans, many of whom previously held elected office, was released in support of the petition. Those names included former Rep. Maxine Bell, former Sen. Jim Patrick, former Rep. Marc Gibbs, former Rep. Clark Kauffman, as well as former Idaho judges and school board members. The list included attorneys and former sheriffs, as well as other Republican supporters from across the state.
“I expect the other side to say ‘those are a bunch of ‘has-beens.’ Well, I’m a has-been, but I’d rather be a has-been than a wanna-be,” Butch Otter said.
The coalition’s initiative is proposing changing primary elections to allow all voters to vote in the primary. Currently, only registered Republicans may vote in a Republican primary. The initiative would permit all registered voters to vote for any candidate, regardless of political affiliation and without a declaration of political allegiance. The top four candidates would advance to the general election.
The initiative would also alter Idaho’s general elections by creating a new instant runoff voting system, commonly called ranked choice voting.
“It’s time to bring some civility back into the political discourse of Idaho,” Butch Otter said. “I’m confident that one of the ways to do that is to pass (this) petition.”
He said in his 36 years of public office, and 25 elections, most of it was pretty cordial. Today, he believes “Idaho deserves better.”
“What I see today is a lot of people running for office that haven’t got the skill to convince people to be on their side, so the only thing they can do is tear them down personally,” Butch Otter said. “The only thing they can do is argue with them. I’m proud to be a part of this.”
Lori Otter spoke at the press conference, taking issue with the State Central Committee removing voting power from affinity groups for Republican women and young Republicans on the executive committee.
In June, the central committee changed its rules so leaders of the Idaho Young Republicans, Idaho College Republicans and Federation of Republican Women no longer have a vote on the state executive committee.
Lori Otter called it “a travesty of epic proportions.”
“The state central committee has proven that the only reason they are in this is to further themselves and put themselves in a position of power,” she said. “The young Republicans of this state should be paying attention to what’s happening at our state-level leadership, because your voice is being subverted by their voice.”
Lori Otter argued that women are the largest voting block and the backbone of Idaho.
“Shame on them. Shame on Dorothy Moon,” she said.
Former Rep. Scott Syme also spoke at the press conference, announcing Butch Otter as the chairman of a new group, Veterans for Idaho Voters. The group will support the open primaries petition.
Syme, who served as a Republican, supports opening the primary election.
“Our lives are put at risk to protect freedom around the world for everybody, not just political parties,” said Syme, a veteran himself. “We have earned the right to vote in any damned election we choose.”
If organizers can gather enough signatures, the initiative could appear on the November 2024 election ballot.
Idaho GOP responds
On Wednesday afternoon, the Idaho Republican party issued the following statement in response to the announcement:
“It is with great disappointment that we address the statement made today by former Governor Butch Otter, in which he expressed his support for the Reclaim Idaho initiative, a radical leftist push for ranked choice voting and a blanket top-4 primary in Idaho. It is essential to recognize the ramifications of such a statement.
“The overlap between the so-called Republicans who are endorsing the ranked choice voting initiative and those who supported the Democrat candidate in last year’s race for Attorney General is indeed noteworthy. You have to ask yourself who Otter, Jim Jones, and their friends really represent. It is clear that some individuals, when faced with electoral challenges, seek to alter the rules rather than engage in the process.
“Butch Otter, Jim Jones, and others who align with the Democrats and leftists on this initiative should understand that the core principles of the Republican Party are rooted in individual liberty, limited government, and personal responsibility. The Reclaim Idaho initiative, as proposed, undermines these principles and compromises the integrity of our elections.
“The Republican Party, at both the national (RNC) and state levels have already overwhelmingly rejected ranked choice voting with strong resolutions condemning it. Idaho Legislators, representing the will of the people, passed a law banning ranked choice voting in Idaho, reflecting our party’s commitment to preserving the principles upon which our state was founded.
“It is crucial to reject the divisive rhetoric that Butch Otter uses, attempting to label the grassroots of the party and the IDGOP leadership as radical extremists. Idahoans have consistently shown their preference for conservative values, and our party should be focused on upholding those values, rather than resorting to baseless accusations.”
