July 20, 2022
Several dozen local residents gathered at Gate City Coffee this past Sunday evening to support John Crowder’s campaign for Bannock County Commissioner. The mood was festive, as friends caught up with one another and celebrated the victories won at the Idaho GOP Convention the week before.
While everyone was enjoying their refreshments, John Crowder spoke briefly about his goals as commissioner. As a citizen, he said that he is tired of the constant buck-passing when government agencies are pressed to justify their high spending and ever-increasing tax asks; as commissioner, he will seek to increase government efficiency and do what it takes to lower taxes.
Crowder also reviewed the events of the GOP Convention, which he attended as a delegate. He pointed out that while only a third of the Bannock County delegates were consistently voting as constitutional conservatives, a full 60% of all delegates at the Convention were committed to constitutional principles. Therefore, the conservatives were able to vote out all incumbents on the party’s Executive Committee and replace 80% of them with prominent conservatives. They also adopted a host of pro-freedom and pro-family resolutions and platform positions. Crowder stressed that efforts at the local level, not just in Bannock County, but around the state, were crucial to achieving this statewide victory.
Precinct Committeeman Craig Yadon, who was also present at the Convention and took over the duties of Chair of the Bannock County delegation after the abrupt departures of Chairwoman Char Tovey and the rest of the moderate delegates representing Bannock County, also addressed the fundraiser attendees. He pointed out that every vote mattered in the decisions that were made, and the decision-makers were those who showed up and stuck with the job. “We’re not alone,” said Yadon, encouraging others to run for precinct committee positions. “You can make a difference”.
The final speaker for the evening was Jake Stevens, whose campaign for State Representative (District 29) is focused on protecting Idaho’s children. He discussed the urgent need to take steps, as was done at the GOP Convention, to ensure that Idaho’s youngest citizens can grow up to enjoy the same freedoms and protections that we have today.
After the speeches, attendees engaged in a variety of lively discussions about the Convention and about current political trends. Conversations continued on the sidewalk well after Gate City Coffee closed for the evening.
