BOISE, Idaho – Idaho’s Republican and Democratic primaries will take place Tuesday. However, the state’s Democrats won’t decide their nominee until later this week.
Republicans nominated former president Donald Trump during the GOP caucus on March 2. Democrats will caucus to determine their nominee May 23.
President Joe Biden does not face any major contenders and is widely expected to sweep Idaho’s presidential caucus.
A Democratic presidential candidate hasn’t won Idaho since Lyndon B. Johnson walloped Republican candidate Barry Goldwater in 1964. Before that election, no Democrat presidential contender had taken Idaho home since President Harry Truman 1948.
The last time a Democrat was governor in Idaho was Governor Cecil Dale Andrus, who initially won the gubernatorial race in 1971 and then left the office to serve under President Jimmy Carter as Secretary of the Interior from 1977 to 1981.
Andrus returned to the governor’s office from 1987 to 1995, making him one of the longest serving governors in Idaho history. No Democrat has held the role of governor in the Gem State since Andrus.
While the political trends are in favor of Idaho Republicans, Democrats are running a candidate in every legislative district this year, a significant development for a party that hasn’t taken home a major statewide victory in several years.
