On Endorsements
Daily Digest 4/21/26
Every election cycle has its share of endorsements. Incumbent political figures endorse candidates, PACs and nonprofits endorse candidates, newspapers endorse candidates, even some party committees endorse candidates.
This year seems to have taken it to a new level, though. It seems to me that political figures are tossing out endorsements like candy lately. I made a silly meme about it for Twitter this morning:
It can be hard to find the rhyme or reason to some endorsements, as I alluded to in my article on Saturday comparing dueling slates of candidates endorsed by Idaho Freedom PAC and IACI’s Idaho Prosperity Fund. Since then, Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC, the Idaho Majority Club, the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation PAC, the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police, the Professional Firefighters of Idaho, and many more groups have issued their recommendations.
Several Idaho GOP central committees have chosen to endorse candidates, led by the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. Political figures such as Attorney General Raúl Labrador, House Speaker Mike Moyle, and Congressman Russ Fulcher have lent their names to campaigns as well.
What do you think? Do endorsements move the needle for you? When you’re researching candidates on your ballot, do endorsements carry a lot of weight? I’ve heard it said that endorsements gain you 50% of a candidate’s friends and 100% of their enemies. Is that a good deal for the candidate, the endorser, or both?
I’ll open up the comments on this one in case you want to share your thoughts.
Tim Oren’s analysis
Data analyst Tim Oren continued his series looking at the relationship of legislative factions to campaign contributions this morning:
If a group is acting in coordination they ought to display what the military calls ‘unity of effort’, that is, they should be moving towards a common objective. It turns out there’s a simple way to measure it in this case: Looking at contributions from all members of each of my donor groups, what percentage are in opposition to one another, that is, end up on two or more sides of a single primary race? If there is unity of effort, that number should be very low. I’ll set a cutoff of 10% to a call a donor group ‘real’ and worth analyzing as a collective effort.
Congressman Fulcher on Secure Rural Schools
Congressman Russ Fulcher issued a press release about funding for the Secure Rural Schools program yesterday:
“Federal programs like SRS are vital to Idaho’s rural communities, where a significant portion of land is owned by the federal government. However, this funding has grown increasingly difficult to garner support for in the U.S. Congress, as states without vast federal landholdings often view this program as a subsidy,” said Congressman Fulcher.
Congressman Simpson on veterans’ healthcare
Congressman Mike Simpson sent a press release regarding a vote on appropriations for veterans’ healthcare and benefits:
“One of my top priorities in Congress is supporting our troops and veterans,” said Rep. Simpson. “By fully funding veterans’ health care programs and benefits, investing in mental health services, prioritizing funding for military family housing, and so much more, this legislation fulfills our promises to those who have sacrificed so greatly for our country. This is a must-pass bill each year to honor the brave men and women who have courageously served. I look forward to seeing this bill cross the finish line.”
I’m heading to Boise High School for the Ada County GOP’s federal and statewide candidate forum this evening. Come hear the contenders for offices such as governor, congressman, and US senator share their visions for Idaho.
I’m working on a few developing stories, including more research into where taxpayer funded healthcare grants are going, as well as some interesting candidates for county office. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, have you bookmarked Primary Pulse yet? It’s your one-stop shop for information about your Republican legislative primary candidates. Unlike most voter guides, Primary Pulse is 100% unbiased. I don’t put my thumb on the scale in any fashion; I simply give you as much information as possible and trust you to make the best decision.
Thanks as always to sponsors Lynn Bradescu’s Boise Realty, Money Metals, and the iLuvIdaho Voter Guide. Thanks also to all of you for supporting this work!
Endorsements can be useful IF and only IF the endorser:
1) Knows the endorsee’s work, character, principles, voting record, and behavior personally.
2) Has no self-serving reason to endorse.
3) Is willing to rescind an endorsement if he or she learns something factual and negative about the endorsee.
We know at least one instance where a high profile endorser is unwilling to rescind an endorsement even after learning about an endorsee’s past or current behavior that makes the endorsee unsuitable for office.
Bottom line is to let endorsements help guide your OWN careful research. But do not rely on others to make your decisions for you. Do your own research using the many tools available to Idahoans.
People who fail to vote at all due to apathy or who fail vote carefully hurt many: themselves; the candidates who should have received their vote but didn’t; and their neighbors who must endure the fallout of a bad candidate or one who becomes someone else once elected.
Also, please ignore someone who tells you a vote for person X is a wasted vote because he or she cannot win. Remember, your ballot is secret. You don’t have to follow the crowd. Often, the crowd is wrong. Vote your principles and your conscience.
Primary is May 19. It will determine the general election results. Many people advocate early voting, but be sure you have all the facts you can possibly gather before making your mark.