The last Lincoln Day is done
Daily Digest 5/4/26
Nearly every Idaho GOP county committee hosted a Lincoln Day event this year, and I did my best to include them all on the state party website. I crossed them off one at a time as they occurred, and following events in Butte and Valley Counties last Saturday, they are done. Time flies.
I’m working on a new list for the website, this time for county and district committee reorganization meetings. These will occur about a week after the May 19 primary. Newly-elected precinct committeemen come together and elect their officers as well as delegates to the 2026 Idaho GOP State Convention in Meridian. I urge anyone interested in getting involved to attend a meeting near you. My own entry into party politics was the District 14 GOP reorganization meeting in 2020.
All that said, I don’t have a new article today, but will try to have something tomorrow. I’m still working on a project involving the Idaho GOP Platform, and I’m continuing to look into where our tax dollars are going once they enter the world of healthcare. In the meantime, you’ll have to read what others have written today.
Health and nutrition
Savanna DeHay lives up in North Idaho and publishes a monthly column on health and nutrition. It’s not necessarily related to politics, but on the other hand, everything in life starts with good health, including political battles.
Today’s article looks at how to avoid emotion-driven overeating:
Learning to understand negative emotions in a productive, healthy manner prevents harmful habits. We are allowed to feel them, but we need to address them instead of reaching for eight donuts. Emotional eating doesn’t just affect us; it ripples out to our families, too. Let’s learn how to break this pattern so we can feel better and be healthier.
Battling fake milk
Speaking of nutrition though, what do you think about things like almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk? Should producers be prohibited from calling things that don’t come from udders “milk”? Congressman Mike Simpson thinks so:
“Milk comes from a cow—not an almond or coconut or anything plant-based,” said Rep. Simpson. “As we strive to Make America Healthy Again, consumers must be provided with honest nutritional labeling. I represent one of the most dairy-productive districts in the nation, and I remain committed to being a voice for dairy in Congress. I’m proud to cosponsor this common sense measure once again.”
Congressman Simpson also published his weekly newsletter on Sunday, which you can read here.
Celebrating teachers
Finally, Gov. Brad Little published an op-ed celebrating what he calls “historic commitments to education” during his tenure. Will it mollify the ardent supporters of the teacher’s union who were apoplectic that he signed House Bill 516?
This is Teacher Appreciation Week, a meaningful opportunity to recognize the people who stand at the front of our classrooms each day, shaping the future of our state.
I am proud that during my time as Governor we have moved beyond words of gratitude and backed up our appreciation with real, sustained investment in education and especially in teacher pay.
Since 2019, Idaho has made historic commitments to education – a 70% increase! We have maintained a clear focus on supporting teachers and strengthening the profession. These efforts reflect a simple belief: when we invest in teachers, we invest in student success.
And the results are measurable — Idaho’s average teacher pay has increased nearly 22% since 2021, with minimum salaries rising even more, up 24.5%.
As always, stay tuned for more. Welcome to all the new subscribers, and thank you to those who have been here for the long haul!
Remember to make a plan to vote, whether by mail, early, or on Election Day on May 19. Early voting is going on most everywhere now.
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