Rein in the radical GOP takeover

Who are these people? Where did they come from?

Most of our new citizens who have migrated to our beautiful North Idaho are not the subject of this writing. Only a few of them who believe and have anointed themselves as our saviors are being discussed here.

When did they decide to take advantage of our friendly accepting nature to exploit and take over and politically control where we were born and live, our beautiful North Idaho? North Idaho’s accepting nature has been turned against us by these new people who have run for political office as Republicans, were voted into office because of our own complacency of either not voting or not taking the time to learn who they were.

Today these recently minted elected officials believe they have garnered enough power to begin to expel locally grown and raised Republicans from our party by calling them names like non-Republicans or RINOs (Republicans In Name Only). Well, it’s high time those of us who have buried loved ones for generations in the hallowed soil of our home ground stand up and make our statement that enough is enough.

Recently a group of these newly minted radicals who are trying to co-opt our party have come out to smear one of our own born and bred, locally home-grown, veteran heroes who we elected as our state senator: Jim Woodward. His alleged crime? Using his brain when he votes.

He actually doesn’t listen to the organization that is being used as a shadow government known as the Idaho Freedom Foundation, a Boise-based lobbying organization that has set itself up as judge and jury for anyone who has the audacity to vote against their radical will.

Our Republican Party has never been against public education, has never been about preventing efficiency in emergency response to widespread disasters in our state.

Our Republican Party has never been racist, or tolerant of radical white supremacy groups, or individuals who advocate violence against our state and nation.

It’s time to call them out for who they are. Let’s look at who Jim Woodward really is.

He's a decorated veteran who was born and raised in Bonners Ferry. He attended and graduated from the University of Idaho, willingly put his life on the line to protect our freedoms by serving in our armed forces, and due to his high IQ and integrity, was raised to the level of being entrusted with the most powerful weapon that has ever existed, a Trident submarine. Jim literally was trusted with the keys to launching nuclear weapons.

Today, he started and owns a successful construction business based in Bonner County, where he also is raising his family.

Jim’s ability to reason and understand complex issues has placed him as one of Idaho’s most respected leaders. His personal adherence to our local North Idaho moral values and his proven strength of functioning under extreme stress have allowed him to stand up to the bullying tactics used by the Idaho Freedom Foundation.

It is time for all of us who value the lifestyle and freedoms that we all grew up with here in North Idaho to reject the agenda of these radical newcomers. While we are naturally accepting and willing to provide people a lot of slack when they arrive, we are also willing to tighten that slack when we see it clearly abused.

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Darrell Kerby is a businessman and former mayor of Bonners Ferry.