Lauren Necochea reelected as Idaho Democratic Party's chairwoman
Idaho Democratic Party chairwoman Lauren Necochea will retain her leadership role after the party's state central committee reelected her to the position on March 8.
Necochea, who served as the former assistant minority leader in the Idaho House, said in a press release from the party that this is a critical moment in history for Idaho and the nation.
'Idahoans are seeing the consequences of Republican leaders fully surrendering to Donald Trump, pushing school vouchers, handing out tax breaks to the wealthy, and catering to the most extreme elements of their party,' she said. 'We warned about Project 2025 — and now even Trump's own voters are realizing the damage. The tide is turning. Democrats are on the front lines fighting to protect public schools, defend fundamental freedoms, and ensure government works for everyday people, not just the powerful few.'
The party has established active Democratic Party organizations in all 44 Idaho counties under Necochea's tenure as chairwoman, which began in 2022, the party said the press release. The party has also focused on recruiting a record number of candidates to run in legislative and other races.
Idaho Democratic Party doubles legislative candidate numbers in the face of GOP supermajority
For instance, the party fielded 87 candidates for the 105 legislative races up for election in 2024. That increase nearly doubled the amount of Democratic candidates running for legislative office in comparison to 2022, according to previous Idaho Capital Sun reporting.
'Necochea spent over a decade leading nonprofit programs on tax policy, health care, and children's issues,' the press release said. 'She played a key role in the Idahoans for Healthcare campaign, successfully expanding Medicaid access for thousands of Idahoans.'
The party's state central committee members also voted to elect Hayden Paulsen as treasurer, according to the release. Paulsen also serves on the Pocatello City Council.
According to the release, the following party officers will continue serving until their terms expire in 2026:
Secretary: Carol Richel (Eagle)
First Vice Chair: Evan Koch (Spirit Lake)
Second Vice Chair: Elle Casner (Boise)
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