COCR, (Concerned Oneida County Republicans) under the direction of Mary Alice Telford, invited two individuals from Cassia County to attend our most recent meeting. Cassia County is part of the state legislative district Oneida County belongs to, Legislative District 27. The two individuals who presented at the COCR meeting were Paul Ross and McCord Larsen. Paul Ross, a practicing attorney, is the Chairman for Cassia County Republican County Central Committee and serves on the Idaho GOP Rules Committee. McCord Larsen, the Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney, is the State Committeeman for Cassia County Republican Central Committee and also the Precinct Committeeman for Burley 2nd Precinct.  Mr. Ross and Mr. Larsen indicated they brought the best wishes from our three legislators, Lt. Governor, and Superintendent of Education.  

The COCR group asked them to inform our group of the events which took place at the Idaho GOP Republican Winter Meetings.  The meetings were held on January 5th and 6th in Meridian, Idaho at the Harvest Church. A purpose of the winter meetings is to receive proposed resolutions and rules from the County Central Committees, as well as the Legislative District Committees and Regional Committees. If passed out of committee and by the State Republican Central Committee, these rules alter party rules and the resolutions form the basis for changes that the Idaho GOP party wants our state leaders to enact as law.   

Both gentlemen spent time with the group informing them of how the winter meetings were conducted and the results of the rules and resolutions that were presented to the committees. They also spent time discussing with the group the things COCR, and all citizens, can do to influence and strengthen our Oneida County Republican party.  They informed the COCR regarding the election of Precinct Committeemen which occur during the primary elections. Precinct Committeemen serve terms parallel to the holding of primary elections, with the term beginning and ending after each primary election.  Oneida County has six precincts which will elect their Precinct Committeemen at the primary election to be held in May of 2024.  Mr. Ross and Mr. Larsen explained Precinct Committeemen are the first line of education for the voter, they help direct the affairs of the Republican Party in county government and participate in the Idaho GOP through sending county delegates or representatives (a State Committeeman, State Committeewoman, a Young Republican, and the County Committee Chairman) to meetings held by the Idaho GOP.  Upon their election, the first order of business is to elect a new Oneida County Central Committee Chairman and then elect officers for the executive committee.  This committee’s responsibility is to promote the Republican Party in our County as well as inform and influence the State of Idaho’s Republican platform.  

Mr. Ross and Mr. Larsen urged us to continue to find and support good candidates to fill these Precinct Committeemen positions because they play a key role in developing the Idaho Republican platform and will ensure our state remains a bastion of conservative thinking and principles. They encouraged the COCR to reach out to young Republicans, conservative women, and elected officials of Oneida County to encourage their participation in the Idaho GOP. They discussed the need for constant recruitment of GOP supporters to enlarge the tent of the Idaho Republican Party.