Who is fighting for Idaho families?

By Lauren Neccochea
Reader Contributor

Every legislative session, we see whether our leaders protect freedoms, lift families and plant seeds for stronger futures. The opening week of the 2025 session highlighted the sharp contrast between the priorities of Idaho’s Democratic and Republican legislators. Democrats are working to protect financial stability, economic opportunity and health care access. By contrast, the Republican supermajority’s agenda is driven by out-of-state voucher interests and far-right ideology. 

Education is a prime example. Idaho Democrats support public schools that welcome every child in every neighborhood. We also support investments that advance student learning, like preschool access, tutors, reading specialists and career technical training. In contrast, Republican legislators push voucher schemes, siphoning taxpayer dollars from public education to private, religious and for-profit entities with no accountability. 

Rep. Lauren Necochea. File photo.

We simply can’t afford these subsidies to the tune of $50 million, as Gov. Brad Little proposed, caving to voucher lobbyists. And we certainly can’t afford the $250 million voucher bill recklessly proposed by Rep. Clint Hostetler, R-Twin Falls, on his third day in the Legislature and his fourth year in Idaho. 

Republicans’ health care priorities are also dangerous. House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, announced his caucus would seek to repeal Medicaid expansion, taking coverage from 85,000 Idahoans. Idaho voters overwhelmingly enacted Medicaid expansion, which has saved lives, stabilized rural hospitals and provided peace of mind to families. Meanwhile, Democrats pledged to protect this lifeline and ensure rural communities aren’t left without care. 

Idaho’s extreme abortion ban continues driving doctors out of state and endangering women’s lives. We’ve lost over half of our high-risk maternity specialists and nearly a quarter of our OB-GYNs, who fear prison time under vague, punitive regulations. 

Democrats reaffirmed their commitment to restoring common sense and personal freedom to abortion policies. Republican leaders announced they will oppose even modest health exceptions to their abortion ban as they appeal a court ruling allowing doctors to provide abortion care in narrow medical emergencies. 

This decision helped slow the need to airlift women out of state, happening once every two weeks. 

Affordable homes and child care remain top Democratic priorities because they are top

challenges for working families. We delivered deciding votes for Idaho’s first-ever workforce housing investment, which has already helped families, and we’re working to secure additional investment. 

Democrats oppose the governor’s cuts to child care assistance for families earning modest wages. His move forces parents out of work, costing taxpayers more long-term. What measures did Republican legislators announce to make homes, child care or other necessities affordable? None. 

Idaho Democrats may be outnumbered, but we are united in fighting for the issues that matter most: quality public education, accessible health care, affordable homes and protecting your freedoms. 

All Idahoans should ask: Who is working for my family’s future?

Lauren Necochea is chair of the Idaho Democratic Party and served as a District 19 House member in the Idaho Legislature. Necochea spent a decade leading nonprofit programs dedicated to research and advocacy in tax policy, health care and children’s issues.