While the U.S. Senate is making headlines for the GOP’s infighting over the controversial “border security” bill, lawmakers in conservative Idaho have seen even more bitter divisions.
On Thursday, Republican lawmakers ousted a senior member of their leadership over a budget dispute on state agencies.
Rep. Megan Blanksma of Hammett was removed from her position as House majority leader in a vote by colleagues. She had served as majority leader since 2022.
House Republicans announced the ouster in a statement.
A day earlier, Blanksma became the only House leader to oppose using a panel of legislators to pass a budget, a new process. All other House leaders kept their jobs, as lawmakers unanimously approved a separate motion to keep their House speaker.
Idaho’s GOP has become increasingly divided over this issue all year. The co-chairs of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee this year introduced rules to nix the process of passing individual agency budgets. Instead, they grouped certain agencies together for the purpose of passing “maintenance” budgets, providing only the minimal funds needed to keep the agencies operating.
Lawmakers can consider agency requests for new spending only after approving those maintenance budgets.
Committee leaders have praised the new process for allowing more scrutiny.
In a statement, Blanksma expressed disappointment in the ouster but stands by her “concerns over the new budgeting process.”
“It is our responsibility as elected officials to be vocal and express apprehensions over critical policy that will have major impacts on our state,” her statement said. “While I am no longer majority leader, tomorrow is a new day and I look forward to continuing to diligently work for District 8 and the people of Idaho.”
The chamber’s more ideological legislators have voiced support for the new approach to budgeting. Hoewever, the more moderate Republicans have rebelled. Some of them have even sent alternative budget bills — more similar to those of years past — to the House floor.
House lawmakers voted to pass the first “maintenance” budget bill Wednesday. Afterward, House Republicans met privately and announced Blanksma’s ouster Thursday in a news release.
“On behalf of my fellow legislators, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude for Rep. Blanksma’s time as our majority leader,” Republican Rep. Dustin Manwaring of Pocatello, who is also majority caucus chair, said in the news release.
“Please be assured that the House Republican Caucus is still focused on the needs and concerns of the people of Idaho. We will continue to work collectively to ensure our communities’ best interests are our number one priority.”
Republicans plan to pick a new majority leader on Monday.
“The caucus has had some contentious issues amongst itself the last little bit, especially what’s going on in our appropriations committee with the budgets,” House Speaker Mike Moyle told reporters Thursday. “We’re like a dysfunctional family right now; we’ve got a little bit of tension. We’ll get through it.”
Idaho GOP has seen infighting on other issues, too, as the Democrats remain only a marginal force in state politics. In 2022, Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin resigned her office to run against her own boss, incumbent Republican Gov. Brad Little.
During the vote on whether to retain the House speaker, Republican Rep. Dan Garner condemned the GOP’s infighting. He reportedly announced, “I urge you to support this motion and our whole leadership and move on.”
He went on to say it was a “sad day” to vote on the motion “when we should be doing the business of Idaho.”
The Horn editorial team and the Associated Press contributed to this article.