Bonner County Republicans - Kristen Dodd, State Committeewoman

06/06/2026

Excellent write-up by Cornel Rasor:

The Spending Clause of Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution grants Congress the power “To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States.”

Far from an open-ended grant of authority for modern-style redistribution or unlimited spending, this clause, under an originalist reading grounded in the public meaning and public understanding at ratification, serves as a limiting qualifier on the taxing power. It is immediately followed by a detailed enumeration of eighteen specific legislative powers. The phrase “general welfare” carried the 18th-century meaning of the collective prosperity and well-being of the Union as a whole, achieved only through those expressly delegated objects. It had absolutely nothing to do with direct payments to individuals, states, or favored classes, nor with any notion of a redistributive welfare state. This understanding was not an afterthought. It was the explicit covenant struck at the Constitutional Convention and defended during ratification.

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An Originalist Understanding of Limited Powers and the 18th-Century Meaning of “Welfare.”

05/30/2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 30, 2026
Contact: Roger Rudd, Chairman, Bonner County Republican Central Committee, [email protected]

Bonner County Republican Central Committee Completes Biennial Reorganization

SANDPOINT, Idaho -- The Bonner County Republican Central Committee held its biennial reorganization meeting Friday evening at VFW Post 2453 in Sandpoint, electing new officers, selecting delegates to the Idaho Republican Party State Convention, and acting on a credentials challenge.

Officers Elected

The committee elected the following officers to serve for the 2026-2028 term:

Chairman: Roger Rudd
Vice Chairman: Mat Macdonald
Secretary: Jeff Tutin
Treasurer: Nicole Church
State Committeeman: Dan Vaniman
State Committeewoman: Kristen Dodd
State Youth Committeeperson: Azbrielle Church

State Convention Delegation

The committee elected 17 delegates and 16 alternates to represent Bonner County at the 2026 Idaho Republican Party State Convention in Meridian, June 18-20. Scott Herndon was elected Chairman of the Bonner County delegation.

Credentials Determination

The committee, meeting in executive session, determined that Jensen Heisel is not a qualified elector as defined by Idaho Code and declared the Clark Fork Precinct Committeeman seat vacant.

Mr. Heisel received the most votes in the Clark Fork Precinct Committeeman race in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary election. A credentials challenge was filed after concerns were raised by Clark Fork community members that Mr. Heisel's voter registration did not reflect his actual residential address.

Idaho Code § 34-624 requires that a precinct committeeman be a registered elector of the voting precinct for a period of six months preceding his election. Under Idaho Code § 34-105, a "registered elector" is a "qualified elector," which Idaho Code § 34-104 defines as a person who is "registered as required by law." Idaho Code § 34-411 requires that a voter registration contain the elector's true residence address, supplied under oath.

Mr. Heisel was given the opportunity to respond to the challenge. He acknowledged that the residence address on his voter registration is not his actual residence. The committee determined that his voter registration is therefore defective under Idaho Code § 34-411 and that he does not meet the statutory definition of a qualified elector.

The presiding chairman declared the seat vacant pursuant to BCRCC Bylaws, Article VI, Section 3(d), which requires the chairman to declare a vacancy upon a failure to maintain the qualifications for the election of Precinct Committeemen as provided by Idaho Code, and pursuant to Idaho Republican Party State Rules, Article IV, Section 8.

The committee may appoint a qualified Clark Fork elector to fill the vacant seat. The deliberations of the executive session will remain confidential.

05/30/2026

I am seeing a push by several conservatives, whom I respect, to move towards a caucus system. They think it will solve Democrat crossover voting. I am here to tell you that it won't.

Moving to a caucus will not solve the problem. I used to be in favor of a caucus, for many of the same reasons coming from the people pushing this idea.

I truly appreciate the spirit of the caucus. It really does better inform those who participate...but I assure you it is NOT only true Republicans who participate...and it absolutely will drastically reduce the voter turnout.

The caucus system will elect whoever the majority of those participating wants to elect...again, I assure you it isn't always going to be the true conservatives. In fact, it can easily be the opposite.

I speak as someone who watched my home state of Colorado (a caucus state) get flipped from being a conservative stronghold to a woke, tyrannical state. During a presidential election year, we had only 9 people show up at my precinct caucus...in Denver. 9!

I experienced, first-hand, the true conservative Republicans get steamrolled by the RINOs/OGERs in the REPUBLICAN caucus. Last minute rule changes, fraudulent delegate credentials challenges, removing PCs for no reason, mics getting shut off, etc. It was infuriating. The RINOs had control of the Denver Republican party and they helped flip the state.

Bonner County, Idaho, this May Primary, the local conservative majority led Republican party won all 12 of our LD1, LD2 & County endorsed seats, 6 of which were contested. We also had the highest voter turnout we have likely ever seen and also compared to the rest of the state. We worked HARD on GOTV (get out the vote). We have some very cynical, but very conservative electorate out there...who don't vote.

We MUST increase voter turnout to improve conservative outcomes.

Colorado lost to the Rocky Mountain Heist under a caucus system. It is NOT the answer.

05/28/2026

Food for thought.

Lake County, FL, adopted a “Bill of Rights” ordinance to shield residents from unconstitutional state and federal mandates, with strong local support. Here's why other counties should follow suit.

05/25/2026

As we enter Memorial Day, so many families across America come together, camping, barbecuing, and enjoying the blessings of freedom and abundance that God has given us in this country.

Those blessings were purchased at a great cost by those who wore the uniform of our armed forces, from the American Revolution, through two world wars, and into today.
I have a heart full of gratitude for their sacrifice.

Grateful Memorial Day.

John Adams:
"Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom. I hope you will make a good use of it."

05/20/2026

Congratulations to all the winners of today's primary election! Huge win for our community today. While I lost my PC race, I am full of gratitude and hope for the future in Bonner County! 🙏🇺🇸