Dems take turn in national spotlight; Balukoff chairs Idaho delegation
This week, it’s the Democratic Party’s turn in the national spotlight, as the party holds its national convention in Philadelphia and nominates Hillary Clinton, the first ever female major-party presidential nominee. Idaho’s delegation to the convention includes 27 delegates and three alternates and is chaired by A.J. Balukoff, Boise businessman and former Democratic candidate for governor. Balukoff is among the 20 Idaho delegates for Bernie Sanders, who won 78 percent in Idaho’s Democratic presidential caucuses; six are for Clinton, and one is undeclared. But Sanders took the microphone at the convention yesterday, after the roll call of states, and asked that Clinton be the party’s nominee.
Balukoff, as he announced Idaho's votes, added a nod to the state's mountains, rivers and scenic beauty.
The Idaho Statesman reported this week that Idaho’s delegation has a high percentage of young Bernie Sanders delegates who turned to crowd-funding to raise the $5,000 cost of going to the convention; more than half of the state’s Sanders delegates are millenials who created GoFundMe pages, the paper reported.
Here’s a list of Idaho’s delegates to the Democratic national convention; the Idaho party also is touting its platform, which is online here:
National Delegates (20 Sanders; 6 Clinton; 1 Undeclared):
Sanders National Delegates: Yara Slaton, Boise; AJ Konda, Coeur d’Alene; Chelsea Gaona-Lincoln, Caldwell; George Skandalos, Moscow; Miranda Gold, Eagle; Bill Parks, Moscow; Naomi Johnson, Boise; Justin Snyder, Boise; Brittany Ruland, Twin Falls; Caleb Hansen, Boise; Maria Alecia Garza, Boise; Jim Fletcher, Pocatello; Chrystal Allen, Boise; James Smart, Boise; Rick Tousley, Lewiston; Jordan Arellano, Boise; Bill Sifford, McCall; Cecile Perez, Idaho Falls; Gini Ballou, Hailey—alternate; Alonzo Statham, Boise—alternate.
Clinton National Delegates: Caitlin Lister, Meridian; Jesse Maldonado, Lewiston; Ilana Rubel, Boise; Dave Bieter, Boise; Holli Woodings, Boise; Michael Armand, Boise—alternate.
Superdelegates: State party Chair Bert Marley, McCammon—Sanders; Pete Gertonsen, Waha—Sanders; Carolyn Boyce, Boise—Clinton; Van Beechler, Caldwell—Undeclared.
