Idaho Republicans Host Lincoln Day Dinners in Moscow and Orofino Saturday; Counter-Events Also Planned
Some of Idaho’s most prominent Republican elected officials are set to gather Saturday evening for Lincoln Day dinners in both Moscow and Orofino, with counter-events organized by progressive groups planned at both locations on the same day.
Moscow Dinner Draws Statewide Republican Leadership
The Latah County Republican Lincoln Day Dinner is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at the Best Western Plus University Inn in Moscow. U.S. Sen. Jim Risch will serve as one of the keynote speakers, joined by Theo Wold, a former U.S. Assistant Attorney General.
A strong roster of Idaho’s top Republican officials is expected to attend the Moscow event, including U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Idaho Education Superintendent Debbie Critchfield, Idaho Controller Brandon Woolf, and Idaho Treasurer Julie Ellsworth. Tickets for the Latah County dinner are available at Latahgop.org.
Lincoln Day dinners are a longstanding tradition within the Republican Party, held annually across the country to honor President Abraham Lincoln’s legacy, raise funds for local party organizations, and rally support around shared conservative values. The gathering in Moscow represents one of the highest-profile collections of statewide Republican leadership to visit Latah County in recent memory.
Also at the Moscow hotel, the progressive advocacy group Indivisible Moscow has organized a Citizens’ Forum and Social from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the Centennial Room — directly preceding the Republican dinner. Organizers say Senators Risch and Crapo have been invited to the town hall-style gathering, though the group noted the senators “have not confirmed that they can participate.” Attendees can expect appetizers and a no-host bar at the Indivisible Moscow event.
Orofino Event Features House Speaker, Attorney General
Across the region in Clearwater County, the Republican Central Committee’s Lincoln Day Dinner in Orofino will begin with a social at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. at the Best Western Lodge at River’s Edge. Tickets are priced at $60 and are available by calling (208) 553-9814 or (219) 477-0110.
Confirmed speakers at the Orofino event include Idaho Speaker of the House Mike Moyle and Idaho GOP Chairperson Dorothy Moon. U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher and Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador are also expected to attend, making the Orofino dinner another significant gathering of conservative leadership in north-central Idaho.
A separate counter-event in Orofino is also being organized for Saturday. According to organizer Mark Tuttle, participants will gather for a dinner and rally from 2 to 3 p.m. at the Orofino Senior Center, followed by what organizers are describing as a “peaceful protest” from 4 to 6 p.m. along the sidewalks of Orofino City Park and the sidewalks across from the Best Western Lodge.
The groups supporting the Orofino counter-event include the Idaho-Washington Democratic Women, Indivisible chapters from Moscow and the LC Valley, Idaho Women Forward, and the five-county North Central Idaho Democratic Coalition.
What Comes Next
Both Lincoln Day dinners are ticketed events open to registered attendees. Republicans across Latah and Clearwater counties are encouraged to check availability before Saturday. For the Moscow dinner, information is available at Latahgop.org. For the Orofino event, prospective attendees should contact organizers directly by phone.
The dual gatherings represent a concentrated moment of Republican organizing across north-central Idaho, with multiple statewide officeholders and federal lawmakers appearing in the region on the same evening. Whether the counter-events draw significant crowds — and how local law enforcement manages logistics at both locations — will likely be watched closely by political observers across the Gem State.
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