Idaho Dispatch

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Dorothy Moon Defeats Tom Luna to Become Idaho Republican Party Chair

By • July 16, 2022

Update as of 6:33 p.m. MT on 7/16/2022.

Idaho Dispatch has obtained vote totals from the Idaho GOP leadership races from a source close to the vote counting process. The results are as follows:

Dorothy Moon – 434
Tom Luna – 287

Dan Silver – 367
Machele Hamilton – 358

Mark Fuller – 437
Mike Matthews – 283

Stephen Bender – 401
Steve Parrot – 318

Maria Nate – 438
Caleb Hoobery – 285

Original article below.


Rep. Dorothy Moon has defeated Tom Luna for the Idaho Republican Party Chairmanship position.

The Idaho GOP is holding its annual summer convention in Twin Falls. A vote on a new chairman takes place every two years at the summer convention.

Luna became Chairman two years ago after Raul Labrador decided not to run for re-election. Luna defeated Mark Fuller in 2020 to become Chairman by less than five votes.

This year, Rep. Dorothy Moon (R-Stanley), who lost her bid to become the next Secretary of State, threw her hat in the ring to lead Idaho’s Republican Party.

Idaho Dispatch spoke with several individuals who were at the convention who told us that they felt Moon was going to win. One individual we spoke to, who was not a supporter of Moon’s, told us they felt like she was going to win based on how the convention votes had gone leading up to the vote on Party Chairman.

During his speech to the crowd, Luna told the crowd that he kept the promises he made to them and that the Idaho GOP has done an excellent job fundraising to fight for Republican values since he became Chairman. In addition, Luna said that Republican registration and party growth have increased under his leadership.

Moon told the crowd during her speech that the party needed to modernize its infrastructure and do a better job reaching out to citizens on social media. Moon also said fundraising needed to focus on Idaho donors, not money from outside the state.

Moon also criticized current Idaho GOP leadership for holding the convention at a location where attendees could not exercise their 2nd Amendment rights.

Idaho Dispatch previously wrote about convention delegates who were frustrated by the Idaho GOP’s decision to hold the convention at the College of Southern Idaho, where signs are posted saying individuals are prohibited from carrying firearms.

Other winners at the convention for GOP leadership were Dan Silver for 1st Vice-Chair over Machele Hamilton, Mark Fuller over Mike Matthews for 2nd Vice-Chair, Steve Bender over Stephen Parrot for Treasurer, and Maria Nate over Caleb Hoobery for Secretary.

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Tags: 2nd Amendment, Chairman, GOP Convention, Idaho Republican Party, Tom Luna

26 thoughts on “Dorothy Moon Defeats Tom Luna to Become Idaho Republican Party Chair

  1. Congratulations Dorothy Moon!!! Lordie, Lordie is there a whole lot of repair and work needed.
    We are here to assist as needed for your success.

  2. PRAISE THE LORD! At least that’s one positive defeat! Heaven knows we needed to get rid of Luna.

  3. We could not have a better representative in the role Republican Party Chair. Dorothy Moon is just what is needed as we work together to ensure Idaho changes direction from crony politics to supporting true conservatives!

    1. 100% Agreed! Praise God for Dorothy Moon! Now we need to band together to do for the Republican Party what the Democrats have done for theirs, namely, cooperative, focused care of our home front and making sure our ideals are held to sacred standards

  4. Thank you GOP Conventioners for riding us of Tom Luna. It does not seem to me than it required a genius to know that Comon Core for ID schools was a Socalists dream. Tom Luna is the Paul Ryan of ID GOP politicos. The Lunacy of the state GOP suing individual volunteers and the Bonneville County GOP with money from a secret, undisclosed donor speaks volumes about how the ID GOP has to change and allow freedom.

    1. Frank Vandersloot later took credit for the money used for the law suit. Initially, he claimed to not be directly involved, but later sent out a letter condemning the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee for not choosing who he wanted and then sending out ridiculous slander to all delegates and alternate delegates trying to twist facts, manipulate people, and smear the good names and honest intentions of the volunteers. In the nastygram email, he took 100% responsibility for the funding. It was likely his idea to file the lawsuit in the first place. I expect Tom will regret listening to FV. Frank has done some good things for the community, but not everything he has done benefits the community or the state.

  5. So in his speech Luna said he had done an excellent job, too bad it wasn’t what the Idaho republican party needed or wanted. Now with moon I MAY consider helping the Idaho GOP again. I have to wait and see which way they’re moving. Buy it’s a blessing that Luna is gone.

  6. Congratulations to Dorothy Moon. She’ll be a Conservative, Republican Rock which is what we in the GOP needed.
    Stanley Roach
    Ada County GOP
    Precinct Committeeman
    Precinct #1919

  7. Congratulations Dorothy Moon! We have put our faith in you, the only opponent to win our vote! Do us proud!
    Cindy Gallup

  8. Congratulations to the incoming GOP administration. It was an interesting convention to say the very least. My only concern with Chairman Luna and his considerable fund-raising talents gone is that the wallets of the mainstream Republicans will be sewn up tighter than a drum from a pure party donation standpoint, this after having been ridiculed, cajoled, threatened and their philosophical differences misrepresented. I’m sure they will continue to contribute to candidates, though. It’s happened before my friends, just saying. I think things can get better after the winter meeting if Brandon Durst’s changes are cleaned up (as Rush Limbaugh used to say, “words mean things” and the attempts to preclude any exceptions whatsoever from the abortion statute are eliminated from the Party platform.

  9. Congradulations to Dorothy, and THANK YOU to the Idaho GOP for voting her in! Now maybe we will get the donations from Idaho citizens again, I know I will start donating again. A true conservative in charge is a breath of fresh air. Thank you again Idaho Republicans!

  10. Congratulations Dorothy. It will be good to have someone with conservative values in leadership. Republican values just don’t make it.

  11. Luna typifies the “soft Republican” image (ie. Brad Little) that the media prefers—not quite “RINO” , but certainly lacking the conviction to fight for true GOP principles and crushing the democrat agenda being advanced in Idaho. Good riddance ! And good luck to Dorothy.

  12. Congratulations Dorothy Moon! You have our support and we look forward to advancing a Revivalist Manifesto of conservative values – Faith, Family and Freedom!

  13. Great. I’m glad. Now get something done GOP and stop sandbagging. We are a conservative state ACT LIKE IT and get some bills passed to destroy the woke and protect our foundation.

  14. Ok, no more playing nice. All Rinos must be removed and directly confronting the demorats, democommies, BLM, Antifa and the LGBTQIA+ vermin that wants the state and country destroyed. Destroy the so called “Woke” indoctrinated lemmings!!

  15. Sad to see comments filled with hate like these! The Idaho GOP has become a party of lies, conspiracies and hate. I’ll stay registered to help continue to reduce the extremists as they run! You don’t represent the majority of conservatives as shown by the losses in the state of you wacko faithful, including Moon.

  16. It should be noted that there are restrictions on weapon carry on all college campuses in the State of Idaho per Idaho Code 18-3309. With that said, for most of the campus, concealed weapon carry is allowed with a concealed weapon permit. There are certain buildings (due to the amount of people who are in the events withheld in them) that do not allow any carry (the Fine Arts being one of those buildings which the GOP Convention was held). These laws can be seen as anti Idaho character. With that said – it is law and these are law makers that were in it – if they don’t like it they have the power to change it. With that said they could have picked a different venue (agreed) but don’t make it sound like it was un-lawful when it is a current law.

  17. Time to get rid of the rinos and bring the constitution and conservatism back to the platform. I can’t think of a better person to do that than Dorothy Moon!

    Good things are coming to Idaho and the Republican Party, time to register as Republican, there will no longer be the need to be registered as libertarian, constitutionalist, independent. It’s time we unite!

  18. Finally! A true Republican! Congratulations, Dorothy, and best wishes for your expected and welcome success.

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