Stop Idaho RINOs
Political Action Committee
About Stop Idaho RINOs
Stop Idaho RINOs, spearheaded by John Heida, has become a notorious fixture in Idaho’s political landscape. Recently transplanted from California, Heida operates this organization mainly as a one-man show, bolstered by funding from a small, discreet group of donors. The group’s mission: to attack mainstream conservative Republicans in Idaho using some of the most aggressive and underhanded campaign tactics seen in the state.
Heida’s methods have drawn significant attention and criticism, particularly for the organization’s use of AI and Photoshop to create highly misleading images of opposition candidates. A notable instance involved Idaho State legislator Julie Yamamoto, whose face was superimposed onto a Playboy cover, accompanied by baseless accusations of promoting pornography in schools. This incident underscores the group’s willingness to employ sensationalism and deceit to undermine its political adversaries.
Stop Idaho RINOs is closely linked to the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF), an influential entity within the state’s Republican Party. With its board members acting as unofficial party bosses, the IFF utilizes Stop Idaho RINOs to push its agenda. This includes endorsing a slate of candidates who, despite often lacking qualifications, are expected to advance the interests of the IFF’s donor network loyally. These candidates are promoted as the true conservatives, though their alignment often skews towards a fringe libertarian or Constitution Party ideology rather than traditional Republican values.
The organization’s activities reflect a broader strategy employed by the ultra-conservative faction within Idaho’s Republican Party. This faction insists on being recognized as legitimate conservatives despite their positions frequently diverging from established Republican principles. The support Stop Idaho RINOs provides through fake endorsements and character attacks is a critical component of this strategy, aiming to reshape the party’s landscape by discrediting mainstream Republicans and promoting their loyalists.
Therefore, John Heida’s operation has become a focal point of controversy, drawing both ire and support within Idaho’s conservative circles. While some see Stop Idaho RINOs as defenders of a purist conservative vision, many others criticize the group for its divisive tactics and unethical campaign practices. As the state’s political dynamics continue to evolve, the influence of Stop Idaho RINOs and its aggressive approach remains contentious and influential.
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Other unsavory groups–the Idaho Freedom Foundation, Stop Idaho RINOs and the Christian nationalist Idaho Family Policy Center–will be more than happy to guide voters to their favored candidates. And, of course, the official Republican Party state website and most county committee websites, which are currently controlled by the extremist branch of the GOP, will be glad to recommend the most extreme candidates.
My rule of thumb is to check out those websites to see who they are supporting and then vote against all of their recommended candidates. It is likely that the candidates who oppose their recommended candidates are the true conservatives–the ones who will stand up for the Idaho and U.S. Constitutions.
Enter Greg Chaney, a former state legislator initially embraced by conservative circles. A devout Christian and committed conservative, Chaney aligned with the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s agenda until he witnessed its inner workings and recoiled at their excesses. His decision to defy the Foundation on legislation he deemed excessively severe marked the beginning of his ordeal.
The lesson is stark and swiftly delivered: Deviate from absolute loyalty, and face the wrath of personal destruction. Chaney's harrowing experience reached a nadir when his family fell victim to heinous attacks, prompting his daughter to ask, "Why do they want to kill daddy?"
Families, unquestionably, should remain off-limits. Yet, John Heida, a paid agitator managing Stop Idaho RINOs, persists in disseminating vile content that drags Chaney’s family into the mire, distorting personal incidents from Chaney’s past to boost Chris Boyd’s campaign for Canyon County Prosecutor. Labrador’s choice of Boyd as a special prosecutor in a conflict of interest case underscores the intertwining of political favors and campaign strategies.
Canyon County resident John Heida recently made the beautiful state of Idaho his home. Like many who consider themselves political refugees after they could not convert their communities to match their values, Heida teamed up with the Idaho Freedom Foundation Network to promote his values to lifelong Idahoans through his group called “Stop Idaho RINOs.”
Heida recently published a series of tweets that worked to normalize extremism in Idaho. He said, “We are calling on Idahoans to crush the curve and embrace the EXTREME. Don’t let them control the narrative. Never before has it been labeled EXTREME to have patriotism and a desire to protect the young and innocent. Stay married. Have the babies. Go to church. Homeschool the kids. Protect all children. Speak the truth. Be EXTREME.”
It’s an interesting take on extremism. You see, this tweet was published in response to the creation of a new group designed to fight extremism called Idaho Leaders United.
Influential business leaders like Tommy Ahlquist and Courtney Liddiard have put their names behind this effort to educate Idahoans on extremism and it seems to have triggered people like Heida who are invested in stopping Idaho “RINOs.” If what John Heida says is true, then why would these highly successful people stake their reputations on an effort to destroy faithful Christians, parents who homeschool their kids, and those who see the LGBTQ+ community as a threat to their children?
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