BY KAREN BOSSICK

Deborah Silver will become the chair of the Blaine County Democrats Central Committee on Friday, June 16.

Silver will assume the leadership from Karen Bliss, who has been acting as interim chairman.

Silver has a long history with the Democrat party in Idaho.

Born and raised in Jerome, she graduated from Boise State University and spent her career in Twin Falls as a partner at Hayes and Silver CPAs. She and her husband, Leroy, have owned a condo in Elkhorn for 20 years and they moved to the Wood River Valley permanently during the COVID pandemic.

Silver spent nearly 10 years as chair of the Twin Falls County Democratic Party, during which time she was elected chair of the County Chair Association. She ran for state treasurer in 2014 and for the legislature twice in the Twin Falls district.

Silver was later elected vice chair of the Idaho Democratic Party for two terms and served as state party chair, as well.

She served as a board member of Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest, Hawaii, Indiana and Kentucky for two terms. And she also served as a board member and treasurer of the Reclaim Idaho Fund.

In fact, she estimates she knocked on more than 10,000 doors during her personal  campaigns and while gathering signatures for Reclaim Idaho ballot initiatives, which have pushed for Medicaid expansion, more school funding and election reform.

Members of the Blaine County Democrats Central Committee said in a press release that they believe Silver’s deep Idaho roots and her extensive experience working with the Idaho Democratic party and Reclaim Idaho make her extremely qualified to lead Blaine County Democrats.

Silver said she is looking forward to working with Blaine County Democrats, who work in one of the few counties in Idaho that regularly elect Democrats.

“This county and legislative district have provided strong leadership in the state party,” she said. “I have relationships with many of the current and former legislators and leadership of the party here and will rely on them as I assume this role. The challenge is to continue to elect Democratic candidates and to grow our local party.  It is so important for us to push back against racism and extremism around the state.”