COEUR d’ALENE — Speakers at the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee’s Lincoln Day Dinner called on members to stand strong for their country, or risk losing it, and support Donald Trump for president.

About 600 people attended the event at The Coeur d’Alene Resort on Saturday. With a large flag as the backdrop, firearms as prizes and babies in red, white and blue, patriotism was on full display. 

A video warned people that Idaho could turn into another California, while another featured families and friends shouting, “We are Idaho.”

Dorothy Moon, chair of the Idaho Republican Party, criticized rank-choice voting and the media before asking the crowd for help.

“Please stand with me to stop the cronyism that’s happening in our capital,” she said. “Please stand with me to stop the woke corporations that are taking over this state. I really need you to help me stop the overreach of our state and federal government.”

“But I really need you to stand up with me to save the Idaho Republican Party and save our faith, our family and our freedom,” she said.

Idaho Congressman Russ Fulcher said the widening partisan divide is preventing Congress from getting anything done.

He said he has endorsed and is working on behalf of Donald Trump to become the country’s next president, which drew a cheer from the crowd.

“Whatever corruption there is in Congress, and there is significant corruption, the corruption in the intelligence community and the DOJ (Department of Justice) is worse,” Fulcher said.

He said Congress has oversight, but it is inadequate.

“This has got to be addressed to remain a free nation, and there is no one who can address that like Donald Trump,” Fulcher said.

Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare asked what it would take to save the country as it suffers the consequences of open borders and a growing national debt.

“I do believe Trump is part of that solution, but we need a longer-term one,” he said.

Mattare said there is a way to “put a stop to this madness and preserve our country.”

He called on the audience to pledge their lives, fortunes and honor to each other. 

“He cannot win, we cannot win, until we are willing to risk our comfort and our material wealth to fix these problems,” Mattare said

“It’s impossible to defeat a people with that mindset,” he said. 

Sebastian Gorka, a British-born Hungarian-American media host and commentator and former deputy assistant to President Trump, delivered the keynote speech. 

Gorka was born in London. His parents fled to the United Kingdom from Hungary after an uprising against the Soviet Union failed in 1956.

He said he moved to America 16 years ago. When he did, he made fun of his fellow conservatives who said communists and socialists were here.

“I used to laugh at them,” he said.

Gorka said his life changed when he was 8 years old and one day, he noticed pale, white lines on his father’s wrists.

“What’s that?” he asked his father.

“Son, that’s where the secret police bound my wrists together with wire behind my back so they could hang me from the ceiling of the torture chamber,” his dad responded.

Gorka said that his life was never the same after that.

“Because from that point onward, I understand here in my soul that evil is real and that evil walks the Earth in the hearts of men,” he said.

He said he no longer laughs about communism in America.

“It’s real. It’s here,” he said.

Gorka said people always ask him of the upcoming election, “Are we going to win?” which he said makes him angry.

Here’s the answer he gives them: “What the hell are you doing about it?”

The crowd applauded.

He said no one can save the country alone. It must be done together.

“This is our country. We save our country,” he shouted.

    Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris leads the Pledge of Allegiance at the Lincoln Day Dinner at The Coeur d’Alene Resort on Saturday.
  

    Veteran Jeff Broadhead was part of the Color Guard at the Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday.
  

    The crowd listens to a speaker at the Lincoln Day Dinner on Saturday.