Lincoln Day Banquet set for Jan. 28

by Philip A. Janquart

 Tickets for the annual Lincoln Day Banquet are now available.

 This year’s event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 28 at the Vendome at 309 State St. in downtown Weiser.

 The long-running event, organized by the Washington County Republican Central Committee (WCRCC), kicks off with a cocktail and social hour at 6 p.m., followed by dinner at 7 p.m.

 Tickets are $55 and can be obtained through any precinct member or by calling WCRCC Chair John Jensen at (208) 740-8219, Margaret Jensen at (208) 740-8194, or event organizer Karen Wright at (208) 549-2156. You can also email Karen at kserke@yahoo.com.

 There will also be a gun raffle, which includes a .22 Henry Golden Boy long rifle. Tickets are $20 a piece or six for $100. Also being raffled is a Smith & Wesson SD9-9mm handgun with 16-round magazine, and a 12-gauge Tristar Setter O/U shotgun with five chokes.

   Attendees have their choice of prime rib or salmon, catered by Grubbin’ BBQ out of Caldwell. Last year Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden spoke on the Second Amendment and Idaho’s status as a sanctuary state, but there are other plans this year.

 “We won’t have a keynote speaker because we want to give the time to all of the state candidates running for office,” said Margaret Jensen. “They are all invited and will introduce themselves and then we will have questions and answers. There are so many contested races going and candidates running, we really wanted to give the time to them instead of a keynote speaker.”