Idaho Governor Compares Californians to Cattle

Don’t get your Left Coast knickers in knots! Governor Brad Little coined an acronym at his 2025 State-of-the-State address. He referred to the refugees from California, Oregon, and Washington as COWs. Get it? If you’re a conservative transplant, you’ll laugh it off. If you’re a weed-puffing liberal, you’ll be offended because he’s a Republican, and demand he grovel and offer an apology. Or you’re lack of critical thinking skills will leave you steaming, until you dust off your next joint.

Credit Bill Colley.

If you’re a conservative Idahoan, you’re not only laughing, you’re also appropriating the Governor’s remark.

He made the comment when talking about the housing crunch, exacerbated by the number of people fleeing the coastal cesspools and looking to a good life here. Idaho’s population has roughly tripled in 35 years, and median home costs in Boise are heading for one million dollars.

The Governor suggested we need more cattle guards, also a figurative remark. I’m told one liberal reporter (aren’t they all) didn’t know what he was talking about. I guess the newsrooms jumped to the conclusion that he was going to assign guards to newcomers. Funny, these media types believe they’re always the smartest person in the room.

Little suggests we can make an effort to ease the housing crisis by putting up more homes. State Senate Pro Tem Kelly Anthon told me the following day that we should encourage new housing in the urban areas and preserve farm and ranchlands. You’ll be seeing more high rises likely going up in Idaho’s cities.