Protesters gather outside of Lincoln Day banquet

Outside of the Lincoln Day celebration, protesters from the Bannock County Democratic Party braved the cold weather outside the Shilo Inn in Idaho Falls.

It was an event started and organized at 10:30 Saturday morning.

Their key message for Republican lawmakers was fighting for a fair, liveable minimum wage and asking why Republicans are against the measure.

“Why are they so opposed to raising the minimum wage?” Asked Nate Roberts, the district 20 chairman for the Idaho Democratic Party. “Why are they opposed to helping 40 percent of Idaho, 17 percent that are livingm they’re surviving in Idaho and that’s difficult alone. Why not help Idaho’s people? What are they afraid of? My opinion is, helping working people is not a political stunt. It’s a moral obligation, and that’s why I’m here to support that.”

In a statement released to Local News 8 and Eyewitness News 3, the Bannock County Democrats say “Working Idahoans deserve a living wage and the current bill sponsored by Representatives Chew and Abernathy that would increase the living wage to keep up with inflation offers us an opportunity to bring wages more in line with current standards of living.”