Commentator Isabel Brown drew attention to a campaign video from Maxine Durand, a trans-identifying man running as an independent socialist candidate for governor of Idaho in the 2026 election, highlighting the candidate’s platform and policy proposals.

Brown introduced Durand’s campaign by pointing out the location and political context of the race.

“Maxine Durand running for governor for not New York, not Colorado, not California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, or should I say, the Idaho, for those of us who are from Idaho, who is a trans identifying man, calls himself a woman and is running as an independent socialist to become the next Governor of Idaho. Listen to this campaign commercial put out by this guy voluntarily,” Brown said.

Durand’s campaign video outlines a platform centered on socialism and a number of policy proposals that include universal healthcare, expanded public education, and additional government housing programs.

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“Hi, I'm Maxine Duran, and I'm running for governor of Idaho in 2026 as an independent socialist candidate,” Durand said in the campaign video.

“Republicans will tell you that they're cutting your taxes, while they also cut your social services, like they did with HB 93 and how they gutted public education. And Democrats will just point to Republicans and talk about how mean they are. Those aren't options. Those aren't policies.”

Durand positioned the campaign as an alternative to both major political parties while emphasizing socialist policy ideas.

“I'm offering you a chance to get behind something new for Idaho, something that actually tries to look to the future and what Idaho needs,” Durand said.

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“I'm running as an independent socialist. I'm also running as a proud member of democratic socialists of America. I'm a member of the southern Idaho DSA chapter, but I've also been endorsed by the chapters in Boise and the Idaho Falls and Pocatello area.”

Durand also addressed the label of socialism directly in the campaign video, arguing that the term should not automatically be viewed negatively.

“It's important to me to talk about what I am, because I think it's important to take that name back for ourselves. People say socialist, like it's just automatically a bad word, and the reality is it does have a meaning,” Durand said.

“Look at my platform. Take a look at what I'm running for. Yes, it's socialism, but these are the kinds of policies that I think most Idahoans agree we need right now, and that means more to me than a label.”

The candidate encouraged viewers to review the campaign platform online while outlining several of the policy initiatives being proposed.

“You can find my full platform on duranfoidaho.com but some of the big issues that I'm championing are a universal health care system in the form of an Idaho based Medicare for all, expanding our K through 12 public school system to undo the damage of House Bill 93 and expand the curriculum options, so that if you graduate from an Idaho High School, you'll walk out with a two year associate's degree at a college or university of your choice, and expanding our public housing system so that we'll have additional mixed income public housing and universal tenants rights. Everyone belongs in Idaho, and I belong in that building,” Durand said.

Brown later examined the policy proposals listed on Durand’s campaign website, noting that the platform includes positions on abortion, healthcare, and other issues.

“Surface level seems kind of reasonable with some of the things talked about there. I actually think the idea of an associate's degree by the time you graduate high school is a fantastic idea,” Brown said.

She said the candidate’s platform also includes policies connected to abortion, reproductive healthcare, and transgender healthcare under a proposed government healthcare system.

“But if we type this person's website in here, you'll find out Maxine is exactly who he says he is a socialist and is not hiding it,” Brown said.

Brown also discussed additional proposals on Durand’s website, including policies connected to marijuana legalization, housing, and changes to Idaho’s Human Rights Act.

“Under the platform section of this website, there is an entire subsection called abortion, reproductive medicine and transgender healthcare,” Brown said.

She also pointed to provisions related to Idaho’s healthcare policy under the proposed Medicare for All program.

“Under this proposed Idaho Medicare for all the government would cover all healthcare needs, including abortion on demand, reproductive healthcare, whatever that's supposed to mean, just a euphemism for abortion on demand and transgender healthcare for everyone in Idaho, this is the same state that right now is literally debating whether or not to outlaw gay marriage, and these ideas are coming out of Idaho,” Brown said.

Brown also referenced other elements of the candidate’s platform.

“Idaho's Medicare for All plan would include access to pregnancy terminating drugs, hormone replacement therapy for all transgender patients, and coverage for reproductive care for those who cannot conceive on their own,” Brown said.

She also cited proposals tied to drug policy, housing regulation, and civil rights law.

“Of course, he also is promoting an end to the war on drugs by legalizing all marijuana, universal housing establishing statewide rent controls tied to state minimum wage and a national housing per diem rate,” Brown said.

Brown added that Durand’s campaign proposes amending Idaho law to include additional legal protections tied to sexual orientation and gender identity.

“Must have been on the phone with Zohran Mamdani a proposed amendment to the Idaho Human Rights Act to add the words sexual orientation and gender identity to enshrine protections for LGBTQ individuals at the state level, aka force women to be okay with men using their bathrooms or boys playing girls sports. No, no,” Brown said.

Brown concluded by noting that despite the candidate’s openly socialist platform, Durand has received support from a group she described as typically aligned with Republican politics.

“But again, what's really scary is even though these ideas are hyper radical and are unabashedly socialist, no apologizing for it. Mr. Maxine Durand has even received an endorsement from an organization called Mormons with hope for a better world. The Mormons, traditionally, like the most Republican group on the planet, are endorsing the ideas of actual, legitimate card carrying socialism,” Brown said.

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