This has been a quiet year compared to 2024. No headline elections, no presidential campaign, no caucuses, no state conventions. Yet political junkies need not worry, because the 2026 campaigns have already begun.
Here in Idaho, all 105 state representative and senate seats will be on the ballot, as will our seven statewide constitutional offices. Our congressmen in the 1st and 2nd districts will be up for reelection, as will Sen. Jim Risch, who announced his reelection campaign earlier this year.
Though it seems like only yesterday we finished the 2024 election cycle, everyone is gearing up for a big 2026. Successful candidates cannot simply sign up to run once the filing period opens next March; they must be raising money, recruiting volunteers, knocking on doors, and building name recognition today. It’s tempting to play coy and wait until the last day of the filing deadline to launch a campaign, but that’s like waiting until the final stretch of the Kentucky Derby to leave the starting gate.
As always, the Sunshine website is a good resource for political watchers. Even though the filing period does not open until next year, candidates who are raising money and actively campaigning must file a treasurer appointment form with the Secretary of State’s office. This used to be called a C1 form, and are public information. That means that anyone even thinking of campaigning for office next year must openly declare their intentions.
It’s a safe bet to assume that incumbent legislators will be running for reelection. Every year, I hear rumors of this or that lawmaker planning to retire, but you can never be sure until the filing deadline passes. Even those who do plan to retire often maintain their campaigns throughout the summer, either to switch to a different office or donate to other candidates.
Thus far, all seven state constitutional officers—Gov. Brad Little, Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, Attorney General Raúl Labrador, Secretary of State Phil McGrane, State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth, State Controller Brandon Woolf, and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield—have filed their C1s.
A handful of candidates have filed to challenge these incumbents, including Democratic attorney Terri Pickens. She was the Democrat nominee for lieutenant governor in 2022, losing to Bedke 64.4%-30.55. She now has her sights set on losing the gubernatorial race as well. I explained earlier this year why it would be difficult for a Republican to defeat Little in the next primary; I cannot imagine a Democrat even making it a competitive race.
In addition to incumbents, several candidates have announced their intentions to run for the Legislature in next year’s Republican primary:
- Former state senator Scott Herndon has filed for another rematch against Sen. Jim Woodward in District 1. Herndon defeated Woodward in 2022, only to lose in 2024.
- Colton Bennett, who lost a three-way race in District 6 last year, has filed for a rematch against Rep. Lori McCann. Ryan Augusta, who ran an independent write-in campaign last year, has also filed for this seat.
- Matt Bundy and Geoff Schroeder, who each served one term as representative and senator from District 8, have both filed C1s to reclaim their seats that were won by Rep. Rob Beiswenger and Sen. Christy Zito, respectively.
- Conservative activist Heidi Smith has filed to run against Rep. John Shirts in District 9, while Gregory Diacogiannis has filed to run against Rep. Judy Boyle after attempting a write-in campaign last year.
- Former senator Chris Trakel has filed to reclaim his previous seat from Sen. Camille Blaylock in District 11, while Nicole Hyland has filed to run against Rep. Kent Marmon. Hyland dropped out of the 2024 primary to support Marmon’s campaign against Julie Yamamoto.
- In District 14, activist and speaker Max Brown has filed to run against Rep. Josh Tanner. I’m told that he expects Tanner not to run for reelection and is aiming for the potential open seat. Craig Thomas has filed to run against Rep. Ted Hill.
- Former candidate Steve Keyser is filed to run for House in District 15. He ran unsuccessfully against Democratic Rep. Steve Berch in the past, while Annette Tipton came within 250 votes of unseating him in 2024. Tipton was recently appointed to lead the Commission for Hispanic Affairs.
- In District 22, Marisa Keith has filed to run against Rep. Jason Monks again after losing the 2024 primary. Former representative Greg Ferch announced today that he is running for Rep. John Vander Woude’s seat, under the assumption that Vander Woude is not running for a 10th term.
- James Lamborn has filed to run against Rep. Rick Cheatum in a rematch of last year’s District 28 primary that saw the incumbent emerge victorious in a three-way race.
- In District 29, Republican district chairman John Crowder has filed to run against Sen. James Ruchti, the last Democrat outside of Boise. Ruchti ran unopposed in 2024.
- Julianne Young has filed for a rematch against Rep. Ben Fuhriman in District 30. She lost by a mere two votes in the 2024 primary.
- Kelly Golden and Sean Crystal have filed to run against Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen in District 32, repeating the same dynamic from last year.
- In District 33, Jilene Burger has filed for a rematch against Rep. Marco Erickson.
- Larry Golden has filed to run against Rep. Britt Raybould once again in District 34.
- Former representative Chad Christensen has filed to run against Rep. Joshua Wheeler in District 35. Also, late breaking today, Rep. Kevin Andrus was appointed by President Trump to serve as the executive director of the USDA’s Idaho Farm Service Agency. This likely means a vacancy in the Legislature that will be filled by Gov. Little.
Keep in mind that this is only a snapshot in time. Many people who file C1 forms never end up actually running for office, while many who are going to run have not yet filed their appointment forms. It ain’t over until the filing deadline is passed. Yet this gives us a sneak peek at the campaigns to come. If you are looking to oust (or defend) an incumbent next year, then now is a great time to donate, or to reach out and offer to volunteer. If you see an incumbent that should be challenged who has no declared opponent, then consider if it’s time for you to enter the fray.
Remember to bookmark Idaho Insider for in-depth profiles on all 105 current legislators. I’ll be adding even more information over the next few weeks as well as completing the state officer pages.
If you’re interested in running for office, I highly recommend you attend a Citizens Alliance of Idaho campaign training event. CAI will be hosting the next training in Boise this Saturday, May 31, so register now if you live near the Treasure Valley. Even if you don’t plan to run yourself, the training still has valuable information for activists, supporters, and volunteers.
Campaigns will be won or lost over the next few months. The time to get involved is right now. The great game is once again afoot, and the future of our state hangs in the balance.
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About Brian Almon
Brian Almon is the Editor of the Gem State Chronicle. He also serves as Chairman of the District 14 Republican Party and is a trustee of the Eagle Public Library Board. He lives with his wife and five children in Eagle.
