The Board is Set for the 2026 Primary

The filing period for federal, statewide, and legislative candidates closed at 5:00pm Mountain Time on Friday evening. When the dust settled, 382 candidates had filed for election. Of those, 272 are running for the Legislature, with 160 competing in the upcoming Idaho GOP primary on May 19.

As you know, outside of four districts in Idaho, the May primary is the real election. Turnout is imperative to ensure we have a strong Republican slate for the November general election. Republican legislators in Idaho run the gamut from strong conservatives like Rep. Heather Scott and Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld to those who are much more moderate, like Sen. Jim Guthrie and Rep. Lori McCann. That means it is up to Republican voters to decide what kind of lawmakers we send to the Capitol next year.

Running for office is both a privilege and a duty for citizens of our Republic. I would never say that someone does not have the right to put their name on the ballot, nor that any incumbent deserves to go unchallenged. Primary challenges help keep elected officials from straying too far from the people they serve. However, sometimes the strategic choice is not to run. Trying to oust an effective conservative simply because one believes it is “their turn,” or crowding a race against a moderate incumbent with multiple conservatives, is not good strategy.

Sean Dolan at Idaho Ed News posted a helpful rundown of the filings last night.

Looking briefly at the statewide races, it became increasingly clear over the past few months that no serious candidates were prepared to challenge any of the seven constitutional officers. With filing closed, six of the seven—Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, Attorney General Raúl Labrador, Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Controller Brandon Woolf, Treasurer Julie Ellsworth, and Superintendent Debbie Critchfield—are unopposed in the primary and heavily favored to win reelection this November. Gov. Brad Little has seven primary challengers, but I expect him to cruise to victory as well.

Here are a few things that jumped out to me:

• Colton Bennett likely would have defeated Rep. Lori McCann last time but for a second conservative in the race who split the vote. His momentum and fundraising may have helped chase McCann from the field, as she opted to challenge Sen. Dan Foreman rather than defend her own seat. Bennett is joined by James Spencer and former legislator Cindy Agidius.
• I long suspected that former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma would jump back into the arena, and she did not disappoint, filing for Senate in District 8 just hours before the deadline. She joins another former lawmaker, Terry Gestrin, in challenging Sen. Christy Zito.
• One of the biggest surprises is what did not happen on Friday. Despite two years of constant agitation regarding Speaker Mike Moyle, no one ultimately stepped up to challenge him. He is now all but assured of winning what would be, so far as I know, an unprecedented 15th term in the Legislature. Moyle’s seatmates, Sen. Tammy Nichols and Rep. Bruce Skaug, are also unchallenged in the primary.
• Another dog that did not bark was in District 13. Sen. Brian Lenney had twice defeated former Sen. Jeff Agenbroad, who filed a treasurer’s report a few months ago, seemingly setting up another matchup. However, he apparently decided against another campaign, leaving Lenney free and clear for the general election.
• One of the more crowded races in the GOP primary is in District 25. Rep. Don Hall was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Lance Clow’s retirement, but health problems have unfortunately prevented him from running for election. His legislative substitute, Grayson Stone, is the presumed favorite, but Andrew Messer and Josh Callen have entered the race as well.
• Several new appointees face serious challenges. Rep. Mike Veile, appointed last year to replace Kevin Andrus, faces former state representative Chad Christensen. Rep. Erin Bingham, appointed in January to replace Wendy Horman, faces Brian McKellar.

In his article, Sean Dolan noted that seven incumbents face no challengers in either the primary or the general election, meaning they are guaranteed another term:

• District 3B Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene
• District 18 Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise
• District 18A Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise
• District 27A Rep. Douglas Pickett, R-Oakley
• District 27B Rep. Clay Handy, R-Burley
• District 30A Rep. David Cannon, R-Blackfoot
• District 34A Rep. Jon O. Weber, R-Rexburg

Click here to review candidate filings for yourself. I will have more in-depth analysis in the coming days, but for now, this provides a top-level look at the GOP legislative primary. While no additional candidates can file at this point, candidates can still withdraw. Watch for at least one three-way race to narrow to two by this time next week.

Incumbents are in bold:

Feature image found on Facebook.

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.

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