Here are a few competitive Idaho legislative primary elections to watch in 2026

This year, all 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature are up for election. 

Outside of a handful of competitive legislative districts that flip between Republicans and Democrats or are historically controlled by Democrats, the Republican primary election in May often decides who wins the seat in the Gem State.

Who’s running to represent Idaho in Congress in the 2026 election? Incumbents face challengers.

Since 1992, Republicans have held a supermajority in both chambers of the Idaho Legislature. And only registered Republican voters can vote in Idaho’s closed GOP primary elections.

But this year is slated to have a few interesting primary elections — rematches between lawmakers who unseated an incumbent in the past, competitive races open after an incumbent stepped down from the Legislature or signaled they wouldn’t run for re-election, and other noteworthy challenges.

Here’s a list of key legislative primary election races to watch this year. Find the full list of candidates for all offices online in the Idaho Secretary of State Office’s candidate database. 

The deadline to declare candidacy for Idaho federal, statewide and legislative offices was 5 p.m. Friday. Candidates have until 5 p.m. March 6 to withdraw their candidacy, or to declare their intent to be a write-in candidate. 

First, candidates with a declared party will vie for the party’s bid in the May 19 primary election. Then, winners of the races will ultimately be determined in the November general election.

Rematches: Incumbents who lost in 2024 are trying to regain their offices

In North Idaho’s legislative District 1, Sen. Jim Woodward, a more moderate Republican from Sagle, is running for re-election — and again facing former state Sen. Scott Herndon, a farther right Republican, in the primary election.

Their 2024 primary rematch, which Woodward won, was one of the most expensive primaries in the state, with each candidate raising over $100,000, the Idaho Capital Sun reported.  

In East Idaho’s legislative District 30, first-term Republican Rep. Ben Fuhriman, from Shelley, is running for re-election, and again facing off against former state Rep. Julianne Young. In the 2024 primary election, Fuhriman narrowly defeated Young — by 4 votes, in what was Idaho’s closest legislative primary election last cycle. Young is a Republican from Blackfoot who was in her third term. 

In Canyon County’s legislative District 11, state Sen. Camille Blaylock, a first-term Republican, is running for re-election. Her primary challenger is her predecessor, former state Sen. Chris Trakel.

Four lawmakers resigned this term. Who’s running to fill their seats? 

Four Idaho lawmakers resigned from their seats during this two-year term. The primary races to fill their seats are mostly competitive. 

Idaho Falls Republican Rep. Wendy Horman resigned to work for the Trump administration. The race to fill her seat, in legislative District 32’s House Seat B, has drawn two GOP candidates: Rep. Erin Bingham, R-Idaho Falls, who the governor appointed to fill the vacant seat; and Brian McKellar. The two are set to face off in the May primary election. 

Lava Hot Springs Republican state Rep. Kevin Andrus also resigned to work for the Trump administration. The race to fill his seat, in legislative District 35’s House Seat A, has drawn two GOP candidates: Rep. Mike Veile, who the governor appointed to fill the vacant seat; and Chad Christensen, a further right Republican who served in the House from 2018 to 2022. 

In Twin Falls County’s Legislative District 25, Republican Lance Clow resigned from his seat. Rep. Don Hall, who the governor appointed to fill the vacancy in the district’s House Seat A, has not filed to run for the election. Four Republican candidates have filed for the seat: Andrew Messer, Grayson Stone, Josh Callen and Zaine Newberry. 

Eight-term Rep. John Vander Woude, a Meridian Republican who chairs the House Health and Welfare Committee, has not filed for re-election. The GOP primary to fill the seat in legislative District 22’s House Seat A has drawn two candidates: Kelly Walton and Greg Ferch. 

Ada County Democratic controlled district has three open seats

In Ada County’s legislative District 16, two of the three legislative seats — which were all won by Democrats in 2024 — are open without an incumbent running for re-election. 

Three-term Sen. Ali Rabe, a Boise Democrat, is not running for re-election. Rep. Soñia Galaviz, a House lawmaker from the same district, is running for the state Senate seat. She is set to face Justin “Justice” Mitson in the Democratic primary. Two Republicans filed for the same state Senate seat: Geoffrey Surbeck and LeeJoe Lay.

Galaviz’s House seat, in legislative District 16’s House Seat A, is now open. Two Democrats have filed for the race: Megan Woller and Jeffrey Watkins. 

Boise Democratic state Rep. Todd Achilles resigned to run as an independent for U.S. Sen. Jim Risch’s seat. But the Democratic primary race to fill his seat, in legislative District 16’s House Seat B, is not competitive. Rep. Annie Henderson Haws, a Boise Democrat, was appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy and is seeking election as a Democrat. Chandler Stewart Hadraba is running for the seat as the Republican candidate. 

Other competitive Idaho primary races to watch

In North Idaho’s legislative District 6, Viola Republican Sen. Dan Foreman is running for re-election. He is set to face state Rep. Lori McCann, a Republican state lawmaker who’s now running for the district’s Senate seat. 

McCann’s seat, in the district’s House Seat A, has competitive Democratic and Republican primaries. The three Republicans running are former Rep. Cindy Agidius, Colton Bennett and James Spencer. The three Democrats running are Bryce Blankenship, Trish Carter-Goodheart and Wayne Augusta. 

In southwest Idaho’s District 8, which spans four rural counties, Sen. Christy Zito is running for re-election. Her primary challengers are two former state lawmakers: former Rep. Megan Blanksma, who lost her seat in the House in 2024 after she was ousted from Republican legislative leadership; and former Rep. Terry Gestrin.

In East Idaho’s Legislative District 31, Rigby Republican Rep. Rod Furniss is running for a fifth term in the district’s House Seat B. He has one primary challenger: Former conservative state Rep. Karey Hanks. 

In East Idaho’s Legislative District 28, McCammon Republican Sen. Jim Guthrie is running for an eighth term. He is facing one primary challenger: David Worley, who unsuccessfully ran for Pocatello mayor. Two Democrats filed for the same state Senate seat: Mandy Peace and Rosann Mathews. 

Correction: This story was updated at 1 p.m. March 1, 2026, to reflect the accurate number of terms Ali Rabe has served in the Idaho Legislature. It’s three terms.