Idaho US Senate candidates weigh in on tariffs, Iran War, federal spending and more 

Three out of four candidates running to represent Idaho in the U.S. Senate discussed their differing approaches on tariffs, military actions, immigration, and more Wednesday night in Caldwell. The race’s incumbent, Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, declined to participate. 

Independents Todd Achilles and Natalie Fleming, and Libertarian Matt Loesby, spoke at the forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, Caldwell Chamber of Commerce and the local American Association of University Women at Caldwell City Hall. 

The three candidates differed in their proposals to address the federal budget deficit, reform immigration, and rein in military action abroad. 

Risch’s campaign manager Marc Kilmer told the Idaho Capital Sun in an email that Risch didn’t participate because, “It was organized by someone who has publicly endorsed our opponent, and therefore we felt it would not be an impartial debate.” 

Kilmer said the endorsement came from former Idaho Republican state Rep. Julie Yamamoto of Caldwell, but it wasn’t clear how she was connected to the organizers. He couldn’t immediately be reached to clarify. 

League of Women Voters of Idaho President Jean Henscheid told the Sun she didn’t know of any organizers that endorsed a candidate in the race. 

To watch the entire forum, visit the City of Caldwell Youtube page. 

How would the candidates address the high cost of living and tariffs? 

All of the candidates agreed that the existing 50% tariff on a range of Canadian goods, should be rolled back and implemented more strategically. 

Achilles argued that Congress needed to “take back control” of tariff policy from the White House, and manage them in a “more strategic way” to protect domestic industries. 

“Congress needs to stand up and be an independent branch of government, and execute their constitutional duties, which is to be in control of tariffs,” he said. 

Loesby argued that tariffs were a small part of the problem when it came to addressing high costs of living for Americans. He agreed that the existing high tariffs should be rolled back and the taxes on imported products should be used to address trade imbalances with China. 

To address cost of living challenges, he said the U.S. needed to “end all these horrific foreign wars,” and “deport the millions of people who should not be in our country” to address housing costs. 

Fleming called the trade war with Canada, who imposed retaliatory tariffs against the U.S., “mind-boggling,” and said the import taxes should be rolled back. To address the high cost of living, she argued that the immigration systems should be reformed so immigrant workers can more easily work in the U.S. legally. 

“We all know that we have some wonderful immigrants who are building our homes and are providing food for us,” Fleming said. “And so we need to streamline the immigration process for them.” 

Candidates agreed Congress needed to intervene in foreign conflicts, such Iran War

Fleming criticized the U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for “embracing conflict and violence.” She cited American military support for Israel against Iran and Palestine.  

“We have become the aggressors overseas,” Fleming said. “So it is Congress’s role to stop this, and they’re just kind of a lame duck Congress not doing anything to stop any of this.” 

Achilles, who served overseas in the military, also criticized Hegseth as well as Risch, who is chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

“He’s held zero hearings on Venezuela, zero hearings on the illegal destruction of boats in the Caribbean, and zero hearings on the Iran War,” Achilles said.

Loesby said the U.S. should defund all U.S. military bases abroad and call back American military members. 

“Congress needs to say, all right, if you want to keep sending our troops to die overseas for foreign governments, you’re not getting any money,” Loesby said, “and in fact, we need to impeach the president and remove him for treason for sending American troops to die for other countries.” 

How would the candidates address the nation’s growing federal debt? 

The federal government’s debt in 2025 reached $37.64 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury. 

Loesby proposed eliminating the government safety net programs Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security to reduce spending and address the debt, as well as ending overseas wars. 

“We have a spending problem, and it will not be addressed by just reducing things around to the edges,” Loesby said. “It will not be addressed by finding some fraud. It will only be addressed by aggressively cutting the government-run charity schemes that have replaced the actual generosity of the American people.” 

Fleming cited a study by the think tank, the Cato Institute, that found immigrants’ tax input into the economy have “reduced deficits by $14.5 trillion” since 1994.  

She argued that streamlining legal immigration processes would allow more people to “work legally and fully participate in the economy,” and would help boost the revenue and balance the federal budget. To cut spending, she said, “I think we should cut back spending on paying AIs to calculate which schools to bomb in Iran.” 

Achilles argued that Congress should reject a proposed $500 billion increase to the Department of Defense budget, and to increase federal revenue by closing tax loopholes for corporations and high-earning individuals. 

“We’ve got a tax system that’s nothing but a bunch of it’s a Swiss cheese of loopholes and carveouts,” Achilles said. 

What are the candidates’ paths to victory in ruby red Idaho?

After the Democrat David Roth officially withdrew from the race earlier this month, the remaining challengers to Risch are not members of the two major parties in the U.S. 

Republicans in Idaho haven’t lost a U.S. Senate race in the state since 1974. 

Achilles said his campaign has “the best shot in 50 years” of beating the incumbent Republican. He said Idahoans are frustrated with Congress’s inaction against a “rigged economy that’s not working for them.” 

“They want change,” he said. “Now, what’s clear is that neither political party is delivering any of that change that Idahoans are looking for.” 

Fleming said that as she’s been talking to Idahoans, and they “are very stressed, and they are doing their homework.” 

“I really believe in the people of Idaho,” Fleming said. “That they’re taking their time to look people up, and to do their research. And that’s what I’m counting on.” 

Loesby said he believes Risch will win his reelection, but that he thought people should vote for him as a way to “send a message to the Republican Party,” for prioritizing foreign conflicts and “spending trillions of our dollars on ridiculous projects.” 

“These are things that need to be punished, so that’s why you shouldn’t vote for Republicans,” Loesby said. “But also, all of us on this stage should be realistic about what our odds actually are.”