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

All members of Idaho’s congressional delegation who are up for re-election are running, and they are facing primary election challengers.

This year, three of Idaho’s four congressional seats are up for election — one seat in the U.S. Senate and both of its seats in the U.S. House. 

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.

But in Idaho, Republican primary elections often decide major elections. Idaho voters last elected a Democrat to statewide office in 2002. Since 1992, Republicans have held a supermajority in both chambers of the Idaho Legislature. Only registered Republican voters can vote in Idaho’s closed GOP primary elections. 

Here’s a look at who’s running to represent Idaho in Congress. 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’s 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. 

U.S. Sen Jim Risch faces three Republican challengers

U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, 82, is running for a fourth six-year term. The Republican was first elected to the seat in 2008 and now chairs the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 

He faces three Republican challengers in the May primary election: Denny LaVe, Joe Evans, and Josh Roy. 

Three candidates – David Roth, Brad Moore and Nickolas 007 Bonds — are running as Democrats. Roth has previously unsuccessfully run for an Idaho congressional seat. 

Two candidates have filed independent bids for U.S. Senate: Natalie M. Fleming and Todd Achilles, who resigned in June 2025 from a state House of Representatives seat as a Democrat to challenge Risch. 

Matt Loesby is the sole Libertarian Party candidate. 

In announcing his re-election bid in an April 2025 post on X, Risch touted an endorsement from U.S. President Donald Trump. 

U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, a Republican serving his fifth term, is not yet up for re-election. His six-year term began in 2023. 

U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher faces two Republican challengers

U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher, 63, is running for a fifth two-year term. The Republican has represented Idaho’s 1st Congressional District since 2019.

He faces two Republican challengers in the May primary election: Joseph P. Morrison and Andy Briner. 

Two candidates have filed Democratic bids for the U.S. House seat: Kenneth Brungardt and Kaylee Peterson, who unsuccessfully challenged Fulcher in 2022 and 2024. Sarah Zabel is running as the sole independent candidate. Brendan J. Gomez is the sole Constitution Party candidate.

Idaho’s 1st Congressional District — home to roughly 1 million people — splits Ada County, includes some of Boise and spans the state’s western border through the Idaho panhandle in the north.

Since 2000, only one Democrat has been elected to represent the district, for one term. Fulcher did not face a Republican challenger in the 2024 primary election. 

U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson faces two Republican challengers

U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, 75, is running for a 15th two-year term. The Republican has represented Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District since 1999 and chairs the House Interior and Environment Subcommittee on Appropriations.

He faces two Republican challengers: Brian Keene and Perry Shumway.

Ellie Gilbreath and Julie Wiley are running as Democratic candidates. Emre Houser and Tripp Charles Hutchinson are running as independent candidates. 

Will Johanson is running as the sole Libertarian candidate. The sole Constitution Party candidate is C. Sierra – ID Law – Idaho Lorax.

Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District — home to almost 1 million people — splits Ada County, includes most of Boise, and spans central and eastern Idaho. 

Simpson has widely won re-election bids.