Round 2: Idaho’s general election is set. Here are November’s contenders.
May 28, 2026 | 2:49 pm ET
Description
Voters cast their ballots for the May 19, 2026, primary election at Fox Hollow Elementary School in Idaho Falls. (Photo by Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)
This story was originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on May 28, 2026.
With the 2026 primary election in the rearview, it’s time to look ahead to the November general election. All 105 state legislator and seven constitutional officer races are up for grabs this year. Eleven of those legislators, however, will not have a contested election in November and will cruise to another term. On the other side of the spectrum, the Legislature is guaranteed to have at least 16 new faces due to the lack of an incumbent on the ballot. Here’s a breakdown of the legislative candidates, by party:
- 102 Republicans
- 90 Democrats
- 8 independent
- 2 Constitution
- 1 Libertarian
All seven statewide officers will face challengers in November. They are all Republicans, and it has been years since a Democrat was elected to a statewide office. Gov. Brad Little will have four opponents, one from each party. State superintendent Debbie Critchfield will face Democrat Becky Sundin Mitchell and Constitution Party candidate Teresa Roundy.
After polls closed last Tuesday, the Idaho Secretary of State’s website launched a fresh countdown clock. The general election is 158 days away as of May 28.
Here is the full list of candidates running in all 105 legislative races and in seven statewide races. Find your legislative district here.
| District | Seat | Candidates |
| 1 | Senate | Scott Herndon (Republican) Steve Johnson (Independent) |
| House A | Jane Sauter (Republican) Karen Matthee (Democrat) | |
| House B | Cornel Rasor (Republican) Kathryn Larson (Independent) | |
| 2 | Senate | Phil Hart (Republican) Valerie Wade (Democrat) |
| House A | Heather Scott (Republican) Birgid Niedenzu (Democrat) | |
| House B | Dale Hawkins (Republican) Sabine Krier (Democrat) | |
| 3 | Senate | Doug “Doug O” Okuniewicz (Republican) Brian Seguin (Democrat) |
| House A | Vito Barbieri (Republican) Melissa Mateer (Democrat) | |
| House B | Jordan Redman (Republican) | |
| 4 | Senate | Ben Toews (Republican) Carissa Brewer (Democrat) |
| House A | Joe Alfieri (Republican) Maxwell McSwain (Democrat) | |
| House B | Elaine Price (Republican) Aaron Hayes (Democrat) | |
| 5 | Senate | Carl J. Bjerke (Republican) Adam Chapman (Democrat) |
| House A | Ron Mendive (Republican) Mirna Pleines (Democrat) | |
| House B | Tony Wisniewski (Republican) Lee Wallace (Democrat) | |
| 6 | Senate | Dan Foreman (Republican) Robin Weldy (Democrat) |
| House A | Colton Bennett (Republican) Trish Carter-Goodheart (Democrat) | |
| House B | Brandon Mitchell (Republican) Kathy Dawes (Democrat) | |
| 7 | Senate | Cindy Carlson (Republican) Patrice Yeatter (Democrat) |
| House A | Kyle Harris (Republican) Larry Nostrant (Democrat) | |
| House B | Charlie Shepherd (Republican) Pete Gertonson (Democrat) | |
| 8 | Senate | Christy Zito (Republican) John H. Garrett (Democrat) |
| House A | Rob Beiswenger (Republican) Heather S. Lewis (Independent) | |
| House B | Brian Beckley (Republican) Jared Dawson (Democrat) | |
| 9 | Senate | Brandon Shippy (Republican) Janice Martell (Democrat) |
| House A | John C. Shirts (Republican) | |
| House B | Judy Boyle (Republican) Lupita Connor (Democrat) | |
| 10 | Senate | Tammy Nichols (Republican) Nancy M. Parker (Democrat) |
| House A | Mike Moyle (Republican) Michael Hofferber (Democrat) | |
| House B | Bruce D. Skaug (Republican) Beth Ann McFalls (Democrat) | |
| 11 | Senate | Camille Blaylock (Republican) Susan Counsil (Democrat) Ester Ma (Constitution) |
| House A | Kent Marmon (Republican) | |
| House B | Debbie Geyer (Republican) Joshua Preminger (Democrat) | |
| 12 | Senate | Ben Adams (Republican) Krystal Flippence (Democrat) |
| House A | Jeff Cornilles (Republican) Sterling Barnett (Democrat) | |
| House B | Jaron Crane (Republican) Curtis James (Democrat) | |
| 13 | Senate | Brian Lenney (Republican) Letishia Silva (Democrat) |
| House A | Brent J. Crane (Republican) Cliff Hohman (Democrat) | |
| House B | Steven Tanner (Republican) Cody Gorman (Democrat) | |
| 14 | Senate | C. Scott Grow (Republican) Kirsten Faith Richardson (Constitution) |
| House A | Ted Hill (Republican) Jo Daly (Democrat) | |
| House B | Josh Tanner (Republican) Valerie Ruxton (Democrat) | |
| 15 | Senate | Desi Burbank (Republican) Nancy Gregory (Democrat) |
| House A | Steve Berch (Democrat) Steve Keyser (Republican) | |
| House B | Dori Healey (Republican) Jae Etchart (Democrat) | |
| 16 | Senate | Soñia Galaviz (Democrat) Geoffrey Surbeck (Republican) |
| House A | Megan Woller (Democrat) Jackie Davidson (Republican) | |
| House B | Annie Haws (Democrat) Chandler Stewart Hadraba (Republican) | |
| 17 | Senate | Carrie Semmelroth (Democrat) Benjamin Chafetz (Republican) |
| House A | John Gannon (Democrat) James R. Nechwedowich (Republican) | |
| House B | Megan Egbert (Democrat) Justin Alexander Peter Hughes (Republican) | |
| 18 | Senate | Janie Ward-Engelking (Democrat) |
| House A | Ilana Rubel (Democrat) | |
| House B | Brooke Green (Democrat) Joseph Bishop (Libertarian) | |
| 19 | Senate | Melissa Wintrow (Democrat) Melissa J. Christian (Republican) |
| House A | Monica C. Church (Democrat) Bryan Hopkins (Republican) | |
| House B | Chris Mathias (Democrat) Stanley Roach (Republican) | |
| 20 | Senate | Josh Keyser (Republican) Pamela Renee Wilson (Democrat) |
| House A | Joe A. Palmer (Republican) Jennifer Stephens (Democrat) | |
| House B | James D. Holtzclaw (Republican) Mary A. Mosley (Democrat) | |
| 21 | Senate | Treg A. Bernt (Republican) Brenda H. Quick (Democrat) |
| House A | James Petzke (Republican) Camille Allan (Democrat) | |
| House B | Jeff Ehlers (Republican) Casey Hess (Democrat) | |
| 22 | Senate | Lori Den Hartog (Republican) Karlie Easley (Democrat) |
| House A | Kelly Walton (Republican) Loren Petty (Democrat) | |
| House B | Jason A. Monks (Republican) Amanda Easley (Democrat) | |
| 23 | Senate | Todd Lakey (Republican) Paul Morgan (Democrat) |
| House A | Chris Bruce (Republican) Emily Fisher (Democrat) Paul M. Smith (Constitution) | |
| House B | Shawn R. Dygert (Republican) Joe Fuller (Democrat) | |
| 24 | Senate | Brent D. Reinke (Republican) Mary Jo Durfee (Democrat) Anna Germana Scholes (Independent) |
| House A | Clint Hostetler (Republican) Kevin Moxley (Independent) | |
| House B | Chance Requa (Republican) Enrique Salas Viernes (Democrat) | |
| 25 | Senate | Casey Swensen (Republican) W. Lane Startin (Democrat) |
| House A | Grayson Stone (Republican) Marla Palmer (Democrat) | |
| House B | Cherie Vollmer (Republican) Liyah Babayan (Independent) | |
| 26 | Senate | Ron Taylor (Democrat) Bryan Hyde (Republican) Shaila Tate (Independent) |
| House A | Mike Pohanka (Republican) Anita Janis (Democrat) Bella Schiffler (Independent) | |
| House B | Lyle Johnstone (Republican) Kevin Marsh (Democrat) | |
| 27 | Senate | Kelly Arthur Anthon (Republican) Margo Saunders (Democrat) |
| House A | Douglas T. Pickett (Republican) | |
| House B | Clay Handy (Republican) | |
| 28 | Senate | Jim Guthrie (Republican) Mandy Peace (Democrat) |
| House A | Richard “Rick” Cheatum (Republican) Kim Jackman (Democrat) | |
| House B | Dan Garner (Republican) Jayson Meline (Democrat) | |
| 29 | Senate | James D. Ruchti (Democrat) John Crowder (Republican) |
| House A | Dustin W. Manwaring (Republican) Mary Shea (Democrat) | |
| House B | Jennifer Miles (Republican) Nate Roberts (Democrat) | |
| 30 | Senate | Julie VanOrden (Republican) Joni Lin Sorensen (Democrat) |
| House A | David Cannon (Republican) | |
| House B | Ben G. Fuhriman (Republican) Bree Buckingham (Democrat) | |
| 31 | Senate | Van T. Burtenshaw (Republican) Kevin Gerrard (Democrat) |
| House A | Jerald Dallas Raymond (Republican) Kindsey Smith (Democrat) | |
| House B | Rod Furniss (Republican) Wendy Norman (Democrat) | |
| 32 | Senate | Kevin J. Cook (Republican) Konnor Whitfield (Democrat) |
| House A | Stephanie Mickelsen (Republican) | |
| House B | Erin Bingham (Republican) Kamber Weninger (Democrat) | |
| 33 | Senate | Dave Lent (Republican) Jan Brown (Democrat) |
| House A | Barbara Ehardt (Republican) Chance Marshall (Democrat) | |
| House B | Marco Erickson (Republican) Todd DeVries (Democrat) | |
| 34 | Senate | Doug Ricks (Republican) Ethan Sanford (Democrat) |
| House A | Jon O. Weber (Republican) | |
| House B | Britt Raybould (Republican) | |
| 35 | Senate | Mark Harris (Republican) Marty Rotz Kilhefner (Democrat) |
| House A | Mike Veile (Republican) Walter Boyd (Democrat) | |
| House B | Joshua D. Wheeler (Republican) Mary Kaufman (Democrat) |
Statewide races
| Office | Candidates |
| Governor | Brad Little (Republican) Terri Pickens (Democrat) John R. Stegner (Independent) Paul Sand (Libertarian) Pro-Life (Constitution) |
| Lieutenant Governor | Scott Bedke (Republican) Eric Myricks (Democrat) |
| Superintendent of Public Instruction | Debbie Critchfield (Republican) Becky Sundin Mitchell (Democrat) Teresa Roundy (Constitution) |
| Attorney General | Raul R. Labrador (Republican) Lori Hickman (Democrat) |
| Secretary of State | Phil McGrane (Republican) Shawn Keenan (Democrat) |
| Controller | Brandon D. Woolf (Republican) Rakesh Mohan (Democrat) |
| Treasurer | Julie A. Ellsworth (Republican) Kevin A. Jones (Democrat) |
Key: Incumbents in bold, Republicans in red, Democrats in blue, Libertarians in yellow, Constitutionalists in purple and unaffiliated candidates in green.
Boise, ID
