BALLOT BEAT

Ten candidates have withdrawn from legislative races as of Tuesday morning. EdNews will update this story as more candidates drop out.

Here’s the list of dropouts so far:

• Republican James Spencer, District 6 House Seat A
• Democrat Marissa Wilson, District 11 House Seat A
• Democrat Ariel Olvera, District 14 Senate
• Republican Matt Stallsmith, District 14 House Seat A
• Republican Rep. Codi Galloway, District 15 Senate
• Republican Gary Alfred Butts, District 15 Senate
• Republican Gina Johnson, District 21 House Seat A
• Democrat Brian Stroops, District 23 House Seat B
• Democrat Rosann Mathews, District 28 Senate
• Republican Jeff Thompson, District 33 House Seat B

The withdrawals mean five fewer primary elections in May. There will now be 45 Republican primaries and five Democratic primaries. These incumbents and challengers will no longer have a primary:

• Rep. Ted Hill, R-Eagle, District 14 House Seat A
• Desi Burbank, Republican, District 15 Senate
• Rep. James Petzke, R-Meridian, District 21 House Seat A
• Joe Fuller, Democrat, District 23 House Seat B
• Mandy Peace, Democrat, District 28 Senate

UPDATED: 2:15 p.m. Friday, March 6, with a third withdrawal, Democrat Rosann Mathews

Updated: 3:15 p.m. Friday, March 6, with a fourth withdrawal, Republican James Spencer

The field of legislative candidates has narrowed from 272 at the end of last week to 266 on Friday afternoon.

Democrat Brian Stroops, who filed to run for District 23 House Seat B, withdrew his candidacy Thursday. His departure means Democrat Joe Fuller will not face a primary election and will run against incumbent Rep. Shawn Dygert, R-Melba, in November.

Former Republican Rep. Jeff Thompson also withdrew his candidacy on Thursday. The Idaho Falls resident filed to run on Feb. 27 in District 33 House Seat B.

The Idaho Statesman reported Friday that Thompson also filed to run as a representative in the Kentucky General Assembly.

Kentucky’s elections website shows Thompson declared on Jan. 7 but withdrew that filing Wednesday, one day before he ended his Idaho run.

His campaign email handle — “jeff4legislator” — is vague enough to be used in both states.

Voters in District 33B will still have a Republican primary. Republican Jilene Burger faces Rep. Marco Erickson, R-Idaho Falls, in May. The winner will run against Democrat Todd DeVries in November.

On Friday, another candidate dropped out. Democrat Rosann Mathews filed last week to run for Senate in District 28. Her withdrawal on Friday eliminates another Democratic primary. Democrat Mandy Peace will run in November against the winner of a two-way Republican primary pitting Sen. Jim Guthrie, R-McCammon, against challenger David Worley.

Shortly after Mathews withdrew, Republican James Spencer exited his race. He was planning on running in District 6 House Seat A for Lewiston Republican Rep. Lori McCann’s seat. McCann is running for Senate, leaving her seat vacant. Republicans Colton Bennett and Cindy Agidius will run in the May primary, without Spencer.

Sen. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, and Republican Gary Alfred Butts, withdrew earlier this week, as we reported on Tuesday.

The six withdrawals this week narrowed the field and reduced the number of primaries in May. There will be five Democratic primaries and 48 Republican primaries.

More Democrats filed to run for office in Idaho last week than at any point in recent history.

One hundred Democrats out of 272 candidates filed for the Legislature and 10 out of 29 filed for statewide offices. Party leaders are touting their organizing and recruiting efforts, while also noting an increased interest in public office as the Republican supermajority in the Legislature votes on budget cuts.

“We pounded the pavement and talked to people,” Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea told EdNews on Monday. “Sometimes people have to be asked, and sometimes people raise their hand and say, ‘I want to run.'”

Ada County Democrats say they have a candidate running in every legislative race in the county for the “first time in modern history.”

“This is a direct response to the extremism coming out of the Statehouse,” Ada County Democrats Chairman Jared DeLoof stated in a Friday news release.

More than twice as many Democrats are running for the Legislature this year compared with four years ago — and there are more primaries for these candidates.

• 2026: 100 Democrats, seven contested primaries
• 2024: 87 Democrats, four contested primaries
• 2022: 46 Democrats, no contested primaries

“We’re just thrilled with the outpouring of interest in running at a critical moment in Idaho’s history,” Necochea said.

The state party stays neutral in primaries, she said, and voters will decide whose message resonates the most.

View the full list of candidates here.

There will be three Democratic primaries in District 6 and two in District 16:

District 6

• Senate
  • Richard Gayler vs. Robin Weldy
• House A
  • Trish Carter-Goodheart vs. Bryce Blankenship vs. Ryan Wayne Augusta
• House B
  • Kathy Dawes vs. Kenneth Williams

District 16

• Senate
  • Soñia Galaviz vs. Justin “Justice” Mitson
• House A
  • Megan Woller vs. Jeffrey Watkins

General Election

Necochea said she thinks Democrats can flip seats in District 15 and 29 this year.

In District 15, Sen. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, in 2024 beat incumbent Democrat Rick Just by a 3.6% margin. Galloway on Monday withdrew her re-election campaign. Democrat Nancy Gregory, a 24-year Boise school trustee, is running for the seat. She will face Republican Desi Burbank in November.

In District 29, Rep. Tanya Burgoyne, R-Pocatello, in 2024 beat incumbent Democrat Nate Roberts by a 5.2% margin. Roberts is running again this year, but first Burgoyne will face Republican Jennifer Miles in the primary.

“With people excited to run all across the state, we’re going to be narrowing the margins where Republicans have strongholds, and potentially flipping some seats and some surprising places,” Necochea said.

Republican Sen. Codi Galloway on Monday withdrew her 2026 election filing in District 15, according to information on VoteIdaho.gov.

She confirmed to EdNews on Tuesday that she has withdrawn.

“Serving in both the House and the Senate has been an honor,” Galloway wrote in an email. “I love Idaho and representing Idaho families. After six years of being involved in both the House and Senate, I’ve done some good and am ready to pass the baton on to the next public servant.”

Democrat Nancy Gregory, a 24-year Boise school trustee, is running for the seat.

District 15 is a swing district with one Democrat and two Republican incumbents.

Another Republican also dropped out of the race. Challenger Gary Alfred Butts filed on Wednesday but withdrew his candidacy on Friday, according to VoteIdaho.gov.

That leaves two candidates.

Gregory will face Republican Desi Burbank in November. There will be no contested primary elections for the Senate seat.

Burbank does not appear to have a campaign website or election history in Idaho.

In an October interview with EdNews, Gregory said west Boise voters are looking for a different voice.

“Public schools are working very hard to do a good job for their communities,” she said. “The Legislature seems to be more intent on making that more difficult than more reliable and steady and supported.”

Gov. Brad Little’s campaign on Thursday hired the co-campaign manager and senior advisor for Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential run.

Chris LaCivita will serve as senior advisor for Little’s re-election bid, according to a news release. A longtime political consultant from Virginia, LaCivita played a role in the 2004 “swift boat” campaign to discredit Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

LaCivita will be a “huge asset” to the campaign, Little stated in the news release.

“His insight and ability to deliver winning messages and tactics are unparalleled,” Little stated. “I am glad to have him on the team.”

The announcement comes two days after Little filed to run for a third term, making it clear where he will spend some of his $1.43 million in contributions.

According to news reports, LaCivita ran a 2020 super PAC to support Trump’s second presidential run before officially joining Trump’s 2024 campaign.

Twenty years before that, LaCivita helped orchestrate an attack campaign that Kerry never recovered from. Swift Boat Veterans for Truth in 2004 released a political ad featuring Vietnam veterans who claimed Kerry lied about his military service. The term “swiftboating” is now a part of the political lexicon to describe dishonest political attacks.

As of Thursday morning, six Republican challengers, two Democrats and two Libertarians have filed to run for governor against Little. View the full list here. The filing window closes at 5 p.m. Friday.

None of the challengers come close to competing with Little’s massive fundraising advantage. Democrat Terri Pickens has raised $68,251 and Republican Mark Fitzpatrick has raised $27,136.

The primary election is May 19.

Gov. Brad Little on Tuesday announced he is running for a third term.

His announcement has been anticipated for months, as his campaign has raised $1.43 million for the 2026 election cycle.

“We delivered historic tax relief and made record investments in schools, public safety, and infrastructure to protect our exceptional quality of life. And we’re not slowing down — Idaho will continue leading the nation in cutting red tape and expanding freedom,” Little stated in a news release.

He will appear on the ballot for the May 19 primary along with at least three other Republicans: Mark Fitzpatrick, Justin Plante and Sean Calvert Crystal.

Candidates must file before 5 p.m. Friday. Click here to view our full list of candidates, with daily updates this week.

Little will formally kick off his campaign at the end of the legislative session.

Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, announced he will not seek re-election.

Nelsen is a House Education Committee member, former teacher and former board member for the College of Southern Idaho.

“Education is what makes America,” Nelsen told EdNews on Friday afternoon.

He previously served 20 years as a planning and zoning commissioner in Jerome County, was chair of the Jerome County Republicans and president of the Jerome Rotary Club. A conference room is named after him at the Jerome County Courthouse. He was elected to the Idaho Legislature in 2022 and won re-election in 2024. He represents District 26 House Seat B for Jerome, Lincoln and Blaine counties.

Nelsen has faced criticism from his own party. He voted against House Bill 93 last year, which created the $50 million Parental Choice Tax Credit. He supports the separation of church and state and opposes sending tax dollars to private schools, he said Friday.

For that vote and several others, the far-right Magic Valley Liberty Alliance named Nelsen the 2025 “RINO of the Year,” meaning Republican In Name Only. Republican central committees in Lincoln and Blaine counties censured Nelsen last year for voting against the Republican party platform.

He said Friday that he ran for the Legislature to represent his constituents, not to follow the party platform or seek high ratings from political groups.

“I take issue with the Republican platform that says no job training after high school,” he said. “I think for our state’s economy and individually — for each of our citizens — job training is one of the most important things.”

Nelsen, 70, said he won’t seek re-election for personal reasons.

“It’s possible if I ran again, I might have to hire a marriage counselor,” Nelsen said. “I have a severe fishing habit, and I’ve got some grandkids in Kansas. So it’s not political at all. It’s absolutely a personal decision.”

Nelsen made the announcement days before the filing period opens for the 2026 election cycle. Candidates can file to run next week, Feb. 23-27.

He thanked his family and constituents for supporting him over the years.

“I’d like to thank my family and my lovely wife for supporting me,” Nelsen said. “When you make a decision to get into politics, it’s something that your family has to be part of too.”

District 26 is a swing district. Four individuals have named campaign treasurers for the seat:

• Republican Lyle Johnstone
• Republican Jeffrey Emerick
• Democrat Kevin Marsh
• Democrat Anita Janis

After an election year where Idahoans shot down every school bond measure, Kimberly School District is mulling a multi-million dollar ask to build a fine arts center and field house.

Trustees on Thursday night agreed to schedule a special meeting on March 3 to vote on resolutions to place a $500,000 plant facility levy and $57.8 million bond on the May 19 ballot. Districts have until March 13 to submit ballot language for bonds and levies to qualify for the May election.

Kimberly, a small town about five miles east of Twin Falls, is one of the fastest growing cities in Idaho. But Superintendent Luke Schroeder told EdNews on Friday that not many families with young children are moving in.

The city is instead attracting empty nesters and professionals, such as doctors, bankers, accountants, business owners and entrepreneurs, he said. Some move in from out of state and work remotely.

“They’re discovering, ‘Hey, the reputation is Kimberly’s a nice place to live,’” Schroeder said. “And so we’re very sought after.”

While these folks might not have school-aged kids, Schroeder said the community as a whole would benefit from new facilities.

The bond would not pay for a new school but would build a fine arts center for student performances and a field house with community recreational space where the public can come by in the mornings or evenings to play pick-up basketball, pickleball or walk on the track.

“I think it would be very well utilized,” Schroeder said.

The fine arts center would include an auditorium for drama and musical performances, he said. The space would include dedicated band rooms, choir rooms and musical theatre rooms.

Historically, the district has been forced to use bonds to build classrooms. Schroeder said he sees this bond as an opportunity to instead focus on enhancing programs.

“This is a great opportunity for us as a community to make our community even better than it is,” he said.

Trustees are weighing the financial impacts of 20-year and 30-year measures. The district will share details surrounding those impacts on property owners at a future meeting.

Kimberly voters last approved a bond in May 2016. The $14 million, 20-year bond narrowly passed with 67.56%. Bond measures in Idaho require a supermajority, or 66.6%.

We’ll know by the end of next week who is running for the 105 seats in the Legislature and seven statewide offices.

The filing period is open from 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 23, to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27. In a new change this year, candidates can file online at VoteIdaho.gov. There’s no need to travel to Boise. Filings will show up in real time throughout the week on the site’s candidate filing page.

“Every computer in this building will be clicking refresh on that list, so if you see them distracted in a committee hearing, now you know why,” Secretary of State Phil McGrane said Monday at the Capitol.

EdNews will provide daily filing updates on our Elections page.

Meanwhile, we’ve tracked everyone who has declared a campaign treasurer and has an active account in Idaho Sunshine for the 2026 elections. Prospective candidates must file a form with McGrane’s office to declare a treasurer before they can accept contributions.

After removing duplicate names and folks who said they won’t run, there are 194 Idahoans with declared campaign treasurers for the Legislature: 139 Republicans, 47 Democrats, six unaffiliated and two Constitution Party members.

Based on who has a treasurer, there could be at least 33 Republican and five Democratic primary races. There are six districts with no apparent challengers. Only the incumbents have declared campaign treasurers in districts 2, 5, 10, 12, 19 and 27.

On the other end of the spectrum, five districts have more than seven individuals with campaign treasurers: 1, 6, 8, 16 and 26.

Click here for our spreadsheet of everyone who has declared a campaign treasurer, excluding duplicate names and folks who said they aren’t running.

The primary election is May 19 and the general election is Nov. 3. The following information and data are preliminary and unofficial, based on those who declared a treasurer, to let readers preview filing week.

Swing districts

Savvy election watchers have their eyes on four key swing districts. Here’s what to expect, based on who has declared a treasurer:

District 6 (Latah, Nez Perce, Lewis counties)

District 6 has 11 individuals with campaign treasurers, the most in the state. There are four potential primary races. Three Republicans represent District 6. Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, announced she is running for Senate, leaving her seat open. Former Sen. David Nelsen was the last Democrat to hold office in District 6. He lost the 2022 general election to Sen. Dan Foreman by a 2.1-point margin.

• Senate – Republican and Democratic primaries
  • Republicans
    • Incumbent Dan Foreman
    • Lori McCann (Incumbent representative running for Senate)
    • Robert Blair
  • Democrats
    • Richard Gayler
    • Robin Weldy
• House Seat A – Republican and Democratic primaries
  • Republicans
    • Colton Bennett
    • Ryan Augusta
  • Democrats
    • Trish Carter-Goodheart
    • Bryce Blankenship

District 15 (West Boise)

The district is one of three with mixed-party representation. There are two Republicans and one Democrat in office. As things stand, there might not be any primaries here. One Republican and one Democrat have declared campaign treasurers for each race. Long-time Boise School District trustee Nancy Gregory, a Democrat, is challenging Republican Sen. Codi Galloway, R-Boise. 

District 26 (Blaine, Lincoln, Jerome counties)

This is another mixed-representation district, with two Republicans and one Democrat. There might be just one primary here. Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, will likely face Magic Valley Liberty Alliance candidate Lyle Johnstone and Sun Valley resident Jeffrey Emerick. Two independent candidates might complicate the November general election.

District 29 (Pocatello)

Like districts 6 and 15, there are two Republicans and one Democrat. Sen. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, ran unopposed in the 2024 general election. This time, Republican John Crowder has raised $14,837 for the Senate seat. Rep. Tanya Burgoyne, R-Pocatello, will likely face a rematch against Democrat Nate Roberts, who has announced his plan to run. Burgoyne won in the 2024 general by 5.2-point margin.

Top legislative fundraisers

1. Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise: $140,859.
2. Rep. John Shirts, R-Weiser: $77,530.
3. Sen. Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert: $72,022.
4. Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle: $57,600.
5. Rep. Mike Moyle, R-Star: $56,300.
6. Sen. Treg Bernt, R-Meridian: $54,411.
7. Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise: $44,816.
8. Rep. Jason Monks, R-Meridian: $44,100.
9. Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian: $43,700.
10. Sen. Camille Blaylock, R-Caldwell: $42,010.

Statewide races

Don’t get too excited about the seven statewide races this year.

Based on who has declared a campaign treasurer, the race for governor may be the only office that has primary challengers. No Republicans have stepped up yet to challenge the attorney general, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, controller, treasurer or superintendent of public instruction.

Here’s what to expect in the race for governor, in order of campaign contributions:

Republican primary

• Gov. Brad Little: $1.43 million
• Mark Fitzpatrick: $19,500
• Justin Plante: $1,432
• Scott Hert: $0
• Jill Kirkham: $0 (This is not the College of Eastern Idaho professor with the same name)
• Lisa Marie: $0

Democratic primary

• Terri Pickens: $68,251
• Maxine Durand: $3,283 (She filed as an independent but has announced she plans to run as a Democrat)
• Chanelle Torrez: $0

Third party and unaffiliated

• Pro-Life Pro-Life, Constitution Party: $0 (Note: He is the person formerly known as Marvin Richardson)
• Melissa Robinson, Libertarian Party: $0
• John Stegner, unaffiliated: $9,000
• Tanner Basye, unaffiliated, Idaho Pirate Party: $0

Republican Branden Durst says he no longer plans to run for Idaho Senate in District 11.

Durst is a former Idaho lawmaker and superintendent of West Bonner School District. He founded Brabeion Academy, a charter school expected to open this fall in Nampa. West Bonner recently paid Durst $67,000 to settle a lawsuit he filed in 2024 after trustees terminated his contract.

In a Facebook post Monday, Durst wrote that he “decided to realign” his focus and step away from the Senate race. He announced in October that he planned to run against Sen. Camille Blaylock, R-Caldwell.

He wrote that he is busy opening his charter school and realized that “many in the Senate are more interested in maintaining the status quo than in the structural changes needed to save our Republic.”

“I am not quitting,” Durst wrote. “I have never been a quitter and I don’t intend to start now. I am a fighter, and I will always be in the arena fighting for a Christian populist worldview.”

Durst encouraged former Sen. Chris Trakel to “take up the challenge.” Trakel was elected to the Senate in District 11 in 2022 but lost the primary election to Blaylock in 2024. The former senator has an active account in Idaho Sunshine for the 2026 election, but races won’t officially be set until Idaho’s Feb. 23-27 filing period ends.

Blaylock’s campaign raised $42,010 as of Tuesday.

Check our Ballot Beat blog for breaking news and updates on this year’s elections.