Rep. Lori McCann announced Saturday that she is running for Idaho Senate, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News reported.
McCann, a Republican from Lewiston, describes herself as a lifelong educator and advocate for Idaho’s students, according to her Senate campaign website. She has represented District 6 House Seat A in Latah, Nez Perce and Lewiston counties since 2021 and now seeks to serve as the district’s senator.
McCann is a former vice chair of the House Education Committee. She is a strong supporter of the Idaho Launch grant program and an opponent of House Bill 93, which created a $50 million private school tax credit program.
In a December interview with EdNews, McCann said she is a “rule of law person” and believes Idaho’s first responsibility is public education.
“For me, who voted against House Bill 93, it isn’t about supporting school choice because I have always been an advocate for school choice and for home schooling, but not about public dollars going to private school,” McCann said in December.
McCann will join two Republicans and two Democrats who have active accounts in Idaho Sunshine for the 2026 Senate election in District 6. Here’s who has declared a campaign treasurer for the seat:
- Incumbent Sen. Daniel Foreman, R-Viola. He has raised $2,000.
- Republican Robert Blair. He ran for the seat in 2022 and 2024.
- Democrat Robin Weldy. She announced her campaign on Jan. 12.
- Democrat Richard Gayler. He announced his candidacy on his 2026 campaign website.
McCann’s decision to run for Idaho Senate would open up her seat in the House. Two Republicans and one Democrat have declared campaign treasurers for the seat. Here’s who might replace McCann in the House:
- Republican Colton Bennett. The 26-year-old U.S. Army veteran lost to McCann in the 2024 primary by a 3.1% margin. He has raised $26,920.
- Republican Ryan Augusta. He ran as an independent write-in candidate in 2024 and received three votes. He is registered as a Republican for 2026.
- Democrat Trish Carter-Goodheart. The community fundraiser and grant writer is a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. She received 9,648 votes, or 35.2%, in the 2024 general election against McCann.
The filing period is open from Feb. 23 to 27. The primary election is May 19, and the general election is Nov. 3.
