The matchups are set for the 2026 elections.

The year will be full of rematches, comebacks, rookies, headliners, undercards, uncontested champions and upsets.

EdNews has tracked each of the candidates running for the 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature and seven statewide offices. Here’s a preview of what to expect this year.

We hope Secretary of State Phil McGrane had plenty of hand sanitizer this week. He was busy shaking hands with candidates — including himself.

The filing window opened at 8 a.m. Monday and closed 5 p.m. Friday. The primary election is May 19 and the general election is Nov. 3.

Check back on Thursday for expert analysis and a rundown of primaries to watch from EdNews Senior Reporter Kevin Richert.

View from the nosebleeds

A total of 272 candidates have filed to run for the Legislature and 29 have filed to run for the seven statewide offices — from governor to superintendent of public instruction.

Among the legislative candidates, 160 are Republicans, 100 are Democrats, one is a Libertarian, three are Constitutionalists and eight are independents.

Of the 105 incumbents, 99 are seeking re-election.

In 2024, there were 52 Republican primaries and four Democratic primaries. Unless candidates drop out between now and May 19, there will be 49 Republican primaries this year and seven Democratic primaries.

Most predictable

Surprising no one, Idaho’s longest serving legislator is seeking a 15th term. House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, was first elected in 1998. He hopes to continue banging his oversized, Nordic-inspired gavel to ring in the 2027 legislative session.

Biggest surprise

With less than two hours left to file, College of Southern Idaho trustee Anna Scholes declared her candidacy for Senate in District 24 as an independent candidate.

Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, will run off against Twin Falls County Commissioner Brent Reinke in May, then face Democrat Mary Jo Durfee and Scholes in November.

First and last to file

Letishia Silva, a Nampa Democrat seeking to unseat Republican Sen. Brian Lenney in District 13, was ready to go early Monday morning. She was first to file at 8:02 a.m., just seconds before Republican candidate Colton Bennett submitted his form.

At the other end of the spectrum, Republican Chance Requa filed at 4:42 p.m. on Friday, just before the final bell rang. He is challenging Rep. Steve Miller, R-Fairfield, but will also have to defeat Republican Willam E. Mostoller in the primary.

No Contest

Seven incumbents stand alone, with no primary or general election challengers. Here’s who will cruise into their next term:

• District 3B Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur d’Alene
• District 18 Sen. Janie Ward-Engelking, D-Boise
• District 18A Rep. Ilana Rubel, D-Boise
• District 27A Rep. Douglas Pickett, R-Oakley
• District 27B Rep. Clay Handy, R-Burley
• District 30A Rep. David Cannon, R-Blackfoot
• District 34A Rep. Jon O. Weber, R-Rexburg

Rematches

There will be at least 11 rematches from 2024 in the Republican primary this year.

That includes all three races in District 1, to the far north in Boundary and Bonner counties. Sen. Jim Woodward will face a fourth election against former Sen. Scott Herndon. Woodward won in 2018, but Herndon came back for another round and won the 2022 primary. Woodward took the seat back in 2024 by a 4-point margin.

“I thought the best two out of three was good enough, but it’s a five-game series apparently,” Woodward told EdNews in December.

Other rematches include a three-way race in District 28 House Seat A.

Rep. Rick Cheatum will have to fight off Republican challengers James Lamborn and Mike Saville. Cheatum won two years ago with 40% of the vote.

The closest race in the 2024 primary was decided by four votes. In District 30, challenger Ben Fuhriman won in a razor-thin decision against incumbent Julianne Young. Will she win a rematch in May?

Comebacks

In addition to former Rep. Julianne Young, several other past legislators want to take back their titles, or seek a new one.

Republican Chad Christensen was elected in 2018 and 2020 to the House in District 32B, but after redistricting he lost in 2022 to Rep. Josh Wheeler in 35B. Now he’s running in 35A against Rep. Mike Veile.

Former Sen. Chris Trakel is also looking to get back in the Statehouse. He was elected in District 11 in 2022 but lost the 2024 primary to Sen. Camille Blaylock. They will face off again in May.

Two former legislators are running against Sen. Christy Zito, R-Mountain Home, in District 8.

Former Rep. Megan Blanksma served four terms in the House, but lost her primary in 2024 to Rep. Faye Thompson. And former Rep. Terry F. Gestrin previously served in District 8A. Both will face Zito in a three-way Republican primary.

Retirees and rookies

A few legislators have thrown in the towel, leaving room for new blood.

Rep. Jack Nelsen, R-Jerome, and Rep. John Vander Woude, R-Meridian, are retiring at the end of the session.

To fill Nelsen’s seat in 26B, Republican Lyle Johnstone and Democrat Kevin Marsh will face off in November.

To replace Vander Woude, Republicans Greg Ferch and Kelly Walton will run off in the primary. The victor will face Democrat Loren Petty in November.

There is also a vacancy in Twin Falls.

Rep. Don Hall was appointed in December to finish out Lance Clow’s term in District 25A. He told local media that health complications have precluded him from running this year. He confirmed to EdNews that he plans on serving the rest of his term. Hall has endorsed Twin Falls City Councilman Grayson Stone. Three others have filed for the seat: Republicans Andrew Messer and Zaine Newberry, and Democrat Marla Palmer.

Seat changers

Two representatives are making moves to the upper chamber, leaving space for newcomers to replace them in the House.

In solid blue District 16, Rep. Soñia Galaviz, D-Boise, filed to replace Sen. Ali Rabe, who is not seeking re-election. Rabe has endorsed Galaviz, but first she will have to face Justin “Justice” Mitson in the primary and Republican LeeJoe Lay in the general.

To fill Galaviz’s seat in the House, Democrats Megan Woller and Jeffrey Watkins will run in the primary, along with Republicans LeeJoe Lay and Geoffrey Surbeck.

In the panhandle, Rep. Lori McCann of Lewiston wants to unseat Sen. Dan Foreman of Viola in the District 6 Republican primary. Democrats Robin Weldy and Richard Gayler will face the winner.

Six candidates filed to fill McCann’s seat: Republicans Colton Bennet, Cindy Agidius and James Spencer, and Democrats Trish Carter-Goodheart, Bryce Blankenship and Ryan Wayne Augusta.

Most expensive districts

Money talks. Where are campaign donors speaking the loudest?

As of Friday afternoon, three districts have candidates with a combined fundraising total over $100,000, and one broke the $200,000 mark.

District 22 (Nampa, Meridian): $113,830

• • Rep. Jason Monks (R): $44,100
  • Sen. Lori Den Hartog (R):  $43,700
  • Rep. John Vander Woude (R): $1,750
    • Challengers Greg Ferch (R): $14,887, Kelly Walton (R): $9,260

District 24 (Twin Falls): $116,337

• • Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld (R): $38,360
    • Challenger Brent Reinke (R): $30,252
  • Rep. Clint Hostetler (R): $14,699
    • Challengers Alexandra Caval (R): $25,002, Kevin Moxley (I): $6,023
  • Rep. Steve Miller (R): $2,000

District 9 (Washington, Payette, Canyon counties): $130,030

• • Rep. John Shirts (R): $78,530
    • Challenger Heidi Smith-Takatori (R): $10,364
  • Sen. Brandon Shippy (R): $25,787
  • Rep. Judy Boyle (R): $13,250
    • Challenger Gregory Diacogiannis (R): $2,098

District 15 (Boise): $204,971

• • Rep. Steve Berch (D): $141,859
    • Challenger Steve Keyser (R): $3,308
  • Sen. Codi Galloway (R): $28,073
    • Challenger Nancy Gregory (D): $20,480
  • Rep. Dori Healey (R): $8,250
    • Challenger Jae Etchart (D): $3,000

Democrats find challengers for all statewide offices

None of the seven Republicans who hold statewide offices will get a free ride in November. Democrats found candidates to face them all.

The last to file was Democrat Lori Hickman, who will face Attorney General Raul Labrador.

Democrats on Thursday afternoon announced their candidate for Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction: Becky Sundin Mitchell. A third candidate filed on Friday. Constitution Party member Teresa Roundy will run in November against Sundin and Republican Debbie Critchfield.