Lewiston lawmaker withdraws from ballot

Kevin Richert | 04/05/2024

Eight-year state Rep. Mike Kingsley will not seek re-election.

Kingsley, R-Lewiston, had originally filed paperwork to run again. But he later decided against another run.

“Once I realized that another true conservative was on the ballot, I felt comfortable making this decision,” Kingsley wrote on a recent Facebook post.

Kingsley is endorsing Lewiston Republican Kyle Harris, who will face Jim Chmelik of Cottonwood in the May 21 GOP primary. The nominee will face Lewiston Democrat Vickie Nostrant in the November general election.

First elected to the House in 2016, Kingsley is a member of the Idaho Freedom Caucus, a group that includes many of the Legislature’s hardline conservatives. In his post, Kingsley said he will stay on as head of the Idaho Freedom Caucus PAC.

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 30 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KevinRichert. He can be reached at [email protected]