This article was originally published in the Idaho Capital Sun

Longtime Idaho U.S. House Rep. Mike Simpson will face two challengers in the Republican primary election on May 19.

Brian Keene, a 63-year-old from Twin Falls, and Perry Shumway, a 61-year-old from Rexburg, are running against Simpson. The incumbent is in his 14th, two-year term representing Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers eastern Idaho and Boise.

Keene, now retired, said on his campaign website he formerly was an educator, Navy sailor, member of the National Guard and Army Reserve. Shumway said on his website he is a marketing professional with a varied employment background, and the son of a former Republican U.S. House Rep. from California, Norman Shumway.

Simpson served on the Boise City Council in 1980 until he was elected to the Idaho state House of Representatives in 1984. He was in the Statehouse until 1998, when he was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Keene and Shumway say they will prioritize congressional processes

Keen told the Idaho Capital Sun for its 2026 Primary Election Voter Guide that his top priority was “accountability,” followed by a “stable maintenance and responsible taxation” plan, and passing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Shumway said his top priorities were allowing state-driven amendments to the U.S. Constitution without Congress, “thereby forcing a vote on amendments like congressional term limits and a balanced budget.”

The nation’s Constitution may be amended by Congress through a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, or through a constitutional convention called for by two-thirds of the state legislatures, the latter of which has never been used for an amendment.

Idaho’s Legislature has weighed in on recent efforts to call for a convention, but none of them have passed both chambers. 

Simpson said his top priority is improving affordability through lowering taxes and reducing regulations. He highlighted his vote in support of the “Big Beautiful” law, approved in July by Congress, which cut taxes on workers tips and overtime pay, and his support for the elimination of the estate tax, also known as the “death tax.”

Simpson’s other top priorities are fighting for American energy independence and “to continue to use my position to fight against the Democrat’s war on fossil fuels,” as well as reforming legal immigration for the farm workforce.

Candidates support deporting criminals and new immigration policies

Simpson and Keene said they support immigration reforms for the farm workforce. Idaho’s agriculture industry depends on migrant workers, some documented and some undocumented. The dairy industry in Idaho does not have access to workers under the H-2a visa program, which is for seasonal workers.

Simpson has been a co-sponsor on the bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which was first introduced in 2019 but has not advanced through both chambers. The act would create a legal pathway for some undocumented agricultural workers, expand the program beyond just seasonal or temporary, and require agricultural employers to verify employment and immigration status when hiring.

Simpson said he also supports “targeting and removing” people who are not legally authorized to be in the U.S. who commit crimes. He also said he supports building a border wall.

Keene also said there was a need for changes to address farm workforce needs.

“Idaho farmers depend on migrant workers — I grew up working alongside them. We need an efficient way to speed up the legal immigration process with biometrics and an ‘easy gate’ so we can track workers efficiently,” Keene said. “Deport criminals and illegals immediately. Fix the legal system first so enforcement becomes straightforward and unquestionable.”

Shumway said in a video on his website that he agrees with President Donald Trump’s prioritization of improving border security. He said that, for undocumented farm workers, he doesn’t support mass deportations.

“We need these people to be here to do the work that they’re willing to do at the prices they’re willing to do this work at, kind of a win-win. Deporting them all, sending them back to their countries would devastate our economy, so I’m not in favor of that,” Shumway said. “I’m also not in favor of a path to citizenship for people who have violated the law in coming here in the first place.”

Candidates vary greatly on need for bipartisan agreements

In recent years, the federal government has stalled, shut down and failed to pass legislation that requires reauthorization, such as an updated farm bill, in large part because a bipartisan coalition couldn’t be formed to get issues through.

Keene said he would propose a constitutional amendment to require bills to be co-sponsored by at least one lawmaker from each party. He also has proposals to require Congress to approve “stable, multi-year budgets to prevent government shutdowns.”

Shumway said he has no intention of reaching these kinds of agreements.

“I will not foster so-called bipartisan agreements,” Shumway said. “Such agreements have brought us to the brink of economic disaster, where we find ourselves now.”

He said there should be no farm bill, which is a massive piece of legislation that includes agricultural policies, farm subsidies, funding for food assistance, and other programs.

“The federal government has no constitutional basis for involvement in agriculture or social welfare of any kind, nor is there a compelling rational argument to be made about the effectiveness of government intrusion into these things in the past,” Shumway said.
“As we approach $40 trillion in debt, it seems ridiculous to me that anyone in office would even consider voting yes on this $1.4 trillion debacle.”

Simpson said in a past release he voted for the farm bill because it “modernizes and improves” funding for the USDA and because it provides “certainty to farmers and stakeholders,” the States Newsroom reported.

“I regularly hear from farmers, ranchers, and producers in Idaho, and their main concern over the years has been when Congress will reauthorize the Farm Bill,” he said in the release.

Simpson also underscored his work as chairman of the House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, and the months negotiations it requires.

“My experience and ability working with diverse groups and individuals are strengths that I’ve used, and will continue to use, to help Idaho,” Simpson said. “My experience working at the local, state, and federal level has allowed me to work with nearly every group and many individuals across Idaho.”

All candidates agree Idaho’s public lands should remain public

Keene and Shumway said they could support transferring some ownership or decision making of federal public lands to the state if there were conditions that the land wouldn’t be sold or made inaccessible.

“Much of the current federally owned land in Idaho is undeveloped and should stay undeveloped for as long as possible,” Keene said. “It makes this land easier to use for outdoor recreation and for grazing. Putting it under state control with some federal funds but state decision making simply makes good sense.”

Shumway said he would oppose the sale of any public lands and maintaining their accessibility.

“I would only support transferring them to the state if there were an iron-clad guarantee that they would never be sold, and that free access would never be restricted,” he said.

Simpson had previously co-sponsored the Public Lands in Public Hands Act, which would prevent the sale or transfer of large swaths of federal land except under narrow circumstances.

“Idaho’s abundance of beautiful parks, forests, and public lands makes our state a wonderful place to live, work, and play,” he said. “Public lands were set aside for public use, and we have a responsibility to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the same benefits we sometimes take for granted today.”

Simpson and Shumway support the SAVE Act voter ID bill. Keene says it’s ‘grandstanding.’

The U.S. House previously passed the “Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act” or “SAVE Act” that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID at polls. The bill, which is a top legislative priority for President Donald Trump, is still under consideration in the Senate.

Simpson joined every House Republican in voting in favor of the bill, which has drawn criticism from Democrats and voting advocates who say it will make it harder to vote for married women who have changed their name to vote, and would end voter registration drives. Some have also expressed concern about its requirement that states submit full voter rolls to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to check for citizenship status.

Simpson said the bill is a “common-sense approach to strengthening current election laws.”

Shumway said he supported the bill, but has higher priorities.

“I do not think it unreasonable to require people to prove their citizenship when registering to vote,” Shumway said. “It is not a super high priority for me, though. It’s not like voter fraud is rampant, or a hugely significant threat, compared to other, more pressing issues.”

However, Keene called the bill “grandstanding and unnecessary noise.”

“Idaho and most states already require photo ID with address and proof of citizenship to register and vote,” Keene said. “The real focus should have been strictly enforcing citizenship rules, not creating another fight. The way it was sold turned it into a pointless and unnecessary conflict. I support election integrity, but this feels like theater.”

Candidates agree healthcare is unaffordable, offer vastly different approaches to fix it

Americans are facing future reductions to Medicaid in the “Big Beautiful” law approved by Congress in July, and the expiration at the end of 2025 of premium tax credits that were created to make coverage through the Affordable Care Act marketplace more affordable.

More than 24,000 Idahoans canceled their health insurance plans through the state marketplace after Congress chose not to extend the premium subsidies, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported.

Shumway said American healthcare “is far removed from true free market competition.” His recommendations include changing the federal income tax code so employers could no longer write off health insurance expenses but individuals could, removing all medical licensing and credentialing requirements, eliminate requirements for prescriptions and controlled substances, and end all government health care programs, including Medicaid, Medicare and the Affordable Care Act.

Simpson said he opposed “throwing more money” at the ACA. He said he supports price transparency, holding pharmacy benefit managers accountable, reducing prescription drug costs and reducing hidden costs.

“I support strengthening rural health care access and protecting Medicare and Medicaid for those who rely on them while rooting out waste and improving efficiency,” Simpson said. “I also support expanding association health plans and reducing costly regulations that burden providers and small businesses.”

Keene argued that key provisions of the ACA came from a Republican-led health care plan from the early ‘90s, and that it should be more supported by the GOP.

“Sadly, President Trump and many congressional and senate republicans, forgot that the Affordable Care Act was largely based upon our own Health Equity and Access Reform Today Act of 1993 (often called the Chafee bill),” he said.

The 1993 proposal by Republican Sen. John Chafee of Rhode Island included Senate Republican leadership as cosponsors at the time, and shared some similarities with the ACA such as an individual coverage mandate, vouchers for low-income people to purchase insurance, and a ban on denying coverage based on a preexisting condition. The bill never moved forward after it was introduced.

“We need Republican leadership to do a better job studying history and learn to work with the Democrats when the democrats plagiarize OUR best material,” Keene said. “We need to work with the Democrats and negotiate a bipartisan blend of HEART (1993) and the Affordable Care Act.”

Simpson nears $1 million in campaign fundraising

Simpson’s campaign, which includes his political action committee, has garnered more than $900,000 in contributions since the beginning of 2025, according to data from the Federal Election Commission. Individuals donated more than $400,000 of that total, and over $500,000 came from other political action committees.

His campaign has spent more than $600,000 so far.

Shumway has raised just over $5,000, and he’s spent around $775, according to FEC reporting. Keene wasn’t in the FEC campaign finance database.

Idaho Capital Sun is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com.