BOISE — Idaho’s two-week candidate filing period, which closed Friday, highlighted the strength of — and divisions within — the state’s majority party.
The final list of legislative candidates included 156 Republicans, 62 Democrats and another 13 minor party contenders. Republican candidates filed for 101 of Idaho’s 105 legislative seats. Democrats, by comparison, filed for 56 seats.
A total of 26 seats will be uncontested this year. That includes House Speaker Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Winder, R-Boise.
Sen. Carl Crabtree, R-Grangeville, is also uncontested, as is Sen. Dan Johnson and Rep. Mike Kingsley, both R-Lewiston.
Unlike Democrats, Republicans were not reluctant to go after their own. Of the 47 contested legislative races in the May 19 primary, 31 involve Republican incumbents who are being challenged by fellow Republicans.
Another 12 races involve Republican newcomers squaring off against other Republican newcomers. There will only be four Democratic primaries, all of which involve new candidates.
Bedke said it’s impossible to make a single, generalized statement about what’s going on with the multiple Republican primaries. That answer varies from one race to the next.
The incumbents who face intra-party challenges range across the political spectrum, from moderates to the far right.
A total of 14 incumbents chose to retire this year, so they no longer have to worry about election challenges. Together, they represent more than 150 years of combined legislative experience.
That list includes first-term Rep. Bill Goesling, R-Moscow, and eight-term Rep. Paul Shepherd, R-Riggins, as well as Senate President Pro Tem Brent Hill, R-Rexburg; Senate Education Chairman Dean Mortimer, R-Idaho Falls; and Senate Transportation Chairman Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson.
Barring any write-in candidates or withdrawals, there will be 43 contested Republican races in the May primary, together with the four contested Democratic races. There will be 61 contested races in the Nov. 4 general election.
The final candidate filing list for federal office and legislative races in north central Idaho includes:
FEDERAL
U.S. Senate
Constitution Party — Ray Writz
Democrat — Paulette Jordan, Jim Vandermaas
Republican — Jim Risch (incumbent)
Independent — Natalie Fleming
1st Congressional District (western Idaho)
Democrat — Staniela Nikolova, Rudy Soto
Libertarian — Joe Evans
Republican — Russ Fulcher (incumbent), Nicholas Jones
2nd Congressional District (eastern Idaho)
Democrat — C. Aaron Swisher
Libertarian — Idaho Sierra Law
Republican — Mike Simpson (incumbent), Kevin Rhoades
IDAHO LEGISLATURE
District 5: Latah and Benewah counties
Senate
Democrat — David Nelson (incumbent)
Republican — Dan Foreman
House A
Democrat — Dulce Kersting-Lark
Republican — Hari Heath, Brandon Mitchell
House B
Constitution Party — James Hartley
Democrat — Renee Love
Republican — Caroline Troy (incumbent)
District 6: Nez Perce and Lewis counties
Senate — Sen. Dan Johnson (Republican incumbent)
House A
Republican — Thyra Stevenson (incumbent), Aaron von Ehlinger
House B — Mike Kingsley (Republican incumbent)
District 7: Idaho, Clearwater, Shoshone counties and a small corner of Bonner County
Senate — Carl Crabtree (Republican incumbent)
House A
Republican — Priscilla Giddings (incumbent), Dennis Harper
House B
Republican — Cornel Rasor, Charlie Shepherd
COUNTY
Nez Perce County
District 1 Commissioner
Don Beck, Republican (I)
Jim Kleeburg, Independent
District 2 Commissioner
Douglas Havens, Republican (I)
Jeff Nesset, Independent
Sheriff
Joe Rodriguez, Republican (I)
Patrick Santos Jr., Republican
Bryce Scrimsher, Independent
Prosecutor
Justin Coleman, Independent (I)
District 3 Port of Lewiston Commissioner
Jerry Klemm, nonpartisan (I)
Latah County
District 1 Commissioner
Kathie LaFortune, Democrat
District 2 Commissioner
Gabriel Rench, Republican
Tom Lamar, Democrat
Prosecutor
Bill Thompson, Democrat
Sheriff
Richie Skiles, Republican
Lewis County
District 1 Commissioner
Greg Johnson, Republican
District 2 Commissioner
Justin McLeod, Republican
Sheriff
Jason Davis, Republican
Prosecutor
Zachary Pall, Independent
Idaho County
Distrist 1 Commissioner
Skipper “Skip” Brandt, Republican
District 2 Commissioner
Ted Lindsley, Republican
Joe Cladouhos, Independent
Sheriff
Doug Ulmer, Republican
Doug Giddings, Republican
Steve Rodrigues, Independent
Casey M. Zechmann Jr., Independent
Prosecutor
Kirk A. MacGregor, Republican
Clearwater County
District 1 Commissioner
Mike Ryan, Republican
Chris St. Germaine, Independent
District 2 Commissioner
Dennis Fuller, Republican
Vincent Frazier, Republican
Don Gardner, Republican
Sheriff
Chris Goetz, Republican
Jim Garrison, Republican
Don Denison, Republican
Prosecutor
E. Clayne Tyler, Republican
Spence may be contacted at bspence@lmtribune.com or (208) 791-9168. The Tribune’s Kathy Hedberg and Joel Mills, and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News’ Garrett Cabeza, contributed to this report.
