The (really) big news: After 14 months of campaigning and getting out the vote, Idaho Education Association members have something to be proud of: They made huge strides toward returning the state’s Legislature to a pro-public education majority.
• The union’s May Matters campaign urged voters to participate in the May 19 primary.
• Members organized and worked the phones for candidates around the state, building their own political power.
• "Idaho is so ideologically and geographically diverse that generating statewide enthusiasm can be difficult," said IEA Political Director Chris Parri. "But even facing millions of dollars of dark money and the fallout from House Bill 516, members across the state worked together to earn major gains. And this is just the beginning."
• Just one example: In Twin Falls County, where voters ousted a bloc of anti-public education legislators, turnout went from 30% to 38.05%.
Highlights from Hotly Contested Races
For the full list of results, visit voteidaho.gov.
Statewide races: Gov. Brad Little easily defeated seven other candidates with 58.96% of the vote.
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield ran unopposed, earning her party’s nomination outright.
Magic Valley/South Central Idaho: It was a rough night for those furthest to the right in the Republican Party. Five members of the self-dubbed “Gang of Eight” have been ousted, including three from Twin Falls. The “gang,” a group of hardline lawmakers who helped ram through the anti-IEA House Bill 516, consistently voted against special education funding while providing $50 million in vouchers to the parents of private school children.
• Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld (R-Twin Falls) lost to Brent Reinke (60.14% to 39.86%)
• Sen. Josh Kohl (R-Twin Falls) lost to Casey Swensen (57.87% to 42.13%)
• Rep. Lucas Cayler (R-Caldwell) lost to Debbie Geyer (53.28% to 46.72%)
• Rep. Faye Thompson (R-McCall) lost to Brian Beckley (59.13% to 40.87%)
• Rep. David Leavitt (R-Twin Falls) lost to Cherie Vollmer (55.21% to 44.79%)
• Rep. Clint Hostetler (R-Twin Falls), another Gang of Eight member, successfully fought off challenger Alexandra Caval to keep his seat.
• Rep. Steve Miller (R-Fairfield), lost to Chance Requa in a three-way race. Miller serves on the powerful Joint-Finance Appropriations Committee as vice chair and has been a vocal opponent of special education funding, questioning why SPED students need to be educated at all.
Eastern Idaho: Eastern Idaho was the battleground for some of the most anticipated races in the state.
• Rep. Tanya Burgoyne (R-Pocatello), who received funding from the voucher lobbying group the American Federation for Children, lost to Jennifer Miles (50.56% to 49.44%).
• Rep. Barbara Ehardt (R-Idaho Falls), a House Education Committee member and one of the staunchest anti-public education votes in the building, fended off Connor Cook (51.59% to 48.41%).
• Rep. Ben Fuhriman (R-Shelley), who has consistently sided with public education and voted against House Bill 516, defeated challenger Julianne Young. It was a rematch for the two; in 2024, Fuhriman barely won the race. This time, he defeated her with 53.65% of the vote.
• In the most expensive race in the state, Sen. Jim Guthrie (R-McCammon) held off David Worley (53.28% to 46.72%). Guthrie was targeted by the far right, in part because of his pro-union stance. Guthrie is the current chair of the Senate State Affairs Committee.
• Rep. Mike Veile (R-Soda Springs) gave a drubbing to Chad Christensen (56.16% to 43.84%). Veile voted against House Bill 516.
North Idaho: Despite vocal and consistent efforts from IEA members in Districts 1 and 2, public education lost reliable allies yesterday.
• Sen. Dan Foreman (R-Lewiston) beat Lori McCann (R-Moscow), who left her House of Representatives seat to enter the Senate race. Foreman won 52.71% of the vote compared to McCann’s 47.29%. McCann, a former educator, was an ardent pro-public education voice in the Idaho Legislature.
• Sen. Jim Woodward (R-Sagle) lost to Scott Herndon (53.39% to 46.61%). Woodward was a moderate vote compared to the far-right Herndon, who previously held the seat he just retook.
• Rep. Mark Sauter (R-Sandpoint) lost to Jane Sauter (no relation), 53.44% to 46.56%.
• Sauter, Woodward and McCann frequently voted in support of educators and public education. Sen. Foreman unexpectedly held House Bill 516 in committee until it was forced out and brought to a vote by a procedural move in the Senate.
What it all means: “How this will play out over the next two years remains to be seen,” Parri said. “But IEA is now better positioned to have real conversations with lawmakers — conversations thousands of members started over the last 14 months through their advocacy and willingness to engage in the process.”
