Official May primary candidates list released

By Lyndsie Kiebert-Carey
Reader Staff

With Idaho’s primary elections exactly two months away, the official list of candidates vying for political seats from Congress to county commissions is now available following the March 11 filing deadline.

According to the official list of all candidate declarations on the Idaho secretary of state’s website, the race for U.S. senator will see incumbent Republican Mike Crapo facing four challengers in the primary, including Ramont Turnbull, Natalie M. Fleming and Brenda Bourn, all of the Treasure Valley area, and Scott Trotter of Lewiston. Also declared for that U.S. Senate seat are Democrats Ben Pursley and David Roth, Constitutional candidate Ray J. Writz, Independent Scott “Oh” Cleveland and Liberatarian Idaho Sierra Law (also known as Carta Reale Sierra).

For U.S. Representative in District 1, incumbent Russ Fulcher is the only Republican in the race, and will face Democrat Kaylee Peterson of Eagle and Liberatarian Joe Evans of Meridian in the November general election.

As for the District 2 U.S. Representative position, Republican incumbent Mike Simpson is up against four other GOP candidates in May: Bryan Smith, Chris Porter, Daniel Algiers Lucas Levy and Flint Christensen. Also vying for the seat is Democrat Wendy Norman of Rigby.

Idaho’s governor race has seen no shortage of media coverage, due mostly to the pitting of incumbent Republican Gov. Brad Little against current Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, who has regularly criticized and, at times, undermined Little during her time in office. Other Republicans in the race include current Bonner County Commissioner and Cocolalla Cowboy Church pastor Steve Bradshaw, as well as Cody Usabel, Lisa Marie, Ashley Jackson, Edward R. Humphreys and Ben Cannady.

Liberaterian candidates for governor include Paul Sand and John Dionne Jr. Chantyrose Davison is running as a Constitutional candidate, Stephen Heidt as a Democrat and anti-government activist Ammon Bundy, who formerly said he’d run as a Republican, is filed as an Independent. 

Sandpoint Mayor Shelby Rognstad, who declared his candidacy for governor as a Democrat in recent months, apparently failed to change his affiliation from Republican prior to the filing deadline and therefore is not listed on the SOS candidate list.

The Republican primary race for lieutenant governor will see three names: Daniel J. Gasiorowski of Placerville; Scott Bedke, current Speaker of the Idaho House; and Rep. Priscilla Giddings of White Bird.

In Legislative District 1, incumbent Jim Woodward will face Scott Herndon in the Republican primary for the lone state Senate seat. Woodward and Herndon are the only candidates filed to run in that race.

Redistricting left the 1A state representative seat vacant, with current Rep. Heather Scott’s residence located within District 2. Republicans vying for that position include Spencer Hutchings, Adam Rorick, Mark Sauter, Travis Thompson and Cynthia P. Weiss. Steve R. Johnson is declared as a Democrat in that race.

Two Republicans are the sole candidates in the 1B representative race: incumbent Sage G. Dixon and Todd Engel of Priest River.

To view the complete list of state-level candidates, visit sos.idaho.gov/elections-division.

At the Bonner County level, current County Clerk Michael Rosedale will run again for his position unopposed. Incumbent Coroner Robert Beers will also run unopposed for reelection.

Incumbent Bonner County Assessor Donna Gow will seek reelection against Sandpoint resident Grant Dorman and current County Commissioners Office Manager/Deputy Clerk Jessi Webster. 

In the race for District 2 commissioner seat, incumbent Jeff Connolly will face Randi Flaherty and Asia Williams. For the District 3 seat, current Commissioner Dan McDonald will not run again, so the race is seeing five new Republican faces: David Bowman, Richard Harter, Ron Korn, Luke Omodt and Brian Riley.

Finally, two Republicans are vying for the Bonner County treasurer position: current Bonner County Chief Deputy Clerk Clorrisa Koster and Dennis Colton Boyles.

For the full list of county-level candidates, visit bonnercountyid.gov, select “Departments” and then “Elections.” 

The deadline for voter registration is Wednesday, April 22: 5 p.m. for paper registration, and by midnight for online registration. Register to vote at voteidaho.gov.