Kaylee Peterson, the Democratic candidate for Idaho’s 1st Congressional District, has extended a formal debate invitation to incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher and independent candidate Sarah Zabel, setting a two-hour forum for the evening of October 17.

The Invitation

Peterson announced the invitation on Wednesday, with the debate scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. Mountain Time. Her campaign said it is still working to finalize a location but that both in-person and virtual attendance options will be available.

Constitution Party candidate Brendan Gomez, who will also appear on the November 3 general election ballot alongside the other three candidates, was not mentioned in Peterson’s debate announcement.

Fulcher’s History on Debates

Peterson, who challenged Fulcher in both 2022 and 2024, says the incumbent has declined her debate invitations throughout her previous campaigns. Fulcher was not available to comment on this latest request.

Peterson’s campaign made clear it intends to move forward regardless of Fulcher’s decision. If he declines again, the campaign said it would rely on his public record and testimony — and, in their words, “his cardboard cutout” — in his absence.

“Idahoans in this district haven’t had a real debate in years, so we built one ourselves,” Peterson told the Idaho Capital Sun.

Zabel Confirms Participation

Independent candidate Sarah Zabel confirmed she plans to attend. Zabel framed her participation as a straightforward obligation to voters.

“I want the people of this district to hire me to do a job, and so of course I will make my case to them in every forum I can find,” Zabel told the Idaho Capital Sun.

What’s Next

With the general election set for November 3, the October 17 debate would give voters their first opportunity to see candidates side by side before ballots are cast. Whether Fulcher ultimately participates will be a key question in the weeks ahead, particularly given his history of declining Peterson’s previous invitations.

District 1, which covers northern and western Idaho, has been reliably Republican territory, and Fulcher has held the seat since 2019. Peterson’s repeated campaigns represent the most sustained Democratic challenge the district has seen in recent cycles. Voters across Idaho are also weighing a range of policy and candidate questions heading into November, including how data center policies may influence their choices at the ballot box.