Democrats nominate Roth for Senate, Peterson and Gilbreath for House
Idaho Democrats picked David Roth to challenge Sen. Jim Risch and nominated Kaylee Peterson and Ellie Gilbreath for the two U.S. House seats, setting the general election matchups against an entrenched all-Republican federal delegation.
Idaho Democrats picked their federal slate Tuesday, nominating David Roth for U.S. Senate, Kaylee Peterson in the 1st Congressional District, and Ellie Gilbreath in the 2nd. All three will face Republican incumbents and a slate of minor-party and independent challengers in the November 3 general election.
Senate: Roth advances against Risch
Roth, a 44-year-old Idaho Falls consultant, took nearly 62 percent of the Senate primary vote, or 29,535 ballots, with all precincts reporting. Brad Moore finished with about 31 percent and Nickolas Bonds with 7 percent. The Associated Press called the race at 9:30 p.m. Mountain time.
Roth has run for state legislative and federal office in three of the last four cycles. He has campaigned on universal healthcare, affordability, and what he describes as restoring checks and balances in Washington. He will face Sen. Jim Risch, who held off three challengers in the Republican primary, along with Libertarian Matt Loesby and independents Todd Achilles and Natalie Fleming.
House: lopsided primaries, uphill general
Peterson, a 36-year-old political strategist from Eagle, won the 1st District primary with roughly 87 percent of the vote, or 118,911 ballots, against Kenneth Brungardt’s 13 percent. The district spans North Idaho and the western half of the state. Peterson previously ran for the seat in 2022 and 2024. She will face Republican Rep. Russ Fulcher, who won renomination Tuesday.
Gilbreath, a 63-year-old first-time candidate, won the 2nd District Democratic primary after her only opponent, Julie Wiley, withdrew in March and endorsed her. The AP called the race at 9:58 p.m. Tuesday. Gilbreath will face Republican Rep. Mike Simpson, who also secured renomination, along with independents Emre Houser and Tripp Charles Hutchinson, Libertarian Will Johanson, and Constitution Party candidate C. Sierra.
The structural challenge
Idaho has not sent a Democrat to either chamber of Congress in nearly two decades. Tuesday’s results give the party named candidates in all three federal races but do not change the underlying registration math. Results will be certified at the June 9 state canvass.