IDAHO, USA — This article originally appeared in the Idaho Press.
There were so many changes in the Idaho Legislature in this year’s elections, both the primary and general, due to redistricting, retirements, lawmakers running for higher offices, election upsets and more. But when the dust all settled in the cold, snow-covered light of the morning after election day today, it turned out that the party balance in both the Idaho House and Senate didn’t change one iota.
The Idaho Senate still will have 28 Republicans and seven Democrats, just as it does now. That’s even with the upset in the Treasure Valley’s swing district, District 15, where centrist Democrat Rick Just, who was endorsed by outgoing GOP Sen. Fred Martin, defeated Rep. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, by 327 votes. That’s because up in Latah County, Sen. David Nelson, D-Moscow, lost to bombastic former GOP Sen. Dan Foreman by 391 votes, bringing the Senate party numbers back where they were.
Among the 28 Republicans in the 2023 Idaho Senate, there are 14 new faces, including some very outspoken conservatives. Among the seven Democrats, there are four new faces, including Just, but two are familiar: Former Sen. Ali Rabe, D-Boise, returns; and Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, won the Senate seat formerly held by the late Sen. Mark Nye, D-Pocatello. The other new face among Senate Dems is Ron Taylor of Hailey, who defeated Rep. Laurie Lickley, R-Jerome, to hold the Senate seat now held by Minority Leader Michelle Stennett, D-Ketchum. That district, District 26, changed quite a bit in redistricting, but Democrats held all three seats there.
The new faces among Senate Republicans include four who moved over from the House: Doug Okuniewicz of Hayden; Tammy Nichols of Middleton; Ben Adams of Nampa; and Linda Wright Hartgen of Twin Falls. Also, controversial former Rep. Phil Hart of Athol returns as a senator from Kellogg.
In the Idaho House, there will be 58 Republicans and 12 Democrats, just as there are now. The 58 Republicans include 27 new faces, though a handful are familiar: Former Rep. Britt Raybould, R-Rexburg, returns in place of current Rep. Ron Nate, whom she defeated in the GOP primary; former Rep. Steve Miller of Fairfield returns in a newly redrawn district; and former Rep. Jerald Raymond, R-Menan, returns in place of current Rep. Karey Hanks, whom he defeated in May. Another new House Republican may look slightly familiar, because new Rep. Jaron Crane, R-Nampa, is the younger brother of Rep. Brent Crane, R-Nampa.
Among the 12 Democrats in the 2023 Idaho House, the three new faces are Sonia Galaviz, who won the House 16A seat now held by Rep. John McCrostie, D-Garden City, who didn’t seek reelection; Karma Metzler Fitzgerald of Shoshone, who won the seat now held by third-term Rep. Sally Toone, the minority caucus chair who’s retiring; and Nate Roberts of Pocatello, who won Ruchti’s former House seat.
Watch more Idaho politics:
See all of our latest political coverage in our YouTube playlist: