Idaho Gov. Little staved off McGeachin, but far-right candidates won some key seats

Idaho’s more traditional Republicans held off challenges from far-right candidates Tuesday night in key competitive GOP primary races, including a high-profile contest for governor that garnered national attention.

Gov. Brad Little thwarted a challenge by Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin, a Donald Trump-backed candidate who has shared the stage with prominent far-right figures, was sued by the Idaho Press Club over her refusal to hand over public records, and protested public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It’s onward and upward to Nov. 8,” Little said in a speech on the Idaho Capitol steps Wednesday.

House Speaker Scott Bedke won the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor against Rep. Priscilla Giddings, a White Bird Republican who was censured by the Idaho Legislature last year — in part because she shared identifying information of a legislative intern who reported her rape by a lawmaker.

In the race for secretary of state, Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane edged out Rep. Dorothy Moon, who said the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump.

Incumbents in Congress, Rep. Mike Simpson and Sen. Mike Crapo, defended their contested seats and will also move on to the Nov. 8 general election.

“I think what we’re seeing is the more traditional Idaho conservatives are winning the day, and the far right has not been able to make any significant inroads in our constitutional offices or our legislative offices,” Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday.

But in the race for attorney general, incumbent Lawrence Wasden — who has been in the position for 20 years — was handily defeated by former U.S. Rep. Raúl Labrador.

“People want a change in the attorney general’s office,” Labrador told the Statesman on Tuesday night.

The Republican nominees will be on the ballot come November and face Democratic, Libertarian and Constitution Party challengers.

In the overwhelmingly red state, the GOP primary has often determined the candidate who moves on to easily win in November. Idaho hasn’t had a Democratic governor since 1995.

Idaho Republican Party rally at Capitol

Hours after unofficial election results were tallied Wednesday, winners, and some losers, of GOP races rallied on the steps of the Idaho Capitol. The unity rally is a tradition among Republicans, meant to project harmony before launching bids for the general election.

This year’s primary was particularly disharmonious, candidates previously told the Statesman, highlighting the divide between traditional and hard-line politicans in the Idaho GOP.

All the GOP nominees for executive branch offices attended Wednesday’s rally. They were joined by dozens of nominees for legislative positions. McGeachin, Giddings, Moon and many other candidates who lost Tuesday’s election did not attend.

“We had a great night last night and a lot of great candidates that worked hard and ran hard and some won, some did not,” Idaho Republican Party Chairman Tom Luna said at the rally. “Personally, I’ve been on both sides of this, so I know the emotions that can be attached to this.”

Luna said Republicans agree on 80% of issues, and primary elections are the arena to debate the other 20% of issues.

Luna warned that Democrats — a significant minority in Idaho politics — are working to flip Idaho blue in the same vein as Colorado, Nevada and Arizona, former conservative strongholds. He said the Idaho GOP will ensure Republican nominees will be elected in November.

For the second consecutive day, Little advocated for unifying the party. He said Republicans’ shared values remain aligned. That includes limited government, gun rights and abortion policies, along with backing law enforcement, empowering parents in education and pushing back against the federal government, “one of my favorites,” Little said.

“I’m not the candidate for a certain segment. I’m not the governor for a certain segment,” he told the Statesman on Tuesday night. “I want all the people of Idaho to have confidence in the decisions that I make.”

Labrador thanked Wasden for his two decades of service, but he also took one more shot at him.

“I will defend the people first, not the bureaucracy of Idaho,” he said, repeating a campaign attack against Wasden, who did not attend the rally. Third-place candidate Art Macomber was there.

Far-right candidates succeed in Senate bids

In the race for superintendent of public instruction, a far-right candidate received more support than the incumbent.

While former State Board of Education President Debbie Critchfield secured the Republican nomination with 39.6% of the votes, far-right candidate Branden Durst — a former state legislator who has faced allegations over the past decade of domestic abuse and harassment — received over 19,000 more votes than incumbent Sherri Ybarra.

Critchfield called the superintendent of public instruction the most important constitutional officer, next to the governor.

“I feel like my message was something that really meant something to Idahoans,” she told the Statesman on Tuesday.

Idaho Senate leadership remained intact, but several far-right candidates were successful in their bids to challenge conservative incumbents — including Jeff Agenbroad, who was ousted from his seat.

Rep. Greg Chaney, R-Caldwell, lost in his bid for the Senate against challenger Chris Trakel, who received 53.8% of the votes. Trakel ran for Caldwell mayor in 2021 and finished third in a five-person race.

Rep. Ben Adams, R-Nampa, meanwhile, defeated his opponent, Thomas Netzley, for the Republican nomination.

Meanwhile, in the House, some far-right incumbents — including Rep. Ron Nate, R-Rexburg — lost their seats. Former Rep. Britt Raybould secured the win over Nate.

Giddings refused to speak to reporters Tuesday night. In a concession speech posted on Facebook, Giddings called on her supporters to “keep up the fight,” to help “build armies at the local level” and for “patriots” to run for positions on school boards, health districts and county commissions.

”Today doesn’t mark the end of our quest to let freedom fly,” Giddings said. “I urge you to keep up the fight. You’ve shown that involved caring conservatives can still make the liberal machine fear you.”

Reporters Alex Brizee, Becca Savransky, Kevin Fixler, and Andrea Teres-Martinez contributed.