Davidson holds off challenger Cook in Republican Ada County Commission race
Incumbent Ada County Commissioner Ryan Davidson, who faced a strong challenge, was among the primary election winners Tuesday night in Ada and Canyon counties. Both counties reported all precincts’ votes were in.
Ada County Commission
In perhaps the most hotly contested county race in the primary, Republican incumbent Ryan Davidson held off challenger Holly Cook for the District 1 Ada County Commission seat. Davidson won with 56.9% of the vote to Cook’s 43.1%.
Cook filed a complaint with the county earlier this year that alleged Davidson was registered to vote at a vacant lot where he was not a resident. The county clerk’s office dismissed the complaint last week after determining Davidson’s registration was valid.
The Republican primary winner will face the District 1 Democratic primary winner in the general election in November. Kelceymarie Warner topped C. Aaron Swisher with 66.1% of the vote.
Democrat Michael Fitzgerald triumphed over competitor Otto Rene Gramajo with 67.4% of the vote for the Ada County Commission’s District 2 seat.
Fitzgerald will face Republican incumbent Rod Beck in the general election. Beck has held the seat since 2020.
Ada County Treasurer
Republican candidate Todd Christensen beat his opponent, Rob Brown, with 68.7% of the vote.
Christensen will face Democrat April Frederick in the November general election.
The winner of the general election will replace incumbent Ada County Treasurer Elizabeth Mahn, who withdrew from the race after registering in March.
Brown has previously worked for the Ada County Treasurer’s Office and has a degree in finance from Idaho State University. Christensen has a background in marketing and a political science degree from Boise State University.
Ada County Coroner
Chief Deputy Ada County Coroner Brett Harding held off political newcomer Tim Flaherty.
Harding had 59.2% of the vote.
Harding will face former Ada County Coroner Dotti Owens, a Democrat, in November.
Unlike medical examiners, coroners are not physicians. Idaho law requires coroners to attend a “coroner’s school” within one year of taking office. Medical examiners and coroners are both known as medicolegal death investigators, a term Idaho applies to people who make formal inquiries or examinations to determine the cause and manner of a person’s death.
Harding entered the race with the endorsement of incumbent coroner Rich Riffle, as well as several other Idaho coroners and industry professionals who attested to his years of experience as a death investigator.
Flaherty’s qualifications were far less clear. The Boise man is the CEO of a troubled nonprofit focused on homelessness services and previously served time in federal prison for wire fraud. He completed a 40-hour training course through the Death Investigation Training Academy, but the institution told the Idaho Statesman Flaherty would not be eligible to take its certification exam because of his criminal history.
Canyon County Commission
Stewart Hyndman bested two other candidates in the Republican primary for the Canyon County Commission District 1 seat vacated by the retirement of Leslie Van Beek. Hyndman had 7,526 votes, or 40.7% of the vote.
Hyndman’s competitors, Scott Brock and Travis Palmer, had 30% and 29%, respectively.
Hyndman will face Jeffrey Skinner, who is running as an independent, in the November general election.
Canyon County Coroner
Incumbent coroner Jennifer Crawford, a Republican, overcame challenger Sydney Walker with 56% of the vote. Crawford was first elected Canyon County Coroner in 2018 after unseating incumbent Vicki Degeus-Morris.
This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 10:15 PM.
