Idaho’s two Republican US House incumbents win reelection in runaways

Idaho’s two Republican incumbent congressmen were easily reelected Tuesday and will return to Washington, D.C., next year.

U.S. Rep. Russ Fulcher won his fourth term to represent Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. He has held the seat for the western half of Idaho — including the Panhandle and a portion of Ada County — since 2019, and voters handed him another two years in Congress.

Fulcher won 71% of the vote, with his nearest challenger, Democrat Kaylee Peterson, earning 25.4%.

“Being your voice in Congress is the honor of a lifetime,” Fulcher told attendees Tuesday evening at the Idaho Republican Party election night event held at a hotel in Meridian.

Two years earlier, Fulcher also faced Peterson. He earned 71% of votes and won his third term to 26% for Peterson.

Peterson has previously pledged to run at least three times to try to build momentum to unseat Fulcher. That would end with the 2026 race, and she was unmoved by Tuesday’s results to alter course, citing an intent to stick with her “hugely experimental” plan.

“Whatever happens tonight, it doesn’t change the trajectory of the work that we’re doing and the way we move forward,” Peterson said in an interview. “We were really able to figure out ways into communities next cycle.”

Fulcher, 62, of Meridian, ran unopposed in May’s Republican primary, so he automatically advanced to Tuesday’s general election.

This time around, Fulcher overcame three challengers to keep his seat: Peterson, 34, of Eagle; Libertarian Matt Loesby, 33, of Eagle; and Brendan J. Gomez, 25, of Boise, for the Constitution Party.

On Tuesday, Loesby and Gomez each received about 2% of votes, the returns showed. Unofficial totals showed Fulcher with 331,052 votes, Peterson 18,527, Loesby 9,587 and Gomez 6,931.

Simpson awarded 14th term

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson entered Tuesday seeking a 14th term representing the state’s 2nd Congressional District. He has done so since 1999 in the seat that represents residents in Eastern and Central Idaho, but also part of Boise.

Simpson earned 61.4% of votes in his race against three challengers. His closest opponent was Democrat David Roth, who received 31%. Libertarian Party candidate Todd Corsetti had 5.2% of votes and Constitution Party candidate Idaho Law-Carta Sierra 2.4%.

The vote tallies: Simpson 250,117, Roth 126,229, Corsetti 21,310 and Sierra 9,804.

Simpson remained in Washington on Election Day and was unavailable for comment late Tuesday evening, according to a Simpson campaign adviser. In a written statement, Simpson thanked Idaho voters.

“Idahoans can count on me to continue my fight for lower taxes, a secure border, energy independence and other policies that ensure Idahoans and our nation thrive,” Simpson said in the statement. “I’m deeply grateful for the tremendous outpouring of support by the voters of the 2nd Congressional District and their confidence in me. I look forward to continue serving our great state.”

Roth, 43, of Idaho Falls, unsuccessfully ran for Senate in the 2022 election against incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo. Roth earned about 29% of votes, compared to nearly 61% for Crapo.

Corsetti, 61, of Pocatello, was a first-time candidate for federal office, while; Idaho Law-Carta Sierra, 69, of Pocatello, is a perennial candidate.

Simpson, 74, of Idaho Falls, comfortably defeated two rivals in May’s Republican primary to make the ballot in Tuesday’s general election.

This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 8:03 PM.

Kevin Fixler

Idaho Statesman

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Kevin Fixler is an investigative reporter with the Idaho Statesman and a three-time Idaho Print Reporter of the Year. He holds degrees from the University of Denver and UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. Support my work with a digital subscription