Idaho Legislature gets even redder with GOP wins in purple districts
The makeup of Idaho’s Legislature turned even redder after Tuesday’s election, with Republicans picking up two more seats in the House, extending their majority to 58 seats to the Democrats’ 12.
Republicans flipped a House seat in Boise’s purple District 15, and in legislative District 29 in Bannock County, Democratic incumbent Rep. Chris Abernathy lost to Republican challenger Dustin Manwaring by 1,400 votes.
In District 15, the Democrats had a chance to turn the entire legislative contingent blue, but by the end of the night, District 15 got redder.
Incumbent Republican Sen. Fred Martin was able to win a fifth term despite a strong challenge and close race from Democrat Rick Just.
Two years ago, Martin barely defeated Democrat Jim Bratnober by just six votes, giving Democrats hope that they could win that seat this year.
This year, Martin received 12,009 votes, or 53%, while Just received 10,654 votes, or 47%.
In the House for District 15, incumbent Democrat Rep. Steve Berch was able to hold off a Republican challenger, but fellow Democrat Rep. Jake Ellis lost to Republican challenger Codi Galloway, a former public school teacher and the owner of a private school, turning District 15 a little redder.
Galloway received 11,975 votes, or 52.6%, while Ellis received 10,785 votes, or 47.4%.
District 17
In Boise’s blue District 17, newcomer Ali Rabe kept outgoing Sen. Maryanne Jordan’s Senate seat in Democratic control, by defeating Republican Gary Smith with 62% of the vote.
Democrat incumbent Reps. John Gannon and Sue Chew held off their Republican challengers with 63% and 66% of the vote, respectively.
District 19
State Rep. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, made the jump to the Senate, successfully replacing outgoing Democrat Sen. Cherie Buckner-Webb.
Wintrow defeated Republican Aaron Tribble with 69% of the vote.
Meanwhile, in a bid to replace Wintrow in her House seat, Democrat newcomer Chris Mathias defeated Republican James Jacobson with 68% of the vote.
Democrat Rep. Lauren Necochea, who was appointed last year to replace Mat Erpelding, won her first election, beating Republican James Feederle with 69% of the vote, keeping District 19 all blue.
This story was originally published November 4, 2020 at 12:42 AM.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed the outgoing state senators for districts 17 and 19. Maryanne Jordan is the outgoing senator for District 17, and Cherie Buckner-Webb is the outgoing senator for District 19.
