Idaho Republicans to expand supermajority in Idaho Legislature

Dorothy Moon, chairwoman of the Idaho Republican Party, addresses partygoers at the Idaho Republican Party’s general election watch party on Nov. 5, 2024, in Meridian. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun)

As part of Tuesday’s conservative red wave, Republicans were poised to expand their supermajority in the Idaho Legislature based on unofficial results from the 2024 general election.

Idaho Republicans were on the verge of gaining five legislative seats and adding to the GOP’s robust supermajority. 

Idaho Democrats, meanwhile, were looking at coughing up five legislative seats and seeing their influence in Boise diminished again. 

Based on partial, unofficial election results released early Wednesday by the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, Republicans were poised to flip Idaho Senate seats in West Boise’s Legislative District 15 and Central Idaho’s Legislative District 26. Republicans were also in position to flip Idaho House of Representatives seats in District 15, District 26 and Bannock County’s District 29.

For the past two years, Idaho Republicans controlled 87 of the 105 seats in the Idaho Legislature, while Democrats controlled 18 seats in the Idaho Legislature.

If Wednesday’s results hold, the balance of power would shift to a 92-13 advantage for the Idaho GOP. Broken down further, Republicans would control 30 seats in the Idaho Senate compared to five seats for the Democrats. Republicans would also see their influence in the Idaho House grow to a 62 to eight advantage over Democrats.

• In the District 15 Idaho Senate race, former House Rep. Codi Galloway, R-Boise, was leading incumbent Sen. Rick Just, D-Boise, by a margin of 12,414 votes to 11,089 with all 197 Ada County precincts reporting early Wednesday, according to the Ada County Elections Office. 
• In the District 26 Idaho Senate race, former Rep. Laurie Lickley, R-Jerome, was leading incumbent Sen. Ron Taylor, D-Hailey, by a margin of 7,933 votes to 7,873 with one of the three counties fully reporting, according to the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office. 
• In the District 15 Idaho House Seat A race, Republican challenger Annette Tipton was leading incumbent Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise, by a margin of 11,819 votes to 11,590 votes with all 197 Ada County precincts reporting. 
• In the District 26 Idaho House Seat A race, Republican challenger Mike Pohanka was leading incumbent Rep. Ned Burns, D-Bellevue, by a margin of 9,127 votes to 8,404 votes with one of three counties fully reporting. 
• In the District 29 Idaho House Seat B race, Republican challenger Tanya Burgoyne defeated incumbent Rep. Nate Roberts, D-Pocatello, by a margin of 11,498 votes to 10,359 votes with all Bannock County precincts reporting. 

Although it is too early to tell, losing seats in the 2024 general election could potentially cost Democrats some of the few seats they do hold on influential legislative committees such as the House State Education Committee and the House Health and Welfare Committee. Idaho legislators will convene an organizational session in early December to elect leadership positions, choose committee chairs and make committee assignments.

Election results in Idaho will not become official in Idaho until they are certified by the Idaho State Board of Canvassers on Nov. 26 in Boise.