Democrats Lose Three Seats in Idaho Legislature Admidst Controversy in Another Close Race

By Greg Pruett • November 7, 2024

Idaho Democrats have lost a seat in the Idaho Senate and two in the House and potentially could have lost another as controversy has come to light in another race.

Idaho only has a handful of legislative districts considered “swing” districts. Districts 6, 15, 26, and 29 were races Idaho Dispatch readers said they watched closely on election night.

Starting in District 6, all incumbents retained their spots in the legislature. Sen. Dan Foreman (R-Moscow) was in a tight race most of the evening with Democrat challenger Julia Parker.

Foreman won the race by 53% to 47%. Foreman received support just weeks before the election from the Idaho Freedom Political Action Committee and Citizens Alliance of Idaho after a controversy went nationwide when allegations from a public event came from a Democrat candidate, Trisha-Carter Goodheart, who claimed that Foreman told her to “go back to where you came from.”

Goodheart is a Native American, and her supporters say Foreman made the comment, but no video of the incident ever surfaced. Foreman and his supporters denied the incident occurred.

Ryan Spoon, Chairman of IFPAC, told Idaho Dispatch in response to Foreman’s re-election:

“Thanks to thousands of dollars in donations from Idahoans, Idaho Freedom PAC was able to inform District 6 voters of Democrat Julia Parker’s radical left record, including disregard for civil liberties and runaway spending. Idaho Freedom PAC helped return conservative Senate veteran Dan Foreman and his pro-freedom voting record for another term. We are immensely grateful to our generous Idaho donors and the District 6 voters.”

Rep. Lori McCann (R-Lewiston) retained her seat over Democrat challenger Goodheart by 65% to 35% for Seat A. Rep. Brandon Mitchell (R-Moscow) also won re-election over his Democrat challenger Kathy Dawes, 58% to 42%.

In District 15, Democrats lost their Senate seat when former Rep. Codi Galloway (R-Meridian) defeated incumbent Sen. Rick Just (D-Meridian) 52% to 48%.

Democrat Rep. Steve Birch (D-Meridian) retained Seat A by 227 votes, while Republican Rep. Dori Healey (R-Meridian) retained Seat B. The split makes District 15 one of three districts where Republicans and Democrats will split control.

District 26 completed its counting yesterday, and while Democrats looked like they may have lost the Senate seat there Tuesday night, Sen. Ron Taylor (D-Hailey) will retain his seat over former Republican Rep. Laurie Lickley by under 400 votes.

However, Independent challenger Kala Tate, who IFPAC touted as the “only conservative” in the race, took 10% of the vote. She brought in approximately 2,400 votes. Spoon told Idaho Dispatch that even though Republicans won’t pick up the seat, it will work better for leadership votes not to have Lickley in office.

Spoon’s statement to Idaho Dispatch was,

“Laurie Lickley’s established voting record from her prior legislative terms is completely inconsistent with the Idaho Republican Party Platform and conservative values. Kala Tate was the only conservative candidate in the District 26 Senate race, and if helping Ms. Tate left us with a wolf in Democrat Sen. Taylor, better that than the wolf in sheep’s clothing that Ms. Lickley would have been. This is especially true given the fact that, as a Republican, Ms. Lickley would have been able to vote for Senate leadership, whereas Sen. Taylor as a Democrat does not.”

Idaho Dispatch contacted Lickley for a comment but we have not received a response.

Democrats lost a House seat when Rep. Ned Burns (D-Bellevue) was defeated by Republican challenger Mike Pohanka by just over 500 votes. Rep. Jack Nelsen (R-Jerome) retained his seat by 600 votes.

Finally, in District 29, Rep. Dustin Manwaring (R-Pocatello) retained his seat just over 10%. Rep. Nate Roberts (D-Pocatello) lost to Republican challenger Tanya Burgoyne by 1,100 votes. This was the second House flip by Republicans.

The District 29 Senator, James Ruchti (D-Pocatello), was not challenged for his seat.

Leadership votes will take place on December 1st in Boise.