Election Night live blog (final)

7:43 a.m. (final): Only one legislative race flipped in the middle of the night, and it’s potentially a big one for education.

House Education Committee Vice Chair Lori McCann rallied to win a three-person primary, garnering 44% of the vote. Moscow Republicans Colton Bennett and Dave Dalby trailed with 40% and 16%, respectively.

McCann is a big supporter of Idaho Launch and an outspoken school choice skeptic. With House Education Chair Julie Yamamoto’s ouster last night, McCann is next in line to head the committee — although House leadership (and, most likely, returning Speaker Mike Moyle) is in no way obligated to follow that route.

Still, another big year of turnover, after 20 incumbents lost in the 2022 GOP primary. Here are the 15 incumbents who lost Tuesday.

  • Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise.
  • Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle.
  • Sen. Geoff Schroeder, R-Mountain Home.
  • Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell.
  • Sen. Linda Wright Hartgen, R-Twin Falls.
  • House Education Committee Chair Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home.
  • Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett.
  • Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser.
  • Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa.
  • Rep. Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna.
  • Rep. Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly.
  • Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot.

I’ll have much more to say about the elections Wednesday. I’ll take a closer look at the turmoil (again), the Legislature’s shift toward the right (again), and the role of money in these races.

Also, at noon today, I’ll be on the reporter panel on “Idaho Matters” on Boise State Public Radio, so tune in if you can.

1:43 a.m.: Ada County’s count is complete, so we can call one of the big upsets of the night.

Meridian Republican Josh Keyser has unseated Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise. Keyser won with 52% of the vote.

Winder had served 16 years in the Senate, and as pro tem, he held the highest ranking position in Senate GOP leadership.

There’s a lot to process about this race: the surge of outside money that targeted Winder in the final days of the campaign; Winder’s public battles with hardliners in his caucus. A lot more to get into in a followup piece later today or Thursday.

But, again, the historical significance. A sitting pro tem hasn’t lost an election since 1988, when Jim Risch lost to Democrat Mike Burkett in the general election. This might be the first time a sitting pro tem has lost in a primary.

1:31 a.m.: Let’s update some Eastern Idaho legislative races that have gone final.

  • Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, won a high-profile primary, with 45% of the vote, defeating Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti and prominent hardliner Bryan Smith. This race drew a lot of outside spending — both for and against Horman.
  • Senate Education Committee Chairman Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls, won easily, with 60% of the vote.
  • In District 30, Sen. Julie VanOrden, R-Pingree, won easily, while three-term Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, wound up losing by a scant 10-vote margin. Shelley Republican Ben Fuhriman gets the nomination.
  • In District 28, first-term Reps. Richard Cheatum, R-Pocatello, and Dan Garner, R-Clifton, won their nominations. Both were targeted by outside donors. Cheatum, in particular, came under fire for his vote against a bill to create a tax credit for private school tuition.
  • In District 35, Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Mark Harris, R-Soda Springs, won his nomination, as did Rep. Josh Wheeler, R-Ammon. Both incumbents were targeted by Make Liberty Win, a conservative group that poured more than $650,000 of late money into the GOP primaries.

1:06 a.m.: Upset update: We’re at 13 incumbents trailing, and three who have lost.

  • Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle.
  • Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston.
  • Sen. Geoff Schroeder, R-Mountain Home.
  • Rep. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home.
  • Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett.
  • Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser.
  • Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa.
  • Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise.
  • Rep. Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna.
  • Rep. Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly (final).
  • Sen. Linda Wright Hartgen, R-Twin Falls (final).
  • Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls (final).
  • Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot.

12:56 a.m.: Another district could swing to the right — the sprawling District 8, which takes in Elmore, Valley, Custer and Lemhi counties.

Former lawmaker Christy Zito of Hammett is leading first-term Sen. Geoff Schroeder, R-Mountain Home. Rob Beiswenger of Horseshoe Bend is leading two-term Rep. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home. Faye Thompson of McCall is leading Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, an eight-year House veteran.

Coupled with the right’s wins in Districts 24 and 25 (discussed below), hardliners are looking at several potential pickups in the next Legislature.

12:44 a.m.: Republican voters swung significantly to the right in the Magic Valley Tuesday.

In Twin Falls’ legislative District 25, Josh Kohl ousted Sen. Linda Wright Hartgen, a six-year lawmaker, and David Leavitt unseated first-term Rep. Greg Lanting. Kohl and Leavitt both received financial support from GOP hardliners.

Meanwhile, in neighboring District 24, hardline Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld of Twin Falls in a pricey and closely watched primary, and hardline challenger Clint Hostetler of Twin Falls ousted mainstream Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly.

Traditionally, Twin Falls County has skewed Republican, but moderate. That now appears to be shifting.

12:28 a.m.: Some extremely close races at this hour:

  • District 6 Senate: Incumbent Dan Foreman, R-Viola, leads Robert Blair by 22 votes.
  • District 6, House Seat A: Challenger Colton Bennett holds a 21-vote lead over Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston.
  • District 11, House Seat B: In an open GOP race in Caldwell, Lucas Cayler leads Sarah Chaney by 39 votes.
  • District 23, House Seat A: Challenger Chris Bruce leads Rep. Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna, by 96 votes.
  • District 30, House Seat B: Challenger Ben Fuhriman leads Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot, by 10 votes.

11:50 p.m.: Upset update: I now count 16 incumbents trailing right now.

  • Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle.
  • Rep. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene.
  • Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola.
  • Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston (new to list).
  • Sen. Geoff Schroeder, R-Mountain Home.
  • Rep. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home.
  • Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett.
  • Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser.
  • Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa.
  • Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise.
  • Rep. Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna.
  • Rep. Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly.
  • Sen. Linda Wright Hartgen, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Dan Garner, R-Clifton (new to list).
  • Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot.

A couple of things to note on this list.

At this point, both the chair and the vice chair of the House Education Committee stand to lose: Yamamoto and McCann. That could lead to some big changes on a committee that has been a backstop of sorts on school choice.

A Winder loss would be historic. Swapping notes with my friends over at “Idaho Reports,” we think the last time a sitting pro tem lost an election was in 1988, when Jim Risch lost a countywide Senate race to Democrat Mike Burkett. But that was a general election, not a GOP primary.

11:31 p.m.: Rep. Wendy Horman now holds 46% of the vote in that closely watched House race in Bonneville County.

Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti sits at 35% and Idaho Falls attorney Bryan Smith sits at 19%.

Horman co-chairs the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.

11:21 p.m.: Some big news on the bonds and levies front: voters in Salmon said yes to a $20 million bond issue for a new elementary school, breaking a string of 12 consecutive failed bonds.

Carly Flandro has all the latest on school ballot measures.

11:03 p.m.: Hourly update: I now count 18 incumbents trailing right now. We’ve added seven new names to the list, and struck through two from the 10:01 p.m. list.

  • Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle.
  • Rep. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene.
  • Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola.
  • Sen. Geoff Schroeder, R-Mountain Home (new to list).
  • Rep. Matt Bundy, R-Mountain Home (new to list).
  • Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett (new to list).
  • Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser.
  • Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell.
  • Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa.
  • Rep. Kenny Wroten, R-Nampa (new to list).
  • Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise.
  • Rep. Melissa Durrant, R-Kuna (new to list).
  • Rep. Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell.
  • Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly.
  • Sen. Linda Wright Hartgen, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Dan Garner, R-Clifton (new to list).
  • Rep. Julianne Young, R-Blackfoot (new to list).

10:53 p.m.: Early school levy results from the Treasure Valley: West Ada’s levy is passing with 58%, Kuna’s is failing with 44%, and Caldwell’s levy is failing with 48% support. Supplemental levies need only a simple majority to pass.

10:32 p.m.: The closest GOP primaries of the night?

So far, they’re happening in legislative District 6, which includes Moscow and some of Lewiston.

In the Senate race, Robert Blair is leading incumbent Dan Foreman of Viola by six votes.

House Education Committee Vice Chair Lori McCann of Lewiston leads Colton Bennett of Moscow by two votes.

10:16 p.m.: In a race with huge education implications, Rep. Wendy Horman has an early lead in a closely watched three-person House race in Bonneville County.

Horman, R-Idaho Falls, has 42% of the early vote. Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti has 38% and Idaho Falls attorney Bryan Smith is trailing with 20%.

Horman co-chairs the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee and has a big role in writing education budgets. School choice has figured prominently in this race. An independent group, funded largely by the Idaho Education Association, has pumped more than $70,000 into this race, backing Coletti.

Also in Bonneville County, Senate Education Committee Chairman Dave Lent has a sizable lead in a Republican rematch. Lent holds 61% of the vote to challenger Bryan Scholz’s 39%.

10:01 p.m.: I count 13 incumbents trailing right now, at this early stage of the night:

  • Sen. Scott Herndon, R-Sagle.
  • Rep. Elaine Price, R-Coeur d’Alene.
  • Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola.
  • Rep. Jacyn Gallagher, R-Weiser.
  • Sen. Chris Trakel, R-Caldwell.
  • Rep. Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell.
  • Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa.
  • Sen. Chuck Winder, R-Boise.
  • Rep. Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell.
  • Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Chenele Dixon, R-Kimberly.
  • Sen. Linda Wright Hartgen, R-Twin Falls.
  • Rep. Greg Lanting, R-Twin Falls.

Again, too early to read too much into things. If many of these results reflect early and absentee voting (which is usually the case), those results tend to skew left. But all the results are incomplete, and a lot could change. We have a long way to go.

9:38 p.m.: It’s early, and way too early to jump to conclusions. But a few interesting early results, which point to some races we might be watching closely as the night unfolds:

  • Meridian Republican Josh Keyser is leading Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, with 52% of the vote.
  • Caldwell Republican Kent Marmon has taken an early lead over House Education Committee Chairwoman Julie Yamamoto, with 53% of the vote.
  • Nampa Republican Jeff Agenbroad is leading early in a rematch against Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa. Agenbroad has 57% of the early vote.

9:25 p.m.:  The secretary of state’s office has two sites where you can track the legislative results: A newer format and the older page we’ve used in past cycles.

For what it’s worth, the older page seems to be picking up results more quickly.

9:10 p.m.: We have our first numbers of the night: partial results from Nez Perce County.

Given the timing — polls closed in North Idaho only a few minutes ago — these might be absentee ballots, which tend to skew left.

In these early, partial results, House Education Committee Vice Chairman Lori McCann has a lead with 48% of the vote. Robert Blair has an early lead over Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Viola, with Blair capturing 60% of the vote. But very early numbers.

8:00 p.m.: Welcome to our election night live blog.

We will begin updating this page at 9 p.m. Mountain time, 8 p.m. Pacific time, when the first results begin to come in, and update with results and instant analysis through the night.

Obviously, we have a lot of races to watch as this turbulent election season winds down. Some key legislators face heated GOP primaries tonight — including House Education Committee Chair Julie Yamamoto, R-Caldwell; Senate Education Committee Chair Dave Lent, R-Idaho Falls; and Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee co-chair, Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls. We’ll be watching several primaries involving hardline conservatives on Senate Education: Sens. Scott Herndon of Sagle, Brian Lenney of Nampa and Tammy Nichols of Middleton.

We’ll also watch primaries involving the two top members of legislative leadership, House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, and Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise. Both have been the targets of big-money negative campaigns in the final days of the primary.

On top of all of that, we’ll keep an eye on school bonds and levies across the state.

Kevin Richert

Kevin Richert

Senior reporter and blogger Kevin Richert specializes in education politics and education policy. He has more than 35 years of experience in Idaho journalism. He is a frequent guest on "Idaho Reports" on Idaho Public Television and "Idaho Matters" on Boise State Public Radio. He can be reached at [email protected]

Get EdNews in your inbox

Weekly round up every Friday