Updated 6:15 p.m. Wednesday

Republicans expanded their Statehouse advantage Tuesday, picking up seats in competitive Boise and Pocatello races, according to unofficial results.

The GOP also maintained its control of District 6, and Republicans flipped one House seat in central Idaho’s District 26.

Blaine County didn’t post its full results for most of the day Wednesday, and it appeared that Republicans were poised to sweep the three legislative seats in District 26. But incumbent Sen. Ron Taylor, a Democrat, pulled ahead of his Republican challenger Laurie Lickley in a tally of the remaining 6% of votes.

“Great news: They finally counted the absentee ballots,” Blaine County Democrats posted on social media Wednesday afternoon. Taylor “is going back to the capitol.”

Otherwise, it was a sobering Election Day for the minority party. Democrats ceded three seats to Republicans — two in the House and one in the Senate.

In west Boise, Democrats held one contested seat and lost another. Incumbent Rep. Steve Berch narrowly won reelection. But Republican challenger and former Rep. Codi Galloway defeated incumbent Sen. Rick Just, a Democrat. And Republican Rep. Dori Healey held on to her seat over a Democratic challenger.

Republicans picked up another seat in Pocatello, where Tanya Burgoyne defeated incumbent Rep. Nate Roberts, a Democrat, according to unofficial results. Rep. Dustin Manwaring, chairman of the House Republican caucus, won reelection.

All counties had fully reported results to the Secretary of State’s office in these swing districts by 6 p.m. Wednesday. The results remain unofficial until local election officials certify them.

Foreman vs. Parker, District 6, Senate

Incumbent Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, defeated his Democratic challenger Julia Parker, a Moscow City Councilwoman. 

There were several lead changes as votes were counted Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, but Foreman ultimately prevailed, collecting 53% of votes compared to 47% for Parker.

Foreman, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and former police officer, is secured a second consecutive term, after previously serving in the Senate from 2016 to 2018. Parker, a three-year member of the city council, campaigned on increasing state support for Idaho’s K-12 public schools, higher education institutions and teachers.

Much of the campaign was overshadowed by Foreman’s outburst during a candidate forum, when he allegedly told Trish Carter-Goodheart, a Nez Perce tribal member, “Why don’t you go back to where you came from?” 

McCann vs. Carter-Goodheart, District 6, House

Rep. Lori McCann, R-Lewiston, also defeated a challenger from the left, Democrat Trish Carter-Goodheart, in her reelection bid. The contest was a rematch from 2022, when McCann won by a wide margin. 

McCann won handily again Tuesday, collecting 65% of votes compared to Carter-Goodheart’s 35%.

McCann, a rancher and business owner, is vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee and has pushed for changes to the state’s aging K-12 school funding formula. She secured a third term. 

Carter-Goodheart, a community fundraiser and grant writer from Lapwai, campaigned on increasing state support for public schools and diluting the Republican Party’s supermajority control of the Legislature.

Mitchell vs. Dawes, District 6, House

Incumbent Rep. Brandon Mitchell, a business owner from Moscow, also secured a third term, along with a Republican sweep of District 6.

Former middle school science teacher Kathy Dawes, a Democrat, sought to unseat him. 

Mitchell defeated Dawes 58% to 42%.

Just vs. Galloway, District 15, Senate

Unofficial results Wednesday showed former Rep. Codi Galloway, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democratic Sen. Rick Just in Idaho’s spendiest legislative race.

Galloway collected 52% of votes compared to Just’s 48%.

Just, a Democrat, defeated Republican Galloway by a small margin in 2022. As of Tuesday, $237,357 had been funneled into the rematch. 

Berch vs. Tipton, District 15, House

After midnight Wednesday, incumbent Rep. Steve Berch also appeared to be heading toward defeat. But as additional votes were counted into the morning, Berch regained a lead over Republican challenger Annette Tipton. 

Berch edged Tipton 50.5% to 49.5%. The race was decided by just 227 votes.

Berch has fiercely opposed private school choice legislation as a member of the House Education Committee. Tipton, who heads a project to integrate state data systems, said she’s open to exploring school choice programs, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of public schools. 

Healey vs. Baber, District 15, House

Rep. Dori Healey also retained her seat against Democratic challenger Shari Baber, securing GOP control of the battleground District 15. 

Healey defeated Baber with 54% of votes.

Healey is a nurse, and Baber is a salon owner who serves as president of Boise’s parks and recreation commission.

Taylor vs. Lickley vs. Tate, District 26, Senate

Incumbent Sen. Ron Taylor, a Democrat, narrowly retained his seat in a three-way contest, according to unofficial results posted Wednesday afternoon.

Republican challenger and former Rep. Laurie Lickley had an edge over Taylor with about 6% of Blaine County votes outstanding. But Taylor pulled ahead as the final votes were counted.

Independent candidate Kala Tate ran to the right of both Taylor and Lickley. 

With 100% of counties reporting to the Secretary of State, Taylor defeated Lickley by 367 votes. He garnered 45.6% of votes compared to Lickley’s 43.9% and Tate’s 10.5%.

Burns vs. Pohanka, District 26, House

Republican challenger Mike Pohanka defeated incumbent Rep. Ned Burns, former mayor of Bellevue and the House’s Democratic caucus leader. 

Pohanka, a retired businessman and former economics professor, edged Burns by 535 votes, collecting 51% of votes compared to 49% for Burns.

The race was a  rematch a 2022 contest, when candidates were separated by just 37 votes. 

Nelsen vs. Hansen, District 26, House

Rep. Jack Nelsen, a rancher from Jerome, retained his seat over Democratic challenger Chris Hansen, a school teacher from Hailey. 

Nelsen won with 51.5% of votes compared to Hansen’s 48.5%.

Manwaring vs. Shea, District 29, House

A key member of Republican leadership in the House overcame a Democratic challenger in Pocatello, where the GOP now holds a majority of legislative seats. 

House Majority Caucus Chairman Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, secured a third consecutive term and fourth overall, defeating rematch opponent Mary Shea, a Democrat, who served as a substitute lawmaker this year. 

Manwaring collected 55% of votes compared to leading Shea’s 45%.

Roberts vs. Burgoyne, District 29, House

Republican Tanya Burgoyne defeated incumbent Rep. Nate Roberts, a Democrat, in his bid for a second term. 

Burgoyne won by more than 1,000 votes, securing 53% of the count compared to Roberts’ 47%.

While Democratic Sen. James Ruchti, of Pocatello, ran unopposed in his reelection bid, Republicans now control both House seats in the eastern Idaho city.

Burgoyne is a business owner and mother of nine. Roberts is an electrician who was backed by labor unions.