Idaho GOP Gov. Little wins second term against independent, Democratic challengers

Idaho Republican Gov. Brad Little easily secured another term in the executive office.

The Associated Press called the race for Little minutes after polls closed. Pre-election polling and research on candidates’ electoral history help the AP call races so quickly.

With all but one of Idaho’s counties fully reporting Wednesday, the Idaho secretary of state’s Elections Department reported Little leading with 60.5% of the vote. Democrat Stephen Heidt, a retired teacher, received the second-most votes, with just 20.6% support, and independent Ammon Bundy, a far-right activist and militia leader, was third with 16.9%.

Little, 68, quietly campaigned on his record. He has cut taxes and used the state’s surplus revenue to boost funding for public schools and infrastructure projects. He’s promised more of the same in a second term.

“The election results today translate into giving us a mandate, to keep our state on the path of incredible and unprecedented success, to continue to show Washington, D.C., and the rest of the country how to do things right,” Little said Tuesday at a GOP election watch party in Boise.

Little’s first term has been marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and conservative social policies, including the state’s near-total abortion ban — which Little supported. Heidt campaigned on promising to secure bodily autonomy for pregnant women, while Bundy criticized Little’s 2020 coronavirus policies, such as ordering some businesses to close early in the pandemic.

Also running for governor were Libertarian Paul Sand and Chantyrose Davison, of the Constitution Party.

In 2018, three in five Idaho voters selected Little over former Democratic Idaho House member Paulette Jordan, who collected 38% of the vote behind high name recognition, something Heidt lacked.

Before becoming governor, Little served as lieutenant governor and as a state senator. A rancher, Little entered politics through agriculture and business lobbying.

Little handily defeated Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin in the May GOP primary.

The Republican Governors Association congratulated Little on Tuesday.

“Gov. Brad Little is leading Idaho to a bright and prosperous future thanks to his commonsense solutions like record tax cuts that have unleashed unprecedented economic growth,” Governors Doug Ducey, of Arizona, and Pete Ricketts, of Nebraska, said in a news release.

Idaho governors serve four-year terms.

Republicans win easily in other statewide races

Republican candidates sailed to victories in statewide races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, superintendent of public instruction, secretary of state, controller and treasurer.

Idaho House Speaker Scott Bedke secured a win in the race to be Idaho’s next lieutenant governor. Bedke led with 64% of the vote Wednesday against Democrat Terri Pickens Manweiler.

Former congressman Raúl Labrador defeated Democratic opponent Tom Arkoosh to be Idaho’s next attorney general. Labrador had 62% of the vote and was more than 135,000 votes ahead of Arkoosh, who had received support from several prominent Republicans.

Debbie Critchfield easily defeated Democrat Terry Gilbert in the race to be Idaho’s top education official. Critchfield had 69.3% of the vote Wednesday in the race for superintendent of public instruction. Gilbert, a former teacher and president of the Idaho Education Association, received 30.7%.

Ada County Clerk Phil McGrane, a self-proclaimed “elections junkie,” collected more than 72% of the vote in the secretary of state race against Democrat Shawn Keenan.

“Election integrity really matters,” McGrane said in a victory speech at the GOP watch party. “As we watch this election across the entire country, we will truly see how Idaho shines. As secretary of state, it is my commitment to you, it’s my commitment to every voter in the state of Idaho, to make sure we stay that way.”

McGrane will replace Secretary of State Lawerence Denney, who chose not to seek reelection.

Idaho Controller Brandon Woolf won reelection with 69.1% of the vote. He faced Democrat Dianna David and Constitution Party candidate Miste Gardner.

Woolf has been Idaho’s controller for a decade. In that time, he has bolstered transparency around state government spending.

“We’re going to continue to do that,” Woolf said Tuesday. “I’m excited to share with you as we open up the books, let you see that throughout the state.”

State Treasurer Julie Ellsworth won a second term. She collected 70.7% of the vote against Democrat Deborah Silver.