Idaho Senate
Jim Risch (R) holds this seat and is running again. 4 candidates were on the ballot on November 3, 2026. The Cook Political Report rates it safe Republican.
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Jim Risch
Republican · holds this seat today
ALiberty Score AOn the liberty side in 82 of 83 votes and bills.
Raised $3,935,512 since January 2025: 61% from people, 29% from PACs and other committees, 8% transfers and other income. The filing at FEC.gov
Todd Achilles
Independent · independent, former state representative and Army tank commander
No gradeNo grade yetI have no votes in Congress to count for Achilles, and what Achilles has said and done settles only 3 of my principles. I went through it on October 31. A grade needs 4.
Raised $1,921,132 since January 2025: 92% from people, 4% transfers and other income, 2% the candidate’s own money. The filing at FEC.gov
Natalie Fleming
Independent · independent, software developer and single mother
No gradeNo grade yetI have no votes in Congress to count for Fleming, and what Fleming has said and done settles only 1 of my principles. I went through it on November 1. A grade needs 4.
Matt Loesby
Libertarian · Libertarian Party of Idaho chair, video game developer
FLiberty Score F57 out of 100 across 7 principles. Graded on what Loesby has said and done, because I have no votes in Congress to count for Loesby.
Voting in Idaho: how to register, vote early or vote by mail. Election Day was November 3.
Side by side
A solid letter is a grade from recorded votes on that principle. An outlined letter is on the same scale, for a candidate with no votes: it comes from what that candidate has said and done, and every source is listed below.
Todd Achilles, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Achilles, so the grade above comes from this list: what Achilles has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
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Says a nuclear Iran is unacceptable but that the current military action has no clear objectives, without naming a policy toward the regime.
“We all agree that Iran with nuclear weapons is an unacceptable risk. But if we're going to do something against Iran, let's make sure we do it the right way.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
He names no sanctions, deal or strike policy, so the words do not settle the measure.
-
As an Idaho House member he voted yes on House Bill 40, which cut the state income tax rate.
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
A vote for a named income tax cut is with liberty on free markets.
-
Says he will work to lower taxes for working families, small businesses and farm producers, without naming a tax.
“I will work to lower taxes for working families, small businesses, and ag producers.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
Lower taxes with no tax named is unclear under the site's rule.
-
As an Idaho House member he voted no on House Bill 264, which limited restrooms in certain government facilities to one sex.
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Opposing a sex-based facilities rule is against liberty on equal rights (gender self-identification in single-sex spaces).
-
As an Idaho House member he voted no on House Bill 83, which made illegal entry a secondary offense and set enforcement priorities.
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Voting against a state bill to enforce immigration law is against liberty on borders.
-
He says he supports the state's agreement with ICE for an undocumented immigrant convicted of a crime to not be allowed to stay in Idaho.
“There’s a piece of the agreement between the state and ICE, which I do support, which is if somebody is convicted of a crime and they’re an undocumented immigrant, then yes, they should not be allowed to stay in Idaho.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing removal of illegal immigrants convicted of a crime is with liberty on borders.
-
He says the country needs a border fence and gate that works.
“We need a fence and a gate that works,”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Calling for a working barrier at the border is with liberty on borders.
-
He criticises ICE officers wearing face coverings and not identifying themselves, without naming a policy on enforcement itself.
“The face coverings, not identifying themselves, you know, clearly just going after brown people.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
It objects to a manner of enforcement, not to enforcement or deportation, so it does not settle the measure.
-
Says he will give Customs and Border Protection the staff, technology and resources to secure the border and stop illegal crossings.
“I will support providing Customs and Border Protection with the staffing, technology, and resources it needs to secure our border, stop illegal crossings, and carry out its mission ethically and lawfully.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Securing the border and stopping illegal crossings follows the with side of the measure.
Natalie Fleming, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Fleming, so the grade above comes from this list: what Fleming has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
-
Proposes capping the homes any legal entity may own at ten, with no tax or price control named.
“Limit the number of homes any legal entity can own to a few, no more than ten.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
An ownership cap is not a tax, price control or socialism as the measure defines them, so it is unclear.
-
Says that if the country can afford to bomb countries abroad it can afford to fund education, without proposing a defence cut.
“if we have enough money to bomb countries on the other side of the world, we have enough money to fully fund the education of every American child”
- By the test I use for votes
- Not clear either way
It compares priorities but names no cut to the defence budget, so it does not settle the measure.
-
Says a strong border is not a slogan and must be built with staffing, technology and capacity.
“A strong border is not a slogan”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing a staffed and functioning border follows the with side.
-
Says enforcement should go to criminals and traffickers, not to raids on workplaces and farms.
“not on terrorizing farms, raiding workplaces, or separating children from parents who came here to work and contribute”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Opposing workplace raids and family separations follows the against side (opposing ICE style enforcement).
Matt Loesby, on the record
I have no votes in Congress to count for Loesby, so the grade above comes from this list: what Loesby has said and done on my principles. Each line has its source, and each is marked with the same test I use for votes.
-
Says there should be no cash or weapons for Israel, or for any other country.
“No more cash or weapons for Ukraine, nor for Israel, nor any foreign aid to any country.”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Cutting off weapons to Israel follows the against side.
-
Says there should be no more cash or weapons for Ukraine.
“No more cash or weapons for Ukraine”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Opposing aid to Ukraine follows the against side.
-
Says he opposes any government action, direct or through corporations, to punish people for stating opinions.
“I oppose any action by the government, whether directly or hand-in-glove action through corporations, to punish people for stating opinions, regardless of whether I find those opinions abhorrent.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing government punishment of speech, even through corporations, follows the with side.
-
Says he will fight to abolish the federal estate tax.
“I will fight to abolish the death tax that discourages parents from building wealth to pass on to their descendants.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
A named tax cut follows the with side.
-
Says affirmative action has forced institutions to lower their standards to meet quotas.
“Affirmative action policies have been in place for decades, forcing institutions to lower their standards in order to meet quotas.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Opposing race quotas follows the with side.
-
Says making America a God-fearing country through the force of the state is wrong.
“Some politicians think that America can be made a God-fearing country again through the force of the state. They are wrong.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Rejecting religion enforced by the state follows the with side.
-
Says Congress should cut funding for all overseas military operations.
“discipline the last several presidents' foreign policy by cutting funding for all overseas military operations”
- By the test I use for votes
- Against liberty
Cutting military funding follows the against side.
-
Says he will push to enable mass deportation of illegal immigrants.
“I will push not only to enable the mass deportation of illegal immigrants”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Backing mass deportation follows the with side.
-
Says any uninvited immigrant should be deported to the country they most recently lived in.
“Any uninvited immigrant should be deported to the country they most recently called home.”
- By the test I use for votes
- With liberty
Deporting those who enter without permission follows the with side.
Who is on the ballot: the state election offices, as listed on Wikipedia on November 3, 2026, checked against the candidate file of the Federal Election Commission. Race rating: the Cook Political Report, November 2, 2026. See a name that is wrong or missing? Say so in the discussion.
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Idaho Senate
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