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Nov 3, 2026

Idaho - United States Senate

Four-term Sen. Jim Risch faces an independent Army veteran in a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1974.

JR
Jim Risch
Republican · Age 83 · Incumbent

Chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; seeking a fourth term with Trump's endorsement.

Campaign website →
TA
Todd Achilles
Independent · Age 58

Army veteran and former Idaho legislator running as an independent to break the two-party grip.

Campaign website →
DR
David Roth
Democrat · Age 45

Idaho Falls realtor running for Senate a second time after losing to Mike Crapo in 2022.

Ballotpedia profile →
Who's ahead? CookSOLID RSabatoSAFE RDDHQSAFE R
Ratings: Cook Political Report (Aug 20), Sabato’s Crystal Ball (Aug 26), Decision Desk HQ (Aug 5). Source →

No neutral public poll of the three-way general election has been released. Nonpartisan race raters — Cook Political Report, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and Inside Elections — all classify this seat as Safe/Solid Republican.

See Cook Political Report's Senate ratings → As of July 2026

Where they stand

Tap a topic that's important to you.

RISCH SAYS
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ACHILLES SAYS
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ROTH SAYS
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Money & campaign finance

Where each candidate stands on campaign-finance questions.

RISCH
ACHILLES
ROTH
Ban Congress from trading stocks Unknown Yes Unknown
Takes corporate PAC money Yes No Unknown
Fundraising
RAISEDCASH ON HANDUNDER-$200 DONORS
Jim Risch
$3.4M$3.5M4% of receipts
Todd Achilles
$692K$194K17% of receipts
David Roth
$15K$27940% of receipts

Campaign committee totals for the 2025–26 cycle, through June 30, 2026. Under-$200 share is unitemized individual contributions divided by total receipts. FEC filings →

Their big promises

RISCH'S TOP 3
Back the Trump agenda
Keep working with the president to "get government out of the way."
Lead on national security
Use the Foreign Relations chairmanship to project strength abroad.
Defend Idaho water & ranching
Protect water rights and grazing from federal overreach.
ACHILLES' TOP 3
Break the two-party grip
Join other independents as a "fulcrum caucus" denying either party full control.
Take on monopolies
Challenge corporate consolidation that squeezes Idaho farmers and families.
Rein in the national debt
Says both parties keep adding trillions and someone has to stop it.
ROTH'S TOP 3
Lower everyday costs
Cheaper prescriptions, childcare, and groceries for working Idahoans.
Defend public education
Keep public dollars in public schools.
Keep public lands public
Oppose selling off the lands Idahoans hunt, fish, and hike on.

Agree or differ?

Idaho National Laboratory & nuclear energy
All three back INL's expansion and Idaho's role in next-generation nuclear power
AGREE
Wildfire & forest management funding
All three call for more resources to fight and prevent wildfires across Idaho's forests
AGREE
Broad tariffs & farm exports
Risch defends the administration's tariff strategy · Achilles and Roth say trade wars cost Idaho farmers their export markets
DIFFER
Term & age limits for Congress
A centerpiece for Achilles, who notes Risch is among the Senate's oldest members · Risch, 83, is seeking a fourth term
DIFFER
Town halls & open debates
Achilles has held events in all 44 counties and is demanding debates · Risch hasn't held an open town hall since joining the Senate in 2009
DIFFER
Positions summarized from campaign websites, voting records, and news reports · July 2026
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