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Among the six states that will hold primaries on Tuesday is the red state of Idaho, which is located in the northwest, near the border of the United States and Canada.
Republican government facts are well established. Not since 1974 has it sent a Democrat to the US Senate.
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The last Democrat elected to federal office was in 2008 – and that politician, US Representative Walt Minnick, served only one term.
But his red-hot streak makes Tuesday’s race even more important for the state. The winner on the Republican side is expected to win the November election.
However, this vote is expected to serve as a catalyst for the future of the Republican Party under the leadership of President Donald Trump.
Most of the state’s Republican primaries are contests between conservatives and hardliners. Here’s what you need to know about Tuesday’s vote:
When will the polls open?
Voting will be open from 8am to 8pm local time (14:00 GMT on May 19 to 02:00 GMT on May 20).
What roles can be taken?
Idaho is an agricultural state, with a population of just over 2 million people.
This means that it has only two members in the US House of Representatives, which distributes its 435 seats among the states according to the number of residents.
Both of Idaho’s House seats will be up for grabs, as well as Idaho’s one seat in the US Senate.
In the states, several positions will be on the ballot, especially the office of governor.
Who is running for governor?
Many Idaho races are creating contests between incumbents and challengers who want to push state politics to the right.
That’s the case for Gov. Brad Little, a 72-year-old rancher seeking a third term as Idaho’s chief executive.
In Tuesday’s Republican primary, Mr. Little will face seven other candidates, though none are well-known and only one — Ron James, the county commissioner — is the nominee.
Mark Fitzpatrick, a retired police officer, business owner and self-proclaimed “militant brat”, appears to be strongly opposed to Mr Little. He has given money to other Republican challengers and asked for federal warrants to oust the governor.
Fitzpatrick’s platform appears to be more robust than Little’s. He has accused the governor of being a “criminal” for allowing “illegal immigration” on his watch, and last year, organized a “Hetero Awesomeness Fest” in response to LGBTQ Pride events.
In the Democratic primary, four people are competing for the party’s nomination. Of the group, former state defender Terri Pickens is the top earner, outscoring her rivals by double digits.
Who is running for Idaho House seats?
Idaho has two union territories: one that runs from the Canadian border down the western part of the state, and the other that hugs the southeast corner, including the capital, Boise.
The western region is known as Idaho’s first district, and is currently represented by Republican Russ Fulcher, a businessman.
He is facing two opponents in the first season, although he has not reported much contribution to the campaign at the Federal Election Commission (FEC) since April 29.
Kaylee Peterson, meanwhile, had a chance to raise more money by entering May’s Democratic primary in the same state.
In Idaho’s second congressional district, Mike Simpson, a former dentist, is seeking a 15th term as a US representative. This 75-year-old man has been doing this job since 1999.
Simpson has spent more than $600,000 on the campaign so far, according to the Idaho Capital Sun.
Only one of his opponents, Perry Shumway, raised enough money to report his money to the FEC. He had $5,291.98 at the end of April.
In the second round of the Democratic primary, Ellie Gilbreath is running unopposed because her only competitor has dropped out of the race, according to her website.
What about the Senate primary?
Former Idaho Governor Jim Risch is seeking a fourth term in the Senate in the midterms.
In January, Risch received an endorsement from Trump, who called the Idaho politician one of his “strongest supporters” in the Senate.
Risch is facing a problem. The Republican primary for his seat has seen more money than most other races in the state.
But as with other brands, the chest of this campaign has surpassed three competitors. His political committee (PAC) has spent more than $1m, more money than his closest rival, Josh Roy, who logged $23,500, according to the latest FEC numbers.
Of the three Democratic candidates, only David Roth gave more than $5,000 to the FEC during the last reporting period.
Roth, a non-profit activist, became known as Idaho’s first openly gay elected official.
Why is this competition important?
In recent years, Idaho’s primary races have revealed a split in the Republican Party, between traditionalists and right-wing contenders.
Trump has drawn himself into other races, making the primaries a test for the party.
For example, in Idaho’s last gubernatorial primaries in 2022, Governor Little faced challenges from his Trump-endorsed governor, Janice McGeachin.
At the time, Little had angered Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) group by maintaining some of the COVID-19 restrictions.
McGeachen opposed the surveillance, and when Little left office in 2021, he used his position as lieutenant governor to sign a bill banning the masks.
He gradually lifted the rule after his return, and started the first race.
Despite Trump’s endorsement of McGeachin, Little won the 2022 race, but the governor has done little to challenge Trump in recent years.
In 2025, he also signed a bill, passed by the Idaho legislature, banning masks. The move was one of several that helped the incumbent win Trump’s endorsement this time around.
Candidates for Idaho House and Senate seats have also received Trump’s endorsement.
This may mean there are fewer surprises on the first day. As Kevin Richert, writing for Idaho Education News, put it: “Idaho’s primary election could be a nightmare.”
Not doing well? Why independents can upset established winners
Not since 1995 has Idaho seen a Democratic governor. But that doesn’t mean the Republican front-runner has a clear victory in the November midterms.
After the primaries are over, the Democratic and Republican gubernatorial nominees will face off against John Stegner in the general election.
The former Idaho Supreme Court justice is running as an independent and, as a result, will not appear on any primary ballots.
His campaign seems to be gaining momentum. Stegner raised eyebrows in March by raising more in three months than the top Democratic leader had in two years.
But it’s not the only brand involved in independent advertising. Senator Jim Risch may face another independent candidate, former state Rep. Todd Achilles, on the November ballot.
Achilles has been raising money fast. He also released a survey showing that he could defeat Mr. Risch, although the validity of this survey is being questioned because it was sponsored by the Achilles campaign.
