2018 Idaho gubernatorial election

The 2018 Idaho gubernatorial election took place on November 6 to elect the next governor of Idaho. Incumbent Republican Governor Butch Otter chose not to run for a fourth term,[1] and the state's primaries were held on May 15.[2]

2018 Idaho gubernatorial election

November 6, 2018

Nominee Brad Little Paulette Jordan Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 361,661 231,081 Percentage 59.8% 38.2%

County Results Little:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Jordan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Butch Otter Republican Elected Governor Brad Little Republican

Former state representative Paulette Jordan was the Democratic Party's nominee. She was the first Democratic nominee from northern Idaho since Cecil Andrus, who was first elected governor in 1970.[3]

Jordan lost to incumbent lieutenant governor Brad Little by 21 percentage points, for a seventh consecutive Republican victory.

A record 605,131 votes were cast for governor in 2018, a 37.6% increase over the previous election in 2014 (439,830 votes). The previous high was 452,535 votes in 2010.

In addition, the Democratic ticket of Paulette Jordan and Kristin Collum became the one of the first two tickets to have two women on it. The other was Hawaii's 2018 Republican nominees for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Andria Tupola and Marissa Kerns.

Republican primary

Candidates

Declared

• Tommy Ahlquist, businessman and former emergency physician[4]
• Harley Brown, perennial candidate[5]
• Dalton Cannady[5]
• Raúl Labrador, U.S. Representative[6][7]
• Brad Little, Lieutenant Governor of Idaho[8]
• Lisa Marie, perennial candidate[9]
• Steve Pankey, Constitution nominee for governor in 2014[9]

Withdrew

• Troy Minton, activist (running as a Democrat)[9]
• Russ Fulcher, former state senator and candidate for governor in 2014[10] (running for ID-01[11])

Declined

• Butch Otter, incumbent governor[1]
• Lori Otter, First Lady of Idaho[12]
• Lawrence Wasden, Idaho Attorney General (running for reelection)[13]

Endorsements

Tommy Ahlquist

U.S. Governors (current and former) Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and Republican nominee for President of the United States in 2012[14] Republican National Committee members Damond Watkins, Idaho Republican Party National Committeeman[15] Mayors Michael Barrett, Mayor of Challis, Idaho[5] Steve Bateman, Mayor of Nezperce, Idaho[5] Tammy de Weerd - Mayor of Meridian, Idaho[16] Kevin England, Mayor of Chubbuck, Idaho[5][17] Kip McGillivray, Mayor of Osburn, Idaho[5] Jason Richardson, Mayor of Rigby, Idaho[5] Darin Taylor, Mayor of Middleton, Idaho[5] Pete Weir, Mayor of Hagerman, Idaho[5] Individuals Charlie Kirk, founder and executive director of Turning Point USA[18] Candace Owens, communications director for Turning Point USA[18] Celebrities Kristin Armstrong, Olympic gold medalist[19]

Raúl Labrador

U.S. Senators Kentucky: Rand Paul[20] Texas: Ted Cruz[21] State legislators (current and former) Idaho State Senators: Cliff Bayer, Lori Den Hartog, Dean Mortimer, Tony Potts, Mary Souza, Steve Vick Idaho State Representatives: Vito Barbieri, Judy Boyle, Greg Chaney, Don Cheatham, Brent Crane, Gayann DeMordaunt, Sage Dixon, Barbara Ehardt, Terry Gestrin, Karey Hanks, Steve Harris, Mike Kingsley, Lynn Luker, Ron Mendive, Jason Monks, Dorothy Moon, Ron Nate, Joe Palmer, Heather Scott, Paul Shepherd, Thyra Stevenson, John Vander Woude, Christy Zito, Bryan Zollinger Former Idaho State Senators: Rod Beck,[22] Sheryl Nuxoll Former Idaho State Representatives: Ken Andrus,[23] Gayle Batt, Reed DeMordaunt, Steve Kren, Kathleen Sims, JoAn Wood Individuals Tyler Ricks, Idaho Young Republicans Treasurer and Ada GOP Precinct Committeeman David Bossie, deputy campaign manager for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign[24] Dick Heller[25] Political Action Committees Protect Freedom PAC [20] Trade Associations Inland Pacific Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors (IPC-ABC) [26] Organizations Idaho Chooses Life[27] Family Policy Alliance of Idaho[28]

Brad Little

U.S. Governors (current and former) Butch Otter, Governor of Idaho[29] Phil Batt, former Governor of Idaho[30] U.S. Senators Idaho: Jim Risch (also former Governor of Idaho)[31] U.S. Representatives Idaho: Mike Simpson Statewide elected officials (current and former) Jack Riggs, former Lieutenant Governor of Idaho[32] Brandon Woolf, Idaho State Controller Ben Ysursa, former secretary of state of Idaho State legislators (current and former) Scott Bedke, Speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives Brent Hill, President Pro Tempore of the Idaho Senate Idaho State Senators:Patti Anne Lodge[33] and Jeff Siddoway Idaho State Representatives: Megan Blanksma,[33] Stephen Hartgen,[34] Ryan Kerby,[35] and Eric Redman Former Idaho State Senators: Denton Darrington[35] and Jim Hammond[33] Former Idaho State Representatives: George Eskridge,[35] Lee Gagner,[33] and Bert Stevenson[35] Newspapers Idaho Mountain Express[36] Times-News[37] The Idaho Press-Tribune[38] Idaho Statesman[39] Organizations Idaho Cattle Association[40] Professional Fire Fighters of Idaho[41] Idaho Associated General Contractors[42] Idaho Loggers PAC[43] Idaho State Dental Association[44] Idaho Realtors[45] Idaho Grain Producers Association[46] Idaho Medical Association[47] National Federation of Independent Business[48]

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Tommy Ahlquist	Raul Labrador	Brad Little	Lisa Marie	Lawrence Wasden*	Other	Undecided
Dan Jones & Associates	February 26 – March 15, 2018	–	–	21%	25%	17%	–	–	6%	31%
Dan Jones & Associates	November 8–15, 2017	619	± 3.9%	14%	17%	21%	4%	4%	5%	36%
Magellan Strategies (R-Labrador)	October 11–12, 2017	714	± 3.7%	21%	37%	23%	–	–	–	19%

*–Denotes candidates who did not enter the race.

Results

Results by county:

Little

•   50–60%
•   40–50%
•   30–40%

Labrador

•   40–50%
•   30–40%

Ahlquist

•   40–50%
•   30–40%

Republican primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Brad Little	72,518	37.3
	Republican	Raúl Labrador	63,460	32.6
	Republican	Tommy Ahlquist	50,977	26.2
	Republican	Lisa Marie	3,390	1.7
	Republican	Steve Pankey	2,701	1.4
	Republican	Harley Brown	874	0.4
	Republican	Dalton Cannady	528	0.3
Total votes			194,448	100.0

Democratic primary

Candidates

Declared

• A.J. Balukoff, businessman, member of the Boise School District board of trustees and nominee for governor in 2014[49]
• Paulette Jordan, former state representative[50]
• Peter Dill, organic farmer and business attorney[5]

Declined

• Michelle Stennett, Minority Leader of the Idaho Senate[51]

Endorsements

A. J. Balukoff

U.S. Representatives (current and former) Idaho: Larry LaRocco, Walt Minnick, and Richard Stallings[52] Statewide officials (current and former) Betty Richardson, former U.S. Attorney for Idaho[52] Cathy Silak, former Idaho Supreme Court Justice[53] State legislators (current and former) Mat Erpelding, Idaho House Minority Leader[54] Idaho State Senators: Cherie Buckner-Webb,[54] Grant Burgoyne,[55] Maryanne Jordan,[56] Mark Nye,[57] and Janie Ward-Engelking,[56] Idaho State Representatives: Sue Chew,[56] Phylis King,[58] Hy Kloc,[59] John McCrostie,[58] Elaine Smith,[52] and Melissa Wintrow[54] Former Idaho State Senators: Ron Beitelspacher,[52] Mike Blackbird,[52] Gail Bray,[60] Mike Burkett,[61] Mary Lou Reed[62] Former Idaho State Representatives: John Rusche (and former House Minority Leader),[63] Liz Chavez,[64] Bill Killen,[65] Donna Pence,[52] Anne Pasley-Stuart,[66] James Ruchti,[52] and Dan Rudolph[67] Democratic National Committee officials (current and former) Jessi Boyer, Idaho National Committeewoman[68] Larry Kenck, former Chairman of the Idaho Democratic Party[52] Local and municiapal officials (current and former) Tom Hearn, Coeur d'Alene School Board Member[69] Elfreda Higgins, Garden City Councilwoman (and former Idaho State Representative)[70] Mike Kennedy, former Coeur d'Alene City Councilman[71] Cari Miller, Lewiston City Councilwoman[72] Kristin Muchow, Board Member of the Greater Boise Auditorium District[72] Beth Oppenheimer, Boise School Board Member[73] Holli Woodings, Boise City Councilwoman (and former state representative)[52] Newspapers Times-News[37] The Idaho Press-Tribune[38] Organizations Conservation Voters for Idaho[74]

Paulette Jordan
State legislators (current and former) Former Idaho State Senators: John Peavey Individuals Cher, singer and actress[75] Chelsea Goana Lincoln[76] Organizations Democracy for America[77] International Union of Painters and Allied Trades[76] Our Revolution[78] Indivisible

Results

Results by county:

Jordan

•   Jordan—80–90%
•   Jordan—70–80%
•   Jordan—60–70%
•   Jordan—50–60%
•   Jordan—40–50%

Jordan/Balukoff tie

•   

Balukoff

•   50–60%
•   60–70%

Democratic primary

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Paulette Jordan	38,483	58.4
	Democratic	A.J. Balukoff	26,403	40.1
	Democratic	Peter Dill	964	1.5
Total votes			65,850	100.0

Independents

Candidates

Declared

• Adam Phillips[9]
• Michael Richardson[5]
• John Thomas Wiechec[9]

General election

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[79]	Solid R	October 26, 2018
The Washington Post[80]	Safe R	November 5, 2018
FiveThirtyEight[81]	Solid R	November 5, 2018
Rothenberg Political Report[82]	Solid R	November 1, 2018
Sabato's Crystal Ball[83]	Safe R	November 5, 2018
RealClearPolitics[84]	Safe R	November 5, 2018
Daily Kos[85]	Safe R	November 5, 2018
Fox News[86][lower-alpha 1]	Likely R	November 5, 2018
Politico[87]	Likely R	November 5, 2018
Governing[88]	Safe R	November 5, 2018

Notes

1. The Fox News Midterm Power Rankings uniquely does not contain a category for Safe/Solid races

Debates

Dates	Location	Little	Jordan	Link
October 15, 2018	Boise, Idaho	Participant	Participant	Full debate - C-SPAN

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Brad Little (R)	Paulette Jordan (D)	Bev Boeck (L)	Other	Undecided
Change Research	November 2–4, 2018	838	–	55%	39%	3%	2%[89]	–
Clarity Campaign Labs (D-Idaho Voices for Change Now)	August 2–5, 2018	826	± 3.2%	36%	28%	–	5%	31%
Clarity Campaign Labs (D-Idaho Voices for Change Now)	July 12–15, 2018	1,061	± 2.8%	38%	28%	–	7%	26%
Dan Jones & Associates	June 22 – July 9, 2018	606	± 4.0%	43%	31%	5%	8%[90]	13%

Results

Idaho gubernatorial election, 2018

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Brad Little	361,661	59.76%	+6.24%
	Democratic	Paulette Jordan	231,081	38.19%	-0.36%
	Libertarian	Bev "Angel" Boeck	6,551	1.08%	-2.99%
	Constitution	Walter L. Bayes	5,787	0.96%	-0.23%
	Independent	Lisa Marie (write-in)	51	0.0%	N/A
Total votes			605,131	100.00%	N/A
	Republican hold

See also

• Idaho lieutenant gubernatorial primary election, 2018

References

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19. Price, Mike (September 26, 2017). "Olympic gold medalist visits Idaho Falls to campaign for Ahlquist". East Idaho News.
20. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/idaho/articles/2017-11-01/labrador-attracts-endorsements-in-idahos-gubernatorial-race
21. Russell, Betsy Z. (November 1, 2017). "Labrador announces Ted Cruz is endorsing him for governor of Idaho in '18". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved November 2, 2017.
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75. Locher, John (January 24, 2018). "Cher endorses Paulette Jordan for Idaho governor". Moscow-Pullman Daily News. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
76. "Who's With Paulette? - Jordan for Governor". Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
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85. "Daily Kos Elections 2018 race ratings". Daily Kos. June 5, 2018.
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88. "2018 Governor Elections: As November Nears, More Governors' Races Become Tossups". www.governing.com. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
89. Walter Bayes with 2%
90. Walter Bayes (C) with 3%, someone else with 5%

External links

• Candidates at Vote Smart
• Candidates at Ballotpedia

Debates

• GOP Debate

Official campaign websites

• Paulette Jordan (D) for Governor
• Brad Little (R) for Governor