Idaho Senator Jim Risch secures fourth term with 56.5 percent of vote
The incumbent defeated three challengers after the Democratic nominee dropped out in July.
By Sarah Montgomery ·
Senator Jim Risch has won re-election to a fourth term representing Idaho. With 97 percent of the total votes counted as of Tuesday, the Associated Press reported that Risch received 391,395 votes. This accounted for 56.5 percent of the total vote in the race.
Three challengers faced the incumbent in the general election. Independent candidate Todd Achilles finished second with 33.6 percent of the vote. Independent candidate Natalie Fleming received 7 percent of the vote, while Libertarian candidate Matt Loesby garnered 2.9 percent.
President Donald Trump endorsed Risch throughout the campaign. The President stated on Truth Social that the senator is doing a tremendous job. Risch, who is 83 years old, has served in the Senate since 2009.
The senator’s legislative work has centered on natural resource management, forestry policy, and water infrastructure development. As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he helped author the bipartisan Strategic Competition Act regarding national security strategy in Asia. He also backed Senate approval for NATO expansion and supported defense initiatives following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The race changed shape in late July when Democrat David Roth withdrew from the contest. Roth had won the Democratic primary in May with approximately 62 percent of the vote. In a statement on his campaign website, Roth said he entered the race because he believes deeply in what Democrats are fighting for across Idaho. He noted that a full week of work should be enough to pay the bills and that every family deserves affordable healthcare.
Roth added that government should protect freedoms rather than dictate what books people can read, who they can love, or how they live. He concluded that he can make the greatest difference by focusing his time and energy on helping Democrats win up and down the ballot and in communities across Idaho.
The final vote count will confirm Risch’s victory. The results reflect the final standing of the candidates following Roth's departure from the ballot.
