Voters cast their ballots in the general election on Nov. 3, 2026, at the Calvary Baptist Church in Boise. In Idaho, a Republican stronghold, the closest Democrat in this year’s election to securing a seat in Congress or statewide office was 11 points behind. The candidate, Ellie Gilbreath, was trying to stop Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson’s bid for reelection to a 15th term.
Across the country last week, Democrats secured control of both chambers of Congress, won governorships in most states and made headway in state legislatures. Amid national blue wave, Idaho Democrats gain six legislative seats – flipping competitive districts.
But by the time the national blue wave – or tsunami, as some are calling it – hit Idaho, the tide had turned it into a ripple. Idaho Democrats made modest gains. They swept full control of three legislative districts, gaining six more legislative seats, a shift that does little to chip away at Republicans’ supermajority control of the Legislature.
And a closer look at election results shows that across the board, Democrats captured slightly more votes against Republican incumbents in statewide office and congress, who easily won reelection. But in all of those races, Democratic victory was still far off. No Democrat has won a statewide office in the state since 2002, and the last Democratic congressman in Idaho served in 2010.
If Democrats want to upset decades of Idaho political history by winning a top of the ticket race, they have a long way to go. On average, Democrats gained 6 points of the vote share in federal and state races compared to the last time those offices were up for election. Still, Idaho Democrats this year were an average of 27 points behind Republicans, according to an analysis of election results by the Idaho Capital Sun.
Boise State University political scientist Jaclyn Kettler wasn’t surprised that the blue wave didn’t carry Democrats through in Idaho. “Idaho is a solidly Republican state. We don’t tend to see too many competitive races” in the general election for statewide races, she said in an interview. “ … It’s just solid enough Republican that it’s hard for even a blue wave in other areas of the country to have too much influence, especially for those statewide races.”
The Idaho Democratic Party also boasted another gain: Democrats got more of the vote in 67 legislative races than they did in 2024. This year’s election results are unofficial until they are certified by the State Board of Canvassers, which meets Nov. 24.
Idaho Democratic Party leader says the state saw a blue wave. Republican leader says state fended it off.
Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea said the state did indeed see a blue wave. “We’re a red state, where it looks different,” she said, adding that many conservatives had moved into the state in recent years. Democrats, she said, reached out to many voters and it shows. “We were able to be specific about what we wanted to do as we campaigned. And I think voters are getting tired of the culture war rhetoric that Republicans rely on, and they’re looking for more common sense solutions to their everyday challenges. That’s where we were. We met voters where they were,” Necochea said.
Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon said she
