Two Republican Money Networks Fought Over Idaho's 2026 Primaries

The two networks

The networks differ in shape. Network A is concentrated: three committees did nearly all of its independent spending, and two county Republican central committees in North Idaho (Bonner and Kootenai) fall in with it. Network B is broad: a handful of independent-expenditure committees plus a long list of business, farm, health care and public-safety PACs that mostly wrote checks to incumbents. Only Network B spent heavily against sitting legislators — $457,443 by its core spenders, led by Defend and Protect Idaho.

Who funds them

Legislators who fund the networks

Sitting legislators who gave $250 or more to a core spender, from campaign accounts or personal checks:

• Jordan Redman (R) → 36-18-1 Inc. Political Action Committee · personalNetwork A$555,455
• Jordan Redman (R) → Idaho Summit PAC · personalNetwork A$15,000
• Wendy Horman (R) → Idaho Summit PAC · campaign accountNetwork A$14,444
• Josh Tanner (R) → Idaho Summit PAC · personalNetwork A$11,000
• Van Burtenshaw (R) → Hometown Heroes · campaign accountNetwork B$5,000
• Josh Wheeler (R) → PAC for Public Lands · personalNetwork B$5,000
• Clay Handy (R) → Defend and Protect Idaho · personalNetwork B$2,500
• Britt Raybould (R) → Hometown Heroes · personalNetwork B$2,500
• Lance Clow (R) → Defend and Protect Idaho · personalNetwork B$782
• Cindy Carlson (R) → Idaho REALTORS PAC · personalNetwork B$500
• Monica Church (D) → PAC for Public Lands · personalNetwork B$250

Personal checks are filed as individual contributions and matched to legislators by name. A gift to a committee isn't earmarked for any race.

The vendors behind each network

Campaign firms Idaho filers paid for management, ads, polling and mail, counting each network's committees and the candidates its core spenders backed. Several firms worked for one side only.

Large print and mail shops worked for both sides: International Minute Press, Alphagraphics, ESP Print and Mail, Sandhill Media, Caldwell Perspective. Paying the same vendor shows a business relationship, not coordination. Every vendor is listed on the campaign vendors page.

Where they collided

The 27races where the networks backed different candidates, with what each network's core spenders put in (for its pick plus against the rival). Network A's pick won 10; Network B's won 17. Network A's picks unseated 2 sitting legislators; Network B's unseated 6.

Core spenders only. Direct contributions from the other aligned committees aren't included in these columns. Each candidate's page has the full list of who spent for and against them.

Legislators who funded challengers to colleagues

Beyond the PACs, 24 sitting legislators gave directly — $18,656 in all — to candidates challenging a fellow sitting legislator of their own party in the primary.

• Heather Scott (R) — Jane Sauter vs. Mark Sauter ($100); James Floyd Lamborn vs. Richard Cheatum ($100); Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($100); Karey Hanks vs. Rod Furniss ($100); Kelly Golden vs. Stephanie Mickelsen ($100); Chad Christensen vs. Michael Veile ($100)
• Tammy Nichols (R) — Jane Sauter vs. Mark Sauter ($104); James Floyd Lamborn vs. Richard Cheatum ($100); Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($100); Karey Hanks vs. Rod Furniss ($100); Kelly Golden vs. Stephanie Mickelsen ($100); Chad Christensen vs. Michael Veile ($100)
• Ben Toews (R) — Jane Sauter vs. Mark Sauter ($521); William E Mostoller vs. Steve Miller ($500); Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($500); Kelly Golden vs. Stephanie Mickelsen ($500); Brian McKellar vs. Erin Bingham ($500)
• Tony Wisniewski (R) — Scott Herndon vs. Jim Woodward ($30); David Worley vs. Jim Guthrie ($1,000); William E Mostoller vs. Steve Miller ($500); Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($1,000); Chad Christensen vs. Michael Veile ($500)
• Dale Hawkins (R) — David Worley vs. Jim Guthrie ($100); William E Mostoller vs. Steve Miller ($100); Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($100)
• Steve Tanner (R) — Scott Herndon vs. Jim Woodward ($200); David Worley vs. Jim Guthrie ($100); Jane Sauter vs. Mark Sauter ($150)
• Britt Raybould (R) — Melissa Durrant vs. Chris Bruce ($1,000); Alexandra Caval vs. Clint Hostetler ($1,000)
• Don Hall (R) — Casey Swensen vs. Josh Kohl ($1,000); Alexandra Caval vs. Clint Hostetler ($500)
• Glenneda Zuiderveld (R) — William E Mostoller vs. Steve Miller ($1,000); James Floyd Lamborn vs. Richard Cheatum ($100)
• Ben Adams (R) — Dan Foreman vs. Lori McCann ($500)
• Brent Crane (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($500)
• Bruce Skaug (R) — Jane Sauter vs. Mark Sauter ($250)
• Carl Bjerke (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($400)
• Clint Hostetler (R) — William E Mostoller vs. Steve Miller ($500)
• Codi Galloway (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($250)
• Joe Palmer (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($500)
• John Vander Woude (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($750)
• Kelly Anthon (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($200)
• Lori Den Hartog (R) — Dan Foreman vs. Lori McCann ($500)
• Lucas Cayler (R) — Kelly Golden vs. Stephanie Mickelsen ($100)
• Mark Harris (R) — Dan Foreman vs. Lori McCann ($500)
• Ted Hill (R) — Julianne Young vs. Ben Fuhriman ($500)
• Todd Achilles (D) — Lori McCann vs. Daniel Foreman ($500)
• Vito Barbieri (R) — Scott Herndon vs. Jim Woodward ($600)

Some primaries matched two sitting legislators against each other (for example, Sen. Dan Foreman and Rep. Lori McCann in District 6); giving to either counts here.