Benjamin Chafetz

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Benjamin Chafetz

Republican Party

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

High school

Winston Churchill High School

Bachelor's

Boise State University, 2018

Personal

Birthplace

Silver Spring, Md.

Religion

Christian

Profession

Engineer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Campaign Twitter

Personal Facebook

Personal Twitter

Benjamin Chafetz (Republican Party) ran for election to the Idaho State Senate to represent District 17. He lost in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Benjamin Chafetz was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He earned a high school diploma from Winston Churchill High School, a bachelor's degree from Western Carolina University in 2011, and a bachelor's degree from Boise State University in 2018. His career experience includes working as an engineer. Benjamin Chafetz has been affiliated with Micron Employees for Religious Freedom.

Elections

2024

See also: Idaho State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Idaho State Senate District 17

Incumbent Carrie Semmelroth defeated Benjamin Chafetz in the general election for Idaho State Senate District 17 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carrie Semmelroth (D)	57.3	13,250
		Benjamin Chafetz (R)	42.7	9,879

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 23,129
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Idaho State Senate District 17

Incumbent Carrie Semmelroth advanced from the Democratic primary for Idaho State Senate District 17 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carrie Semmelroth	100.0	1,368

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,368
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 17

Benjamin Chafetz advanced from the Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 17 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Benjamin Chafetz	100.0	2,185

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 2,185
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Chafetz in this election.

Pledges

Chafetz signed the following pledges.

• U.S. Term Limits

2022

See also: Idaho State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Idaho State Senate District 17

Incumbent Carrie Semmelroth defeated Benjamin Chafetz in the general election for Idaho State Senate District 17 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carrie Semmelroth (D)	59.8	10,094
		Benjamin Chafetz (R)	40.2	6,790

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 16,884
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Idaho State Senate District 17

Incumbent Carrie Semmelroth advanced from the Democratic primary for Idaho State Senate District 17 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carrie Semmelroth	100.0	1,704

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,704
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 17

Benjamin Chafetz advanced from the Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 17 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Benjamin Chafetz	100.0	3,549

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 3,549
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Benjamin Chafetz did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

2022

Benjamin Chafetz completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Chafetz's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a firm believer that it is a privilege to become a civil servant. I am seeking to win this seat because I believe that it is important to keep Idaho for future generations. I love this state and will do everything in my power to preserve the freedom and prosperity that this state has offered myself and my family. I will endeavor to always be open and transparent with the constituents of District 17. It is important to me that we make sure the state legislature is always accessible and representative of the people they serve. Finally, I will make every effort to stem spending and higher taxation if elected to the senate. As a public servant, I will never forget that it is not just my money that is being spent and will always try to be responsible with it at every turn.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Freedom and independence are essential to a functioning state. What has transpired for the past two years should never have been endured by free people. I will be a voice for those that believe that their bodies are their own. For people that choose to engage in whatever actions or behaviors they desire with respect to their own person.
• I will fight wasteful spending and excessive taxation. Idaho families have experienced massive tax increases in the past few years. If we curb spending we can certainly cut taxes.
• Housing. We need to find new ways to make sure that Idaho families can see their children afford to stay in Idaho. "Affordable housing" is not affordable, nor has it ever made the housing market more stable. Let's find ways together to do that, one of which could be further de-regulation of businesses in Idaho to foster higher wages and more entrepreneurs. Small businesses can absolutely bring about job growth and prosperity for all. Let's help them grow.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

One area of public policy I am personally passionate about is getting the government out of people's way. I believe that Americans, especially Idahoans, should have the right to manage their property, and or charge (excluding abuse), as they see fit up to the line of infringing on another person's property and or charge. This to me is the very definition of freedom. The Idaho legislature is here to serve the people, manage disputes, and to enforce the laws that Idahoans want for themselves. This issue is what I am most passionate about and, if elected, it will be a guiding principle for me. James Madison once said, "I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents." I live by this quote and whenever a bill comes to the floor I will measure it by what he said.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to James Madison because I believe his writings and research are what led to the greatest country in the world.

I also look up to Dinesh D'Souza and Jordan Peterson for their individual abilities to reason, research, and convey information in a highly cohesive and thoughtful manner.

My parents for providing me with much-needed guidance at times and thoughtful criticisms when I needed to be brought back in line. My parents are amazing people who are fun, caring, and highly generous. I am inspired to provide their approach to parenting to my son who will be born this fall.

There are many more who I could name but these names stood out when I read this question.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Dinesh D'Souza put my political philosophy in perspective in a 6 minute video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEM4NKXK-iA

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Remembering that they are a public servant and that they are there to listen and serve at the people's will, not their own.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Honesty, Strength of character, and Accountability to God and my family. Also, I love Idaho and want to keep it for my family. I know what it's like to live elsewhere and I never want to leave this state again.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe the core responsibilities of someone elected to office are to serve their constituents and keep the government from interfering in their lives.

What legacy would you like to leave?

When I leave office, I want to know that when people examine my tenure, that people see I fought to preserve and expand freedom and individual sovereignty.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first major political/historical event I can remember is Bill Clinton's impeachment. I had just turned 11 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

For my first job, I worked for my father's company copying video tapes and recording test scores into a database.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Ender's Game is probably my favorite book. I enjoyed the adventure of it, the way I related to the main character, and the journey he went on. I have also met the author and found him to be very insightful and a wonderful teacher.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Captain America. His sense of integrity and honor is second to none. Big Steve Rogers fan.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I love my Truck.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

My biggest struggle I would say is to determine who the good guys were in government. It took me a while but in 2011 when I watched a video of Dinesh D'Souza articulating the dangers of government interfering in transactions between two individuals or parties. He explained how government intervention will inevitably strip the virtue out of any transaction. This moment helped me to understand why free "anything" was not necessarily free nor virtuous. That struggle had a profound impact on my life and allowed me to determine when someone was acting in the interest of the people and when they were not.

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The governor should endeavor to execute the law and allow the legislature to create law. Neither should ever encroach upon the other.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The economy and the eventual housing market crash, are two of the greatest issues that I expect Idaho will face in the next decade.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

This is not something I have researched at this time, but from what I understand, it was Benjamin Franklin who suggested that all financial legislation would come from the US House in order to keep the states from taking advantage of each other. I think this was a brilliant solution at the time, and I see no reason why that should change. That being said, I am open to learning more.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think that experience breeds wisdom but there are two sides to this coin. Tenure can often breed complacency and or corruption. I believe that corruption is still alive and well and it should be fought. As soon as a legislator forgets that he or she is a public servant, they should leave office. That being said there are plenty of lessons learned that novices to office are very green on, ie diplomacy and that is something that should be fostered.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

Absolutely, relationships are how we are able to perceive other perspectives beyond our own. If we can ascertain a person's motivations and understand their intentions perhaps we can find more solutions to problems we just haven't thought of yet together.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

I don't know enough about this issue to comment intelligently but would be open to hearing ideas on the best method moving forward.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

I would want to be a part of the "state affairs" committee.

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

I believe Ron Nate has always acted in the interest of his constituents and I would like to emulate him in that regard.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

Perhaps. I haven't held this position yet, so I can't say for certain.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

I have heard from many people in my district already that they are furious over property tax increases and the fact that their children cannot afford a home. This is why I am making it a priority to address this issue if I am elected.

Tell us your favorite joke.

When Chuck Norris jumps in the water, he doesn't get splashed. The water gets Chuck Norrised.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

In the case of an emergency, yes they should. That being said they should also absolutely oversee the use of those powers.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

I believe that in order to achieve the best outcomes for the constituents of Idaho, it is imperative that we have people in office that can be "bridge builders" and find new solutions to complex problems.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Benjamin Chafetz campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Idaho State Senate District 17	Lost general	$0	$0
2022	Idaho State Senate District 17	Lost general	$32,866	$32,616
Grand total			$32,866	$32,616
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Idaho State Senate District 17

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Idaho State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Lori Den Hartog

Minority Leader:Melissa Wintrow

Senators

District 1

Jim Woodward (R)

District 2

Phil Hart (R)

District 3

Doug Okuniewicz (R)

District 4

Ben Toews (R)

District 5

Carl Bjerke (R)

District 6

Dan Foreman (R)

District 7

Cindy Carlson (R)

District 8

Christy Zito (R)

District 9

Brandon Shippy (R)

District 10

Tammy Nichols (R)

District 11

Camille Blaylock (R)

District 12

Ben Adams (R)

District 13

Brian Lenney (R)

District 14

C. Scott Grow (R)

District 15

Codi Galloway (R)

District 16

Alison Rabe (D)

District 17

Carrie Semmelroth (D)

District 18

Janie Ward-Engelking (D)

District 19

Melissa Wintrow (D)

District 20

Josh Keyser (R)

District 21

Treg Bernt (R)

District 22

Lori Den Hartog (R)

District 23

Todd Lakey (R)

District 24

Glenneda Zuiderveld (R)

District 25

Josh Kohl (R)

District 26

Ron Taylor (D)

District 27

Kelly Anthon (R)

District 28

Jim Guthrie (R)

District 29

James Ruchti (D)

District 30

Julie VanOrden (R)

District 31

Van Burtenshaw (R)

District 32

Kevin Cook (R)

District 33

David Lent (R)

District 34

Doug Ricks (R)

District 35

Mark Harris (R)

Republican Party (29)

Democratic Party (6)