Idaho's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026

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Idaho's 2nd Congressional District
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: February 27, 2026
Primary: May 19, 2026 General: November 3, 2026
How to vote
Poll times: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voting in Idaho
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Solid Republican DDHQ and The Hill: Pending Inside Elections: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Safe Republican
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2026
See also
Idaho's 2nd Congressional District U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd Idaho elections, 2026 U.S. Congress elections, 2026 U.S. Senate elections, 2026 U.S. House elections, 2026 Alabama U.S. House racesAlaska U.S. House raceArizona U.S. House racesArkansas U.S. House racesCalifornia U.S. House racesColorado U.S. House racesConnecticut U.S. House racesDelaware U.S. House raceFlorida U.S. House racesGeorgia U.S. House racesHawaii U.S. House racesIdaho U.S. House racesIllinois U.S. House racesIndiana U.S. House racesIowa U.S. House racesKansas U.S. House racesKentucky U.S. House racesLouisiana U.S. House racesMaine U.S. House racesMaryland U.S. House racesMassachusetts U.S. House racesMichigan U.S. House racesMinnesota U.S. House racesMississippi U.S. House racesMissouri U.S. House racesMontana U.S. House racesNebraska U.S. House racesNevada U.S. House racesNew Hampshire U.S. House racesNew Jersey U.S. House racesNew Mexico U.S. House racesNew York U.S. House racesNorth Carolina U.S. House racesNorth Dakota U.S. House raceOhio U.S. House racesOklahoma U.S. House racesOregon U.S. House racesPennsylvania U.S. House racesRhode Island U.S. House racesSouth Carolina U.S. House racesSouth Dakota U.S. House raceTennessee U.S. House racesTexas U.S. House racesUtah U.S. House racesVermont U.S. House raceVirginia U.S. House racesWashington U.S. House racesWest Virginia U.S. House racesWisconsin U.S. House racesWyoming U.S. House raceSubmit

All U.S. House districts, including the 2nd Congressional District of Idaho, are holding elections in 2026. The general election is November 3, 2026. To learn more about other elections on the ballot, click here.

Candidates and election results

Note: The following list includes official candidates only. Ballotpedia defines official candidates as people who:

• Register with a federal or state campaign finance agency before the candidate filing deadline
• Appear on candidate lists released by government election agencies

Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.

General election

The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.

General election for U.S. House Idaho District 2

Incumbent Michael K. Simpson, Julie Wiley, Perry Shumway, and Tripp Hutchinson are running in the general election for U.S. House Idaho District 2 on November 3, 2026.

		Candidate
		Michael K. Simpson (R)
		Julie Wiley (D)
		Perry Shumway (R)
	Submit photo	Tripp Hutchinson (Independent)

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined.
= 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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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Keven Lewis (D)

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles that may be created in one of two ways: either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey, or Ballotpedia staff may compile a profile based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements after identifying the candidate as noteworthy. For more on how we select candidates to include, click here.

Perry Shumway

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: None

Submitted Biography:  "Perry Shumway is the Brand Strategy Manager for Madisonhealth in Rexburg, Idaho. The father of nine children, Perry has lived in eastern Idaho for the past 25 years. He earned his Eagle Scout award at age 14, and served in Los Angeles as a Spanish-speaking missionary for his church from 1984 to 1986. Perry earned his MBA from Brigham Young University in 1993, and has worked in various industries since then. In his spare time, Perry enjoys cooking, working in his yard, teaching a classroom of seven-year-olds at church, and solving crossword puzzles."

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Key Messages

To read this candidate's full survey responses, click here.

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I will never vote for legislation which increases our national debt. Ever. This is the single most important issue to me. I will not cave to pressure or coercion on this point. It's the reason I'm running for Congress in the first place. Government spending is America's most egregious problem. Congress has placed us on the brink of potentially disastrous consequences, even though we're not at war, we're not in a recession, and there's no longer a pandemic. There's no excuse for spending beyond our means, yet Congress continues to do that, again and again, year after year. It's time for Idaho to send someone to Congress who won't continue to put us deeper and deeper in the hole.

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The 22nd amendment was ratified in 1951, limiting presidents to two terms in office. Plenty of presidents since then have served for two terms. I'm glad they're not able to keep getting re-elected. Two terms is enough for any president, no matter how popular. People who serve in the US House and the Senate are not similarly restricted. Several congressmen have been in office for 44 years. Idaho's Mike Simpson is in his 25th year. That's just too long. Career politicians like these become enamored with the Washington power elite, and lose their connection to their constituents back home. I support an amendment to the Constitution calling for term limits (12 years) for all members of the House and the Senate.

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Town hall meetings can be scary. Politicians put themselves in front of the public and stand there, open to criticism, debate, protesting, and even the unfortunate potential of physical violence. Across the nation, an increasing number of town hall meetings are being held virtually, on computer screens, without the social interactions that can only occur when people meet in person. I'm committed to transparency, including traveling throughout the district and meeting in person with constituents in their communities, where they live and work. As Idaho's representative in the second congressional district, I will hold a minimum of four in-person town hall meetings each year, for as long as I'm in office.

Voting information

See also: Voting in Idaho

Election information in Idaho: Nov. 3, 2026, election.

What is the voter registration deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 3, 2026
• By mail: Received by Oct. 23, 2026
• Online: Oct. 23, 2026

Is absentee/mail-in voting available to all voters?

N/A

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot request deadline?

• In-person: Oct. 30, 2026
• By mail: Received by Oct. 23, 2026
• Online: Oct. 23, 2026

What is the absentee/mail-in ballot return deadline?

• In-person: Nov. 3, 2026
• By mail: Received by Nov. 3, 2026

Is early voting available to all voters?

Yes

What are the early voting start and end dates?

Oct. 13, 2026 to Oct. 30, 2026

Are all voters required to present ID at the polls? If so, is a photo or non-photo ID required?

N/A

When are polls open on Election Day?

8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (MT/PT)

Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey responses

Ballotpedia asks all federal, state, and local candidates to complete a survey and share what motivates them on political and personal levels. The section below shows responses from candidates in this race who completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Survey responses from candidates in this race

Click on a candidate's name to visit their Ballotpedia page.

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.

Expand all | Collapse all

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?

Perry Shumway (R)

I will never vote for legislation which increases our national debt. Ever.

This is the single most important issue to me. I will not cave to pressure or coercion on this point. It's the reason I'm running for Congress in the first place.

Government spending is America's most egregious problem. Congress has placed us on the brink of potentially disastrous consequences, even though we're not at war, we're not in a recession, and there's no longer a pandemic. There's no excuse for spending beyond our means, yet Congress continues to do that, again and again, year after year.

It's time for Idaho to send someone to Congress who won't continue to put us deeper and deeper in the hole.

The 22nd amendment was ratified in 1951, limiting presidents to two terms in office. Plenty of presidents since then have served for two terms. I'm glad they're not able to keep getting re-elected. Two terms is enough for any president, no matter how popular.

People who serve in the US House and the Senate are not similarly restricted. Several congressmen have been in office for 44 years. Idaho's Mike Simpson is in his 25th year. That's just too long.

Career politicians like these become enamored with the Washington power elite, and lose their connection to their constituents back home.

I support an amendment to the Constitution calling for term limits (12 years) for all members of the House and the Senate.

Town hall meetings can be scary. Politicians put themselves in front of the public and stand there, open to criticism, debate, protesting, and even the unfortunate potential of physical violence.

Across the nation, an increasing number of town hall meetings are being held virtually, on computer screens, without the social interactions that can only occur when people meet in person.

I'm committed to transparency, including traveling throughout the district and meeting in person with constituents in their communities, where they live and work. As Idaho's representative in the second congressional district, I will hold a minimum of four in-person town hall meetings each year, for as long as I'm in office.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Perry Shumway (R)

1. The rule of law. Not just that everyone has to follow the law, but also the idea that many federal agencies and departments are unconstitutional. They are based on a too-broad reading of the "general welfare" and "necessary and proper" clauses of the Constitution, which should be interpreted in a much more restrictive way.

2. The cost of healthcare. The US system is very far removed from a free market system. Government restrictions and regulations permeate all aspects of healthcare. I want to remove them all.

3. Mandatory licensing / certifications. I want to remove the ability of all levels of government to require that anyone be licensed or certified in order to provide some good or service.

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

Perry Shumway (R)

All elected officials must have absolute integrity, total honesty, compassion and understanding, and a commitment to freedom of choice coupled with personal responsibility for one's actions. They should be well informed, reasonable, and open to other's ideas and suggestions, while remaining principled and grounded in the Constitution.

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

Perry Shumway (R)

1. Voting in ways that benefit the American people and uphold the Constitution.

2. Providing oversight and, when necessary, investigations.

3. Assisting constituents with their interactions with federal agencies.

4. Keeping the public informed and up-to-date.

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

Perry Shumway (R)

I delivered a free, weekly newspaper in Stockton, California when I was 10 years old. My only income was from knocking on doors and asking for voluntary contributions from the people to whom I delivered the paper. Some were polite; others told me to get lost. One day, when I was out delivering the papers, I had to use the bathroom so badly, I thought I was going to explode. I started to cry, and my mother, who had dropped me off at my delivery location, picked me up in the family's station wagon and drove me home, so that I could "take care of business." I felt much better after that.

What qualities does the U.S. House of Representatives possess that makes it unique as an institution?

Perry Shumway (R)

Elections are every two years, and members are extremely averse to having their job continuity threatened every other year, so they've invented all manner of mechanisms to protect incumbents, making it virtually impossible for challengers to win. Also, there is very little incentive for members of the House to reduce the size and scope of government. Voters have an expectation that their representatives will "bring home the bacon."

Do you believe that it's beneficial for representatives to have previous experience in government or politics?

Perry Shumway (R)

No. I think that the ones with extensive experience are often the very ones who create such bad legislation. Congress shouldn't be so complicated an institution that regular, everyday citizens with real-life experience can't figure out how things work and make a difference. Instead, drunken with power, members of Congress devise all manner of procedures and rules, designed to reward those who financially contribute to their parties, and who are loyal to the party's leaders. This is a very, very serious problem.

What do you perceive to be the United States’ greatest challenges as a nation over the next decade?

Perry Shumway (R)

Our economic stability hinges precariously on the edge of collapse. Of all of the issues that people love to debate - men competing in women's sports, illegal border crossings, tariffs, military readiness, foreign aid - none of it will matter if our economy implodes. Our national debt now far exceeds our GDP, and it continues to grow without restraint. Many legislators give lip service to the threat; no one ends up doing anything meaningful about it. Our nation is like a child, running across a busy freeway to retrieve a lost toy, and telling his mother that he's safe, because none of the cars that went rushing by hit him. It is the height of irresponsibility to continue on our current path. Any trigger (war, pandemic, recession) could launch us into a downward spiral of extreme unemployment, severe devaluation of the dollar, hyperinflation, the depletion of our retirement savings, and ultimately, riots and violence at unprecedented levels. When compared to this, everything else pales.

Do you believe that two years is the right term length for representatives?

Perry Shumway (R)

Yes. They need to be responsive to the people.

What are your thoughts on term limits?

Perry Shumway (R)

I absolutely support term limits, both for members of the US House of Representatives (6 terms) and for members of the US Senate (2 terms). I would happily vote in favor of an amendment to the Constitution to require this.

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

Perry Shumway (R)

Thomas Massie of Kentucky.

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

Perry Shumway (R)

No. Instead of compromise, we should act with integrity and work on either persuading our co-workers, or leveraging public opinion to accomplish the right thing. Compromise is the very thing which has gotten us into so much trouble in the past. I would prefer for Congress to accomplish nothing, than to continue to act the kind of legislation it has been enacting for decades.

The Constitution says that all bills for raising revenue must originate in the House. What role would this power play in your priorities if elected?

Perry Shumway (R)

I would vote against any revenue-raising bill which added to the national debt. And I would likely vote against most or all other revenue-raising bills, as well. I'm a believer in small government, in a literal sense.

How should the U.S. House use its investigative powers?

Perry Shumway (R)

In a very sparing, non-partisan way. When everyone gets investigated, all the time, and the investigations often mount to little more than political grandstanding on both sides, it's a waste of time, and it dilutes the power and efficacy of the process itself.

What role should the United States government have in the development or use of artificial intelligence?

Perry Shumway (R)

None at all.

What legislation would you enact related to election administration in the United States?

Perry Shumway (R)

None at present.

You can ask candidates in this race to fill out the survey by clicking their names below:

• Michael K. Simpson

Campaign finance

Name	Party	Receipts*	Disbursements**	Cash on hand	Date
Michael K. Simpson	Republican Party	$586,787	$305,985	$386,008	As of September 30, 2025
Julie Wiley	Democratic Party	$11,261	$5,443	$5,818	As of September 30, 2025
Perry Shumway	Republican Party	$600	$426	$174	As of September 30, 2025
Tripp Hutchinson	Independent	$0	$0	$0	Data not available***
Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2026. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). * According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee." ** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election. *** Candidate either did not report any receipts or disbursements to the FEC, or Ballotpedia did not find an FEC candidate ID.

General election race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

• Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
• Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
• Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.
• Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.

Race ratings: Idaho's 2nd Congressional District election, 2026
Race tracker	Race ratings
	12/9/2025	12/2/2025	11/25/2025	11/18/2025
The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Decision Desk HQ and The Hill	Pending	Pending	Pending	Pending
Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican	Solid Republican
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal Ball	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican	Safe Republican
Note: Ballotpedia reviews external race ratings every week throughout the election season and posts weekly updates even if the media outlets have not revised their ratings during that week.

Ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for U.S. House candidates in Idaho in the 2026 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in Idaho, click here.

Filing requirements for U.S. House candidates, 2026
State	Office	Party	Signatures required	Filing fee	Filing deadline	Source
Idaho	U.S. House	Ballot-qualified party	500	$300	2/27/2026	Source
Idaho	U.S. House	Unaffiliated	500	$300	2/27/2026	Source

District history

The section below details election results for this office in elections dating back to 2020.

District analysis

This section will contain facts and figures related to this district's elections when those are available.

See also

Idaho	2026 primaries	2026 U.S. Congress elections
Idaho congressional delegation Voting in Idaho Idaho elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018	Democratic primary battlegrounds Republican primary battlegrounds U.S. Senate Democratic primaries U.S. Senate Republican primaries U.S. House Democratic primaries U.S. House Republican primaries	U.S. Congress elections U.S. Senate elections U.S. House elections Special elections Ballot access

External links

• Search Google News for this topic

Footnotes

[show]

Idaho's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Mike Crapo (R)

Jim Risch (R)

Representatives

District 1

Russ Fulcher (R)

District 2

Michael Simpson (R)

Republican Party (4)

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