Candidate · November 3, 2026
Jim Risch
On the ballot for U.S. Senate · Idaho
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $3.9M
- cash on hand
- $2.1M
- issues with public statements
- 8
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. Senate · Idaho1 |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Republican1 |
| Status | Incumbent — Currently serves as a U.S. senator from Idaho.2 |
| Also on the ballot |
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§2Who they are
Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Risch earned a bachelor's degree in forestry and a law degree from the University of Idaho.3 He began his career as a prosecutor in Boise, was elected Ada County prosecuting attorney at 27 and served two terms, then served in the Idaho Senate as majority leader and president pro tempore.3 He served as Idaho's lieutenant governor from 2003 until he became the state's 31st governor in 2006.3 He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, re-elected in 2014 and 2020, and chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.3 He and his wife, Vicki, live on a ranch near Boise.3
Why they say they're running
His campaign website says he has worked in the Senate to protect gun rights, oppose wasteful federal spending and defend Idahoans' way of life.3
Service in Congress since 2023
- 2021–nowU.S. Senator, ID2
Websites and accounts
- Official websiterisch.senate.gov2
- X (Twitter)x.com/SenatorRisch4
- Facebookfacebook.com/senatorjimrisch4
- YouTubeyoutube.com/SenatorJamesRisch4
- Campaign websitesenatorrisch.com5
- Facebookfacebook.com/SenatorRisch5
- X (Twitter)twitter.com/Risch4Idaho5
§3What they've said on the issues
Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.
Environment and Public Lands
His campaign website says he led the effort in the Senate to stop a proposal to sell some of Idaho's public lands.6
His campaign website says that as governor he led a plan for managing Idaho's roadless areas that gave added protection to critical lands while keeping multiple-use provisions.3
Taxes and Budget
His campaign website says Congress needs to rein in waste, fraud and abuse as federal spending grows.6
His campaign website says he helped push through President Trump's 2017 tax cuts.6
Crime, Policing and Prisons
His campaign website says he opposes efforts to cut funding for law enforcement agencies.6
Energy and Climate
His campaign website says he works to strengthen the country's nuclear energy infrastructure.6
Education
His campaign website says that as governor he set aside $100 million for schools.3
§4Popular bills that never got a vote
Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.
While Jim Risch served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Jim Risch sponsored or cosponsored 23 of the 50. How bills die without a vote.
See all 50
- Requires sanctions and tariffs if Russia refuses peace talks with Ukraine or invades again (S. 1241, 119th Congress · 84 cosponsors)7Cosponsored
- Lets combat-disabled military retirees receive full retired pay and disability pay (S. 1032, 119th Congress · 80 cosponsors)8Cosponsored
- Lets combat-disabled veterans with under 20 years' service get full retirement pay (S. 344, 118th Congress · 74 cosponsors)9Cosponsored
- Renews the repair-backlog fund for national parks and other public lands (S. 1547, 119th Congress · 70 cosponsors)10Cosponsored
- Adds Medicare coverage of tests that screen for many types of cancer, starting in 2028 (S. 339, 119th Congress · 68 cosponsors)11Cosponsored
- Allows Medicare to cover FDA-approved tests that screen for many types of cancer (S. 2085, 118th Congress · 64 cosponsors)12Cosponsored
- Gives new-car dealers more time to restock inventory under a tax accounting method (S. 443, 118th Congress · 63 cosponsors)13Cosponsored
- Adds Medicare coverage of early Alzheimer's screening tests starting in 2028 (S. 3267, 119th Congress · 57 cosponsors)14Cosponsored
- Sets criminal penalties for charging unauthorized fees to help with VA benefit claims (S. 740, 118th Congress · 55 cosponsors)15Cosponsored
- Expands federal support for community development lenders, including Native lenders (S. 3940, 119th Congress · 53 cosponsors)16Cosponsored
- Limits VA cuts to payment rates for ambulances and other special transportation (S. 2757, 118th Congress · 49 cosponsors)17Cosponsored
- Raises the railroad track maintenance tax credit and updates which track qualifies (S. 1532, 119th Congress · 48 cosponsors)18Cosponsored
- Lowers U.S. taxes on Taiwan residents if Taiwan gives Americans similar treatment (S. 199, 119th Congress · 48 cosponsors)19Cosponsored
- Authorizes stillbirth research, data collection and public education programs (S. 2647, 118th Congress · 41 cosponsors)20Cosponsored
- Funds state stillbirth data collection and federal stillbirth guidelines (S. 2858, 119th Congress · 41 cosponsors)21Cosponsored
- Expands tax breaks and federal support for employee ownership of S corporations (S. 2515, 118th Congress · 40 cosponsors)22Cosponsored
- Creates a White House coordinator and task force to counter antisemitism (S. 4091, 118th Congress · 38 cosponsors)23Cosponsored
- Funds two federal diabetes programs, including one for Native Americans, through 2027 (S. 2211, 119th Congress · 34 cosponsors)24Cosponsored
- Expands tax deferral and federal support for employee ownership of S corporations (S. 2461, 119th Congress · 33 cosponsors)25Cosponsored
- Adds a presentation on VA benefits to military transition counseling (S. 3938, 119th Congress · 32 cosponsors)26Cosponsored
- Makes the federal adoption tax credit refundable (S. 2895, 118th Congress · 30 cosponsors)27Cosponsored
- Sets federal criminal penalties for illicit use of xylazine, an animal sedative (S. 993, 118th Congress · 30 cosponsors)28Cosponsored
- Expands tech company reporting duties and victim remedies for online child sexual abuse (S. 1829, 119th Congress · 29 cosponsors)29Cosponsored
- Permanently expands Medicare coverage of telehealth services (S. 1261, 119th Congress · 73 cosponsors)30Did not cosponsor
- Sets prior authorization standards for Medicare Advantage plans (S. 1816, 119th Congress · 71 cosponsors)31Did not cosponsor
- Permanently expands Medicare coverage of telehealth services (S. 2016, 118th Congress · 65 cosponsors)32Did not cosponsor
- Requires AM radio as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles (S. 1669, 118th Congress · 62 cosponsors)33Did not cosponsor
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses who remarry keep certain benefits (S. 410, 119th Congress · 61 cosponsors)34Did not cosponsor
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (S. 4532, 118th Congress · 59 cosponsors)35Did not cosponsor
- Bans connected vehicles and parts tied to China, Russia, Iran or North Korea (S. 4429, 119th Congress · 57 cosponsors)36Did not cosponsor
- Requires health plans to cover birth defect care for the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth or jaw (S. 1677, 119th Congress · 54 cosponsors)37Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to offer exceptions to step therapy drug rules (S. 2903, 119th Congress · 52 cosponsors)38Did not cosponsor
- Bars insurance discrimination against living organ donors and clarifies their leave rights (S. 1552, 119th Congress · 50 cosponsors)39Did not cosponsor
- Adds military spouses to the groups covered by the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (S. 596, 118th Congress · 49 cosponsors)40Did not cosponsor
- Requires health plans to offer exceptions to step-therapy drug rules (S. 652, 118th Congress · 48 cosponsors)41Did not cosponsor
- Has education civil rights officials consider a specific definition of antisemitism (S. 558, 119th Congress · 47 cosponsors)42Did not cosponsor
- Bars insurer bias against living organ donors; counts recovery for job-protected leave (S. 1384, 118th Congress · 43 cosponsors)43Did not cosponsor
- Restores immediate tax deductions for research costs and expands startup research credits (S. 866, 118th Congress · 43 cosponsors)44Did not cosponsor
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rentals (S. 1515, 119th Congress · 41 cosponsors)45Did not cosponsor
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses who remarry keep certain benefits (S. 1266, 118th Congress · 40 cosponsors)46Did not cosponsor
- Adds military spouses to the tax credit for hiring workers from targeted groups (S. 1027, 119th Congress · 39 cosponsors)47Did not cosponsor
- Expands and extends the military's authority to counter drone threats through 2030 (S. 1793, 119th Congress · 39 cosponsors)48Did not cosponsor
- Lowers Medicare drug plan costs and limits for non-opioid pain medicines (S. 475, 119th Congress · 36 cosponsors)49Did not cosponsor
- Expands and renames the low-income housing tax credit (S. 1557, 118th Congress · 34 cosponsors)50Did not cosponsor
- Adds permanent Medicare coverage of pharmacist testing and treatment for common infections (S. 2426, 119th Congress · 33 cosponsors)51Did not cosponsor
- Expands U.S.-Israel military cooperation on counter-drone and emerging technology (S. 554, 119th Congress · 32 cosponsors)52Did not cosponsor
- Creates a federal data system on college students' enrollment, costs and outcomes (S. 1349, 118th Congress · 31 cosponsors)53Did not cosponsor
- Funds SNAP food assistance benefits during a lapse in fiscal 2026 Agriculture funding (S. 3024, 119th Congress · 31 cosponsors)54Did not cosponsor
- Expands and extends federal and local authority to detect and stop threatening drones (S. 1631, 118th Congress · 30 cosponsors)55Did not cosponsor
- Adds Medicare payment for pharmacist testing and treatment of flu, COVID-19 and more (S. 2477, 118th Congress · 29 cosponsors)56Did not cosponsor
§5Money
Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.
Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.57
| Raised | $3,935,512 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $4,233,642 |
| Cash on hand | $2,122,235 |
Where the money came from
§6Financial disclosures
Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.
Senate candidates and senators file with the Senate's own disclosure system, which asks each visitor to agree to its terms before searching, so we can't link straight to a filing. You can search for Jim Risch at efdsearch.senate.gov58.