PRESS RELEASE: Public Lands on the Ballot: Public Lands PAC Wins Big Across Idaho
IDAHO - The PAC for Public Lands made headlines this election season as a fresh voice in the Republican Primary and for public lands in Idaho. The 2026 Republican primary proves that public lands are a winning political issue in Idaho. Polling has shown 96% of voters are opposed to any attempts to sell off or transfer public lands, and we saw that reflected in last night's results. With more than 240,000 text messages, 18,000 phone calls, 119,000 mailers, and nearly 7,000 doors knocked, the PAC for Public Lands demonstrated that selling off public lands is a political non-starter in the Idaho Statehouse.
The PAC for Public Lands endorsed 22 candidates in the Republican legislative primary, securing a 59% win rate. The newly established PAC spent over $173,000, dispersed in races across Idaho. “While extremist PACs poured money into these races (sometimes three times as much), it was clear that public lands were one of the issues that resonated with voters most and was a defining issue in the primary,” says PAC for Public Lands Board Member Alexis Pickering.
Public lands were a key issue of the 2026 legislative session, with bills like The Rangeland Improvement Act (H587), two Constitutional Amendments (HJR10 and SJR103), a bill that threatened Harriman State Park (S1300), and a Joint Memorial that calls for Congress to pass the Public Lands in Public Hands Act (SJM111).
The biggest accomplishment of the newly minted PAC for Public Lands was protecting public lands champions and defeating challengers who wanted to privatize and transfer public lands. Senator Jim Guthrie’s (District 28) win cements essential public lands leadership and common sense in the Senate. The public lands message also made a difference in protecting Representatives Ben Fuhriman (District 30), Stephanie Mickelsen (District 32A) and Mike Veile (District 35A). All three of these house races had challengers who either had voted to cut key budgets for wildfire, land management, hunting access and/or water resources, or had voiced support for sell-off. Those beliefs were soundly defeated last night.
Two notable losses for public lands were Senator Jim Woodward’s and Representative Mark Sauter’s defeats in District 1. Scott Herndon beat Woodward by over 1,000 votes after a contentious fight, with public lands being a defining message used by both candidates. If Herndon’s record is a predictor of how he will act over his next term, we will need to stand ready to fight his attempts to put public lands at risk.
Idaho’s public lands also gained a slate of new champions last night. Challenger Chance Requa defeated 4-term incumbent Representative Steve Miller in District 24B in a three-way race. Miller most recently said Congress should transfer all the national public land to the State, a dangerous belief not shared by his constituents. Other key Magic Valley wins for public lands included Casey Swenson, Grayson Stone, Brent Reinke and Cherie Vollmer.
“Public lands define our way of life in Idaho, and we are now seeing that reflected in our electoral results. Legislators need to understand that calls for sell-off and voting against our public lands are going to lose votes and may cost them their seat. Voters are watching, and groups like the PAC for Public Lands will be here to both celebrate champions and hold legislators accountable,” says Brian Brooks, Board Member for the PAC for Public Lands.
“Although we lost several champions, we find great resolve in our wins in tough fights, and will continue to hold legislators accountable on our issues over the next two years.We are confident that the work over this election cycle will create a legislature that’s more supportive of wildfire mitigation, public land economy, and responsible stewardship. Idaho voters don’t want divisive policies pushed by out-of-state extremists. We want legislators that address the issues that impact our daily lives in Idaho and the PAC for Public Lands stands ready to protect and preserve one of our nation’s greatest legacies,” says Brian Brooks.
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Idaho Public Lands: Protected Forever.
Chuck Coiner, Brian Brooks, Ross Copperman, Alexis Pickering