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After a swing and a resignation, Idaho Senate Republicans elect new leadership • Idaho Capital Sun

ByAmelia Journalton

Dec 2, 2024 #2025 Idaho Legislative Session, #Democratic Party, #Idaho Senate, #JFAC, #Republican Party
After a swing and a resignation, Idaho Senate Republicans elect new leadership • Idaho Capital Sun

The leadership of the Idaho Senate and key legislative committees is at stake this week during the Idaho Legislature’s organizational session at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise.

The organizational meeting takes place every two years after a general election. During the organizational session, lawmakers are sworn in and Republicans and Democrats elect their leadership delegations for the Idaho House of Representatives and Senate. From there, members of the Republican leadership will appoint committee chairs and assign lawmakers their committee assignments.

Much of the trial takes place behind closed doors, away from the public and news reporters. However, the decisions made will have a significant impact on the upcoming 2025 legislative session, which begins on January 6th. Members of the Republican leadership teams, who control a 90-15 supermajority in the Idaho Legislature, and committee chairs have power and influence over which bills move forward and which bills do not.

Deputy Majority Leader, Senator Abby Lee (right, Fruitland)
In this file photo, Deputy Majority Leader Sen. Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, works in the Senate Senate at the Idaho Capitol on Jan. 17, 2022. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

This year, eyes will be on Senate Republicans filling two rare vacancies on the GOP’s four-member leadership team. Veteran Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder, R-Boise, lost in the Republican primary in May and former Senate Deputy Majority Leader Abby Lee, R-Fruitland, resigned from the Idaho Legislature this summer.

Senate Democrats, House Republicans and House Democrats will also hold leadership elections Wednesday evening. Democrats also have a leadership vacancy to fill after House Assistant Minority Leader Lauren Necochea, D-Boise, did not seek re-election this year.

The committees that will be under new leadership include the House Education Committee and the Senate Agricultural Affairs Committee.

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The Idaho Senate is set to fill the GOP’s top leadership position

The Senate President Provisional is the ranking member of the Idaho Senate and presides over the Idaho Senate when the Lieutenant Governor is absent. The provisional Senate President is also second in line to succession to the governor – behind the lieutenant governor. The interim Senate President serves as acting governor when both the governor and lieutenant governor are unable to perform their duties – for example, when both the governor and lieutenant governor are out of the state.

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Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, has publicly announced that he is seeking the job of interim president of the Senate. In a Nov. 22 interview with the Idaho Capital Sun, Grow said he would relinquish his position as co-chair of the powerful Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) if he is elected president pro tempore of the Senate. JFAC is a powerful committee that sets all budgets for every state agency and department.

Grow, a retired CPA who is beginning his fifth term in the Idaho Senate, said he is proud of the changes JFAC has made, such as separating management of operating budgets from new spending requests. Grow hopes to continue to push for the implementation of performance-based budgeting practices, where agencies would provide performance goals alongside new funding requests to increase accountability in the budget process.

If Grow is named interim president of the Senate, he would be better positioned to maintain and protect the JFAC budget changes.

Grow would also bring changes to the Idaho Senate if he were named president pro tempore. He said he will push for Idaho Senate Republicans to meet before the session to develop a list of four or five key priorities for the upcoming session that Republicans can agree on. Instead of introducing and debating several different bills on a school choice proposal, Grow would push to unite Republicans behind a single bill coming into the session.

Idaho State Sen. C. Scott Grow, R-Eagle,
Co-Chair Scott Grow, R-Eagle, leads the debate during a joint hearing on appropriations and appropriations on Jan. 11, 2023, at the Idaho Capitol in Boise. (Otto Kitsinger for Idaho Capital Sun)

“If we are truly a united, strong Senate caucus, we should come together and discuss different options and see if we can get a bill that everyone agrees on so we can move forward as one and present it to the rest of the Senate, and that sets us off in a stronger position to accomplish the things we would like to do,” Grow said.

Efforts to reach other potential candidates for the top job in the Idaho Senate were unsuccessful.

Attempts to reach Senate Majority Leader Kelly Anthon, R-Burley, were unsuccessful last week.

After Winder’s defeat, Anthon is the highest-ranking remaining member of the Idaho Senate GOP leadership team and a natural candidate for interim president

Efforts to reach Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian, were also unsuccessful last week. Den Hartog is one of the most experienced members of the Idaho Senate. On November 5th, Den Hartog, like Anthon, was elected to her sixth term. The Hartog ran unsuccessfully for Senate President two years agolost to Winder.

The leadership election will be held privately on Wednesday evening along with a caucus dinner. The results may be announced on Wednesday evening, otherwise the leadership teams will be announced at the organizational meeting on Thursday.

During the Idaho Legislature’s Legislative Council meeting on Nov. 7, Winder spoke about the importance of the organizational session and wished the returning legislators good luck.

“You have some challenging and some fun times ahead as you look at organizing the next legislative session,” Winder told the Legislative Council.

18 new Idaho lawmakers attend orientation

Ahead of the leadership election, events begin Monday afternoon with the New Legislator Orientation Program for the 18 new first-time legislators elected in the 2024 general election. New legislators learn about legislative processes, drafting and passing bills, public records laws, lobbying, ethics, and more. The new orientation program for lawmakers continues Tuesday and ends Wednesday before dinner and leadership elections.

The 2025 legislative session begins Jan. 6 with Gov. Brad Little’s annual State of the State address.

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By Amelia Journalton

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