Idaho Democrat David Roth drops out of Senate race, boosting independent Todd Achilles

Published Jul 29, 05:07 PM UTC

Idaho Democratic Senate nominee David Roth has dropped out of the 2026 Senate race, clearing the way for independent candidate Todd Achilles to challenge Republican incumbent Jim Risch. Roth's decision follows a strategy used by Democrats in other deep-red states, where party nominees withdraw to consolidate support behind independent candidates seen as more electable. The move mirrors similar efforts in Nebraska, where independent Dan Osborn is running against Republican Pete Ricketts after Democratic nominee Cindy Burbank also dropped out, and in Alaska, where Democrat Matt Schultz exited the House race to boost independent Bill Hill. However, in Montana, Democrat Alani Bankhead has resisted pressure to drop out to help independent Seth Bodnar, and state rules may complicate any such move. Idaho has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1974, and Donald Trump carried the state by over 35 points in 2024.