State Senator District 17 in Idaho State Senate District 17, Idaho

2026 Primary Election

• Carrie Semmelroth — Incumbent State Senator in Boise, ID

  Carrie Semmelroth is the incumbent State Senator for Idaho's District 17, appointed by Governor Brad Little in November 2021. A long-time resident of the Boise Bench, she previously worked at Boise State University and ran for office in 2014. Her platform focuses on fully funding public schools and universities, advocating for common-sense property tax relief, defending clean air and water, and upholding civility and reproductive freedom. Semmelroth is dedicated to serving her community and investing in Idaho's future generations amidst the state's growth. She lives with her significant other, Graham, and their combined family.

• Benjamin Chafetz — Engineer in Boise, ID

  Benjamin Chafetz is a Republican candidate running for election to the Idaho State Senate to represent District 17 in 2026. Born in Silver Spring, Maryland, he earned bachelor's degrees from Western Carolina University in 2011 and Boise State University in 2018. His professional background is in engineering. He is affiliated with Micron Employees for Religious Freedom. A key policy stance for Chafetz is his support for congressional term limits, having signed a pledge to advocate for an Article V convention for this purpose. He previously ran for the same state senate seat in 2024.