State Senator District 8 in Idaho State Senate District 8, Idaho

2026 Primary Election

• John H Garrett — Retired KPMG Director of Financial Risk in McCall, ID

  John H. Garrett is a Democratic candidate making his first run for elected office, seeking to represent Idaho State Senate District 8 in 2026. A resident of McCall, Garrett is a retired KPMG Director of Financial Risk. He is a challenger in a large central Idaho district that encompasses Valley, Custer, Boise, and Elmore counties. As the sole Democratic candidate, he will advance directly to the November 3, 2026, general election without a primary, facing the Republican primary winner from a field that includes the incumbent and two former House members. He has no prior legislative experience, and as of April 2026, no campaign website or organizational endorsements have been publicly reported.

• Christy Zito — Incumbent State Senator District 8 in ID

  Christy Zito is an Idaho State Senator representing District 8, a position she assumed in 2024, previously serving in the Idaho House and Senate District 23. Born in Utah, she has a background in farm and ranch management, is a business owner, mother of five, and grandmother of eleven. A Republican and self-described gun-rights activist, she sponsored legislation to expand concealed carry. Her core issues include stopping the "radical trans agenda," supporting the 2nd Amendment, securing borders, reducing property taxes, and advocating for school choice. She emphasizes faith, family, freedom, believing government should protect God-given rights and advance liberty.

• Megan C Blanksma — Candidate for State Senator in ID

  Megan C. Blanksma is a Republican candidate seeking election to the Idaho State Senate in District 8 for the May 2026 primary. A native of Nampa, Idaho, and an economics graduate from the University of Idaho, she has been involved in farming in the Hammett Valley for over two decades. Blanksma previously served eight years in the Idaho House of Representatives, including leadership roles as House Majority Caucus Chair and House Majority Leader. Her campaign prioritizes fiscal policy, rural issues related to agriculture, and socially conservative policies, aligning with her affiliation with Idaho Chooses Life. She has been active in Republican Party politics since her teenage years.

• Terry F. Gestrin — Candidate for State Senator in Donnelly, ID

  Terry F. Gestrin is a Republican from Donnelly, Idaho, running for the Idaho State Senate in District 8 in the 2026 election. He is challenging incumbent Sen. Christy Zito and former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma in a three-way Republican primary scheduled for May 19, 2026. Gestrin previously served five terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, representing District 8A from 2012 to 2022. He left office in December 2022 and is not currently serving in the legislature, making him a challenger for the State Senate seat. District 8 encompasses Boise, Custer, Elmore, and Valley counties. The winner of the Republican primary will advance to face Democrat John Garrett in the November 3, 2026 general election.