Public domain
RepublicanRunning for ID U.S. Senate · 2026
Jim Risch
James Elroy Risch is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009. A member of the Republican Party , he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors Dirk Kempthorne and Butch Otter , and briefly as governor between their terms.
Born 1943 · Milwaukee , Wisconsin, U.S.
In brief
AI · verified vs data · 2026-07-03
Jim Risch, the Republican U.S. senator from Idaho since 2009 and a former governor and lieutenant governor of the state, is seeking the state's U.S. Senate seat in 2026. Polling shows him with roughly 53% support to opponent David Roth's about 14%, a wide lead, and betting markets put his win probability at around 100%. He has raised roughly $3 million for the race.
52.7%
Polling average
our aggregate
95%
Win probability
market-implied
$2.9M
Raised this cycle
FEC · committee
Independence scorecard
Computed · FEC money mixWho Risch's money comes from.
D
31/100
Independence index
Funding mix leans on concentrated money — pac independence is the weak spot.
3 watch items · pac independence
Small-dollar reliance10
5% of individual + PAC money from donors under $200
PAC independence0
29% of individual + PAC money from PACs
In-state funding14
86% of itemized receipts come from out of state
Outside-money exposure100
No significant outside spending in support so far
MONEY-MIX INDEX, COMPUTED FROM FEC FILINGS ONLY: SMALL-DOLLAR SHARE, PAC RELIANCE, IN-STATE MONEY AND OUTSIDE (IE) SPENDING. IT DOES NOT SCORE VOTES OR DONOR–VOTE ALIGNMENT. HIGHER = MORE INDEPENDENT · GREEN ≥70 · AMBER 50–69 · RED <50.
Governing & voting record
What Risch did in office.
MeasureYearAction
Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act
Became Public Law No: 117-249.
2021
Became law
PEACE in Sudan Act
Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
2026
Sponsored
Urban Canal Modernization Act
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
2025
Sponsored
SILVER Act
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
2026
Sponsored
A resolution celebrating the 154th anniversary of Arbor Day.
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2160; text: CR S218
2026
Sponsored
Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act
Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Hearings held.
2026
Sponsored
A resolution welcoming Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom to the United
Submitted in the Senate, considered, and agreed to without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S2076-2077; text: CR
2026
Sponsored
SPONSORED LEGISLATION VIA CONGRESS.GOV · ENACTED BILLS FIRST, THEN THE MOST RECENT · ROLE SHOWS THE BILL'S LATEST STATUS.
How Risch votes
With the party, against it, and where on the spectrum.
Ideological placement · roll-call record
Dem median
GOP median
Risch
← LiberalCenterConservative →
Center-right
Overall lean
78
DW-NOMINATE · 0–100
DW-NOMINATE FIRST-DIMENSION SCORE FROM ROLL-CALL VOTES IN THE 119TH CONGRESS (SENATE), VIA VOTEVIEW. 0 = MOST LIBERAL, 100 = MOST CONSERVATIVE.
Party unity · 828 roll-calls · 119th Congress (Senate)
100%voted with Republicans · 0% broke ranks
Ratings from advocacy groups
—
No advocacy-group ratings
Interest-group scorecards have no machine-readable feed — they're curated per candidate, and none are on file yet.
Career & history
1970Prosecutor
1970–1974
1974Member of the State Senate of Idaho
1974–1989
1976Majority leader
1976–1982
1982President pro tempore
1982–1989
1995Member of the State Senate of Idaho
1995–2002
2003Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
2003–2006
2006Governor of Idaho
2006–2007
2007Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
2007–2009
2009United States senator
since 2009
Public favorability
—
No favorability data
This candidate isn't tracked by YouGov's public-figure panel, and no published state polling on their favorability was found.
Donors & money
FEC itemized filings · cycle-to-dateWho funds the campaign.
$2.9M
Raised
$1.6M
Spent
$3.7M
Cash on hand
Source of funds · individual + PAC
5% small (<$200)66% large indiv.29% PAC
14% in-state · 86% out-of-state (itemized)
Top contributors · bundled by employer / org
ACCESS INDUSTRIES
$14k
HUNTER ENGINEERING
$12k
THE INVUS GROUP LLC
$11k
BGR GROUP
$11k
ALLIANTGROUP
$10k
LAGOS LAGOS, PLL
$9k
Top industries · itemized $
Pharma / health products$7k
OWN-COMMITTEE TOTALS FROM FEC FILINGS THROUGH 2026-04-29 · INDUSTRY GROUPS ARE ITEMIZED RECEIPTS CLASSIFIED BY EMPLOYER — A KEYWORD APPROXIMATION, NOT OPENSECRETS CODING.
Race
The contest Risch is running in.
ID · SENATE · 2026safe r
Risch (R) vs David Roth (D)
52.7%+38.4 Risch14.3%
Open full race detail →
Related prediction markets
All markets →Live contract prices tied to Risch and the seat. Prices are ¢-per-share of the YES outcome; context only, never merged into our polling averages.
Will the Republicans win the Idaho Senate race in 2026?
Polymarket · Republican
Will the Democrats win the Idaho Senate race in 2026?
Polymarket · Democrat
Which party will win the 2026 US Senate election in Idaho?
predictit · Republican Party
Which party will win the 2026 US Senate election in Idaho?
predictit · Democratic Party
Idaho Senate winner?
Kalshi · Jim Risch
Idaho Senate winner?
Kalshi · vol $2 · David Roth
Sources & provenance
Biography
Public record
Wikipedia + state records
Money & donors
FEC filings
itemized + committee totals
Markets
Live venues
Polymarket · Kalshi
ALL FIGURES DRAWN FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE RECORDS · CANDIDATE PROFILES ARE NONPARTISAN AND CARRY NO ENDORSEMENT. · PHOTO: SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE · PUBLIC DOMAIN (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Related coverage
nytimes.com · 2026-06-24
Idaho U.S. Senate Election 2026: Latest Polls
idahostatesman.com · 2026-06-18
Roth, not Achilles, has the best shot at defeating Risch | Opinion
idahostatesman.com · 2026-06-18
Roth, not Achilles, has the best shot at defeating Risch | Opinion
lmtribune.com · 2026-06-13
OPINION: Idaho’s congressional bootlickers have ignored the Constitution
Republican · ID U.S. Senate
Jim Risch
James Elroy Risch is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009. A member of the Republican Party , he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors Dirk Kempthorne and Butch Otter , and briefly as governor between their terms.
Where Risch standsRace →
Risch 52.7%David Roth 14.3%
Market · wins
95¢
52.7%
Poll avg
95%
Win prob
$2.9M
Raised
In brief
AI · verified vs data · 2026-07-03Jim Risch, the Republican U.S. senator from Idaho since 2009 and a former governor and lieutenant governor of the state, is seeking the state's U.S. Senate seat in 2026. Polling shows him with roughly 53% support to opponent David Roth's about 14%, a wide lead, and betting markets put his win probability at around 100%. He has raised roughly $3 million for the race.
Governing & voting record
Disaster Assistance for Rural Communities Act
2021 · BECAME LAW
PEACE in Sudan Act
2026 · SPONSORED
Urban Canal Modernization Act
2025 · SPONSORED
SILVER Act
2026 · SPONSORED
A resolution celebrating the 154th anniversary of Arbor Day.
2026 · SPONSORED
Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act
2026 · SPONSORED
A resolution welcoming Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla of the United Kingdom to the United
2026 · SPONSORED
Where Risch stands
AI · from the recordNatural resources & agriculture
Sponsored the Urban Canal Modernization Act, which the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ordered reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably, and sponsored the SILVER Act, which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
Foreign policy
Sponsored the PEACE in Sudan Act, which the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations ordered reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Veterans affairs
Sponsored the Veteran Burial Benefit Correction Act, on which the Committee on Veterans' Affairs has held hearings.
Party independence
Votes with the Republican party about 100% of the time, with 0 recorded breaks across 828 roll-call votes in the 119th Congress (Senate), and holds a DW-NOMINATE score of 78, matching the Senate Republican median of 78.
Career & history
1970Prosecutor
1970–1974
1974Member of the State Senate of Idaho
1974–1989
1976Majority leader
1976–1982
1982President pro tempore
1982–1989
1995Member of the State Senate of Idaho
1995–2002
2003Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
2003–2006
2006Governor of Idaho
2006–2007
2007Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
2007–2009
2009United States senator
since 2009
Public favorability
—
No favorability data
This candidate isn't tracked by YouGov's public-figure panel, and no published state polling on their favorability was found.
Independence scorecard
Who Risch's money comes from.
D
31/100
Independence index
Funding mix leans on concentrated money — pac independence is the weak spot.
3 watch items · pac independence
Small-dollar reliance10
5% of individual + PAC money from donors under $200
PAC independence0
29% of individual + PAC money from PACs
In-state funding14
86% of itemized receipts come from out of state
Outside-money exposure100
No significant outside spending in support so far
MONEY-MIX INDEX, COMPUTED FROM FEC FILINGS ONLY: SMALL-DOLLAR SHARE, PAC RELIANCE, IN-STATE MONEY AND OUTSIDE (IE) SPENDING. IT DOES NOT SCORE VOTES OR DONOR–VOTE ALIGNMENT. HIGHER = MORE INDEPENDENT · GREEN ≥70 · AMBER 50–69 · RED <50.
How Risch votes
Ideological placement · roll-call record
Dem median
GOP median
Risch
← LiberalCenterConservative →
Center-right
Overall lean
78
DW-NOMINATE · 0–100
DW-NOMINATE FIRST-DIMENSION SCORE FROM ROLL-CALL VOTES IN THE 119TH CONGRESS (SENATE), VIA VOTEVIEW. 0 = MOST LIBERAL, 100 = MOST CONSERVATIVE.
Party unity · 828 roll-calls · 119th Congress (Senate)
100%voted with Republicans · 0% broke ranks
Ratings from advocacy groups
—
No advocacy-group ratings
Interest-group scorecards have no machine-readable feed — they're curated per candidate, and none are on file yet.
Donors & money
$2.9M
Raised
$1.6M
Spent
$3.7M
Cash on hand
Source of funds · individual + PAC
5% small (<$200)66% large indiv.29% PAC
14% in-state · 86% out-of-state (itemized)
Top industries · itemized $
Pharma / health products$7k
OWN-COMMITTEE TOTALS FROM FEC FILINGS THROUGH 2026-04-29 · INDUSTRY GROUPS ARE ITEMIZED RECEIPTS CLASSIFIED BY EMPLOYER — A KEYWORD APPROXIMATION, NOT OPENSECRETS CODING.
Related prediction markets
All markets →Will the Republicans win the Idaho Senate race in 2026?
Polymarket · Republican
Will the Democrats win the Idaho Senate race in 2026?
Polymarket · Democrat
Which party will win the 2026 US Senate election in Idaho?
predictit · Republican Party
Which party will win the 2026 US Senate election in Idaho?
predictit · Democratic Party
Idaho Senate winner?
Kalshi · Jim Risch
Idaho Senate winner?
Kalshi · vol $2 · David Roth
Sources & provenance
Biography
Public record
Wikipedia + state records
Money & donors
FEC filings
itemized + committee totals
Markets
Live venues
Polymarket · Kalshi
ALL FIGURES DRAWN FROM PUBLICLY AVAILABLE RECORDS · CANDIDATE PROFILES ARE NONPARTISAN AND CARRY NO ENDORSEMENT. · PHOTO: SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE · PUBLIC DOMAIN (WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)