Democratic nominee David Roth dropped out of Idaho’s U.S. Senate race on Tuesday, clearing the path for independent candidate Todd Achilles to challenge three-term Republican incumbent Jim Risch in the November 2026 general election.
Roth, who won the Democratic primary in May with 61.9 percent of the vote, said in a statement that he had decided to shift his focus to helping other Democrats win across Idaho. “I have concluded that I can make the greatest difference by focusing my time and energy on helping Democrats win up and down the ballot and in communities across Idaho,” he wrote, according to the Idaho Statesman.
The announcement came less than two weeks after Ada County Democrats sent Roth a letter warning they would consider endorsing Achilles if his campaign failed to raise $50,000 and develop a comprehensive election plan by August 12. “We have a real opportunity to defeat Risch, but we’re seriously concerned your campaign isn’t positioned to meet the moment,” the executive committee wrote, according to the Spokesman-Review. “We can’t afford to let this moment slip away in the best political environment Idaho has seen in decades.”
Roth emphasized his historic achievement in his departure statement. “Being the first openly gay man to ever receive a federal nomination in Idaho is something I will always carry with me,” he said. “I hope this campaign showed LGBTQ+ Idahoans, especially young people, that they belong in our politics, their voices matter, and no office should ever feel beyond their reach.”
Achilles, a U.S. Army veteran and former Democratic state representative who left the party in 2025 to run as an independent, now faces Risch without a Democratic opponent. Achilles had argued that the two-party system has failed America, citing disagreement over fiscal policy and the direction of both parties. With Roth’s exit, Achilles becomes the only serious challenger with sufficient fundraising to mount a campaign against the incumbent.
The Idaho race mirrors a similar dynamic unfolding in Nebraska. Democratic nominee Cindy Burbank dropped out of that state’s Senate race in July, clearing the way for independent candidate Dan Osborn to face Republican incumbent Pete Ricketts. Burbank had announced before the primary that she would withdraw if she won the nomination and Osborn qualified for the ballot as an independent. Her departure followed the same strategic calculation: that an independent candidate had a stronger chance of defeating the Republican incumbent than a Democrat in a heavily Republican state.
Idaho remains strongly Republican, and Risch is heavily favored to win reelection. However, the state has seen increased Democratic engagement in recent election cycles, and the Ada County Democrats’ letter suggested they believed Achilles, running outside the partisan frame, might prove a more viable challenger. Roth’s decision to step aside removes any split in the anti-Risch vote, giving Achilles the full backing of state Democrats who had grown skeptical of Roth’s campaign infrastructure and fundraising trajectory.
Sources
- Idaho Statesman — Roth’s statement, his history as the first openly gay federal nominee in Idaho, the Ada County Democrats’ letter and its contents, and Roth’s withdrawal announcement.
- Spokesman-Review — Details of the Ada County Democrats’ letter to Roth, including the $50,000 fundraising threshold and August 12 deadline.
- Independent Voters Network — Confirmation that Roth’s exit leaves Achilles as the only serious challenger with sufficient funding.
- Ballotpedia — Roth’s primary victory margin (61.9 percent, 29,534 votes) and the May 19, 2026 primary date; Achilles’ status as a former state representative.
- Wikipedia — Jim Risch’s status as a three-term incumbent seeking a fourth term; Achilles’ background as an independent candidate.
- NBC News — Parallel reporting on Cindy Burbank’s withdrawal in Nebraska and the strategic calculation around independent candidacies in Republican-leaning states.
- New York Times — Burbank’s pre-primary announcement that she would withdraw if Osborn qualified for the ballot as an independent.
