BOISE, Idaho — Former Democratic Representative Todd Achilles announced on Tuesday that he plans to challenge U.S. Senator Jim Risch in the 2026 U.S. Senate race, not as a Democrat, but as an independent.
“We’re failing in America, we’ve got to change things,” said Todd Achilles, former District 16 Representative.
Watch Todd Achilles share more on why he wants to run as an independent:
After two years in the Idaho House of Representatives, U.S. Army Veteran Todd Achilles of Boise has his sights set on federal-level lawmaking, leaving bipartisan labels behind in his new campaign.
“The two-party system is failing. As an independent, I will fight to protect the public lands we grew up on and that we raise our kids on,” said Achilles in a campaign video.
Thursday, he told me that through his last few years talking and listening to constituents and fellow lawmakers, running as an independent could best represent Idahoans.
In Idaho, there are a little over a million registered voters. While the majority are Republican, more than double the number registered as Democrats are unaffiliated voters.
“Folks are leaving the parties because they're frustrated. The parties are getting pulled farther and farther into the corners, and you’ve got this big mass of voters in the middle that are like, ‘come on, just give me somebody that’s pragmatic, has common sense, and just does the hard work,” said Achilles.
Affordability when it comes to housing and higher education is a main focus for Achilles
“It’s getting harder and harder to get by in this country. Economic inequality is at just record levels,” said Achilles.
Especially when it comes to the younger generations, “And if you’re a Millennial or Gen Z, it’s really hard to get by in this country now, and that’s a function of policies made in Congress,” said Achilles.
During this year’s legislative session, he spoke out against Anti-Camping Legislation and introduced a bill on AI-based rent price fixing.
He also advocates for public lands and public media. Learn more here.
