ADA COUNTY, Idaho — Two Republican candidates are competing in the primary race for Ada County District 1 commissioner, with the election set for May 19.
Ada County commissioners make decisions on development, budgets, public safety, and growth across the county. The commissioner in District 1 represents most of Boise and Garden City.
WATCH: Meet the two Republican candidates competing in the primary race for Ada County District 1 commissioner
Incumbent Ryan Davidson is running for a third term and said projects like the soccer stadium and a new park at Expo Idaho are helping position the county for future growth.
"The redevelopment of the Expo is worth the cost because it's such a great asset to Ada County. We wanted to preserve that for generations to come, just increase the quality of life of people in Ada County to have great recreation opportunities for themselves and their families, and I think parks are important," Davidson said.
Challenger Holly Cook said one of her biggest reasons for running is that she believes the county needs to reprioritize spending and development.
Cook argues the soccer stadium lease, which starts at a base rent of $150,000 a year over the next 30 years, is not in the best interest of taxpayers.
"I'm really not satisfied with the choices that are being made at the county commission level. And a perfect example of that is the soccer park. We want to make sure that future decisions are in the taxpayers' interest, not in just trying to get things to Boise, no matter what it costs," explained Cook.
RELATED | Idaho Governor Candidate Q&A: May Primary Election
Cook said she also wants to increase transparency for taxpayers and make county budgets easier to understand.
Davidson said if reelected, he plans to continue focusing on development projects and addressing the area's growing rat infestation.
Both candidates agree that public safety is a priority. Davidson supports impact fees to help fund emergency services, while Cook said she wants to ensure the sheriff's office is fully funded.
"One thing we're doing to try to help our emergency services is [to] get impact fees passed throughout Ada County," Davidson said. "Those monies will go to help EMS, the jail expansion, the sheriff's department, and the coroner's facility."
"I know how important it is for us to provide competitive wages for sheriff's deputies, and so I wanna make sure that our county is fully funding the sheriff's department, and so that we don't become a training ground for our sheriff deputies," Cook said.
ALSO READ | Idaho Voter Election Guide: May 2026
