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U.S. Senate · All Idaho races

Idaho

Solid R
Compare
Todd Achilles
Independent
5 in 100
50–50chance of winning, out of 100
Jim Risch
Republican · incumbent
95 in 100

Jim Risch wins in 95 of 100 simulations.

The polling average has Jim Risch +4.2 across 1 poll; partisan lean, the national environment and incumbency point to Jim Risch +25.1. Polls get 80% of the weight 15 days out.

Where the result could land

Every simulated outcome, grouped in 2-point steps. Projected margin Risch +8.3; 80 in 100 fall between Risch +14.5 and Risch +2.1.

Risch +30Risch +20Risch +10Achilles +10Achilles +20Achilles +30Tie

The candidates

Todd Achilles
Independent · American politician (born 1967)

Theodore B. "Todd" Achilles is an American politician and U.S. Army veteran. He served as a member for the 16B district of the Idaho House of Representatives from 2024 to 2025. He is the co-founder of Veterans for Idaho Voters. He is a professor of public policy at Boise State University. Wikipedia

Raised
$1.6M
Cash on hand
$369K
Through 2026-09-30
Official website ↗
Jim RischIncumbent
Republican · American lawyer and politician (born 1943)

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. Wikipedia

Raised
$4.9M
Cash on hand
$2.8M
Through 2026-09-30
Official website ↗
Natalie Fleming
Independent
Matt Loesby
Libertarian

Ballot list and short bios from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); websites from Wikidata; fundraising from the FEC (cycle-to-date, latest report).

What if this race flips? Try it in the map builder →

Polls

The polling average stands at Risch +4.3 across 1 poll testing Todd Achilles against Jim Risch.

Achilles +1.6 since Aug 7, 2026
Risch +20Risch +10EvenAchilles +10Achilles +20Aug 9Aug 16Aug 23Aug 30Sep 6Sep 13Sep 20Sep 27Oct 4Oct 11Oct 18

Line: weighted average after adjustments; band: 95% range of the average; dots: individual polls after adjustments.

PollsterDatesSampleResultAdjustedWeight
The Bullfinch GroupAug 4–Aug 7608 LVRisch +4.0Risch +4.20.34

Chance of winning over time

How this race’s odds have moved as polls and the national environment changed.

Achilles +4 over the past 3 months
020406080100Aug 1Sep 1Oct 1

Out of 100. Today: Achilles 5, Risch 96.

What’s driving the forecast

The model blends each estimate by how much to trust it right now. Polls get 81% of the weight, 15 days out.

Polling average (after adjustments)Risch +4.3±7.8 sampling range; effective 1 polls
Partisan lean (Cook PVI, 2026 lines) R+18.0roughly 36 points of margin vs. the nation
National environment D+9.6generic ballot + presidential approval
Incumbent’s track record Achilles +5.4In 2014 they ran 10.9 pts more Democratic than the state’s lean predicted; half carries over (max 10)
IncumbencyRisch +3.0incumbent’s side
Fundamentals estimateRisch +25.1±11 typical error
Expert ratings (average)Risch +22.0used only in the “+ Expert ratings” version
ForecastRisch +8.3±5.0 standard deviation, including 2.3 for movement before Election Day

All three versions

  • Polls only: Todd Achilles 22 in 100 (Likely R)
  • Polls + fundamentals: Todd Achilles 5 in 100 (Solid R)
  • Polls + fundamentals + experts: Todd Achilles <1 in 100 (Solid R)

Published ratings

Other forecasters’ ratings, as listed on Wikipedia. Shown for comparison; they feed only the “+ Expert ratings” version.

Cook: Solid RDDHQ: Safe RThe Economist: Safe RSplit Ticket/FPO: Safe RFox News: Solid RInside Elections: Solid RRCP: Solid RSabato: Safe RSilver Bulletin: Solid RSplit Ticket: Safe R

County map

Counties colored by the 2024 presidential vote; on election night this switches to the live count in this race.

Lincoln County, 2024 president: Republican +56.0 (1,917 votes)Benewah County, 2024 president: Republican +61.4 (5,144 votes)Boundary County, 2024 president: Republican +65.4 (7,110 votes)Custer County, 2024 president: Republican +53.3 (2,650 votes)Jefferson County, 2024 president: Republican +73.3 (15,819 votes)Valley County, 2024 president: Republican +18.6 (7,240 votes)Gem County, 2024 president: Republican +66.0 (10,620 votes)Lemhi County, 2024 president: Republican +55.0 (4,873 votes)Idaho County, 2024 president: Republican +67.8 (9,858 votes)Cassia County, 2024 president: Republican +69.1 (9,557 votes)Blaine County, 2024 president: Democratic +31.7 (13,087 votes)Gooding County, 2024 president: Republican +60.4 (5,918 votes)Oneida County, 2024 president: Republican +75.9 (2,457 votes)Boise County, 2024 president: Republican +54.2 (4,910 votes)Bonneville County, 2024 president: Republican +45.4 (56,419 votes)Shoshone County, 2024 president: Republican +49.4 (6,130 votes)Jerome County, 2024 president: Republican +53.7 (7,945 votes)Kootenai County, 2024 president: Republican +51.8 (96,340 votes)Elmore County, 2024 president: Republican +48.5 (10,672 votes)Fremont County, 2024 president: Republican +69.0 (6,803 votes)Bonner County, 2024 president: Republican +46.1 (29,698 votes)Camas County, 2024 president: Republican +54.1 (728 votes)Minidoka County, 2024 president: Republican +63.3 (7,947 votes)Bannock County, 2024 president: Republican +25.1 (39,971 votes)Teton County, 2024 president: Democratic +6.8 (6,698 votes)Payette County, 2024 president: Republican +62.9 (11,760 votes)Clark County, 2024 president: Republican +69.1 (333 votes)Power County, 2024 president: Republican +45.1 (3,019 votes)Lewis County, 2024 president: Republican +65.0 (1,843 votes)Nez Perce County, 2024 president: Republican +38.6 (20,132 votes)Twin Falls County, 2024 president: Republican +48.8 (37,373 votes)Butte County, 2024 president: Republican +72.5 (1,494 votes)Clearwater County, 2024 president: Republican +62.8 (4,418 votes)Adams County, 2024 president: Republican +54.5 (2,679 votes)Bear Lake County, 2024 president: Republican +77.1 (3,325 votes)Franklin County, 2024 president: Republican +77.6 (7,184 votes)Latah County, 2024 president: Republican +8.0 (20,440 votes)Owyhee County, 2024 president: Republican +67.6 (4,950 votes)Madison County, 2024 president: Republican +64.3 (17,358 votes)Bingham County, 2024 president: Republican +59.6 (20,643 votes)Washington County, 2024 president: Republican +61.6 (5,553 votes)Ada County, 2024 president: Republican +10.3 (267,340 votes)Canyon County, 2024 president: Republican +46.6 (101,001 votes)Caribou County, 2024 president: Republican +71.2 (3,456 votes)
Color shows the 2024 presidential margin in each county. Hover or tap a county for its numbers.

2024 results: Fox News 2024 county results, compiled by Tony McGovern (github.com/tonmcg/US_County_Level_Election_Results_08-24). Not authoritative.

Rules and notes

  • Todd Achilles is an independent. Seats won by independents who haven’t said which party they’d caucus with are counted separately in chamber control.
  • Last polls close at 10 pm and 11 pm Eastern.
  • Last election: 62.62% R
  • Incumbent renominated

Senate races, closest first · this is #14 of 35