Former Idaho State Senator Scott Herndon defeated incumbent Senator Jim Woodward in the Republican primary for Idaho’s 1st Legislative District on May 19, 2026, capturing 53.4% of the vote in the latest round of a years-long electoral rivalry between the two North Idaho lawmakers.
The victory marks Herndon’s return to the seat he first won from Woodward in 2022, only to lose it back to Woodward in 2024. Herndon stated after the election that voters backed his platform of property tax relief, parental rights, and accountable government.
District 1 House Race Sees Challenger Upset Incumbent
In the District 1A representative race, Jane Sauter defeated incumbent Mark Sauter with 53.4% to 46.6%. The two Sauters are not related. Jane Sauter had previously lost a three-way primary race against Mark Sauter in 2024. Mark Sauter was first elected to the legislature in 2022.
The victories by Herndon and Jane Sauter represent a shift toward more conservative representation in North Idaho’s 1st Legislative District, moving away from the district’s relatively moderate recent officeholders.
Conservative Incumbents Hold Seats Across North Idaho
Several conservative incumbent representatives in North Idaho defended their seats in Tuesday’s Republican primary. Representatives Cornel Rasor, Dale Hawkins, Vito Barbieri, and Elaine Price each won their contested primaries comfortably.
Price, who represents the Coeur d’Alene area in District 4B, defeated challenger Christa Hazel with 59.5% of the vote.
Kootenai County Assessor Loses Primary After Controversy-Filled Tenure
Kootenai County Assessor Bela Kovacs lost his primary race to former chief deputy assessor Allyson Knapp by a decisive margin of 65.6% to 34.4%. The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee did not endorse either candidate in the race after supporting Kovacs in 2022. The rival North Idaho Republicans organization recommended Knapp.
Kovacs was appointed assessor by county commissioners in 2020 and won election to the office in 2022. He previously served as purchasing director for Spokane County from 1999 to 2018.
According to the Coeur d’Alene Press, the Kootenai County Commission cut Kovacs’ salary in half in 2022 for poor performance, though a district judge later reinstated his pay. Kovacs has faced multiple complaints regarding workplace management and staff relations throughout his tenure.
Knapp, a longtime residential appraiser and Realtor in North Idaho, resigned from her position as deputy assessor under Kovacs in 2022. Earlier this year, county commissioners blocked an attempt by Kovacs to challenge Knapp’s homeowner’s exemption on her Rathdrum property by questioning her Idaho residency. Commissioners determined Kovacs failed to provide sufficient evidence that Knapp resides at another property she owns in Newman Lake, Washington.
Other Kootenai County Primary Results
Several other Kootenai County incumbents retained their positions in Tuesday’s primary. County Clerk Jennifer Locke defeated challenger John Samuelson with 86.7% of the vote. County Commissioner Bruce Mattare defended his seat against Steve Em, winning 76.7% support. Coroner Duke Johnson ran unopposed.
Julie Hensley won the open seat Republican primary for county commissioner in District 1 with 56% of the vote against John Padula’s 44%. For treasurer, Carlos Zamora defeated Teresa Mallery with 57.4% of the vote.
Lakeland School Levy Fails; Fire District Levy Passes
Lakeland Joint School District’s $3 million plant facilities levy failed with 57.3% of voters opposing the measure. The levy required a 55% majority to pass.
The Kootenai County Fire and Rescue temporary levy override passed with 62.3% support. The temporary levy authorizes an additional $5.2 million annually for the next two years to fund fire and rescue operations.
What Comes Next for Kootenai County
The Republican primary winners will face general election opponents in November 2026, though Republican candidates typically win overwhelmingly in Kootenai County and North Idaho’s 1st Legislative District. Allyson Knapp will take office as Kootenai County Assessor in January 2027 if she wins the general election. The new county commissioner and treasurer will also assume their duties at the start of the new year.