Bruce D. Skaug

Bruce D. Skaug: Idaho Republican Incumbent for House District 10B

Bruce D. Skaug is a Republican incumbent seeking re-election to the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 10B, which covers part of Nampa in Canyon County. He is currently serving his third term and is running in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.

Background

Skaug was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and raised in Jerome. He earned an associate degree in social sciences from the College of Southern Idaho, a Bachelor of Science in political science from the University of Idaho, and a Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law, per Wikipedia. He has been a resident of Nampa since the early 1990s and identifies as a fifth-generation Idahoan, per his Idaho Legislature biography.

After graduating from law school, Skaug worked as a civil practice attorney and served as the deputy prosecutor of Ada County, per Wikipedia. He subsequently operated Skaug Law, a Nampa-based firm, for 32 years before retiring from legal practice. He also served on the Nampa City Council from 2014 to 2020, including as council president, per Ballotpedia. He has founded and served on multiple nonprofit charitable boards of directors, and his official legislative biography lists a Lions Club International Award for Outstanding Humanitarian Service (2000), a Christian Legislator of the Year award (2024), and a Champion of the Family Award (2025).

Political Career

Skaug was first elected to the Idaho House in November 2020, initially representing District 12A, then moving to District 10B following redistricting. He won re-election in 2022 and again in November 2024, defeating Democratic challenger Shana Tremaine, as documented by Ballotpedia.

Skaug currently chairs the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee and serves on the Local Government and State Affairs committees, per the Idaho Legislature’s current membership records.

In the 2025 legislative session, Skaug co-sponsored House Bill 380, which created the new crime of aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger and made it death-penalty eligible. Governor Brad Little signed the bill on March 27, 2025, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. Skaug acknowledged the bill contradicts the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana, but told lawmakers he believed the current Court would rule differently, stating: “It was — according to a 5-4 decision in 2008. I don’t think that would be the case today.”

Also in 2025, Skaug co-sponsored House Bill 37, which made the firing squad Idaho’s primary method of execution, replacing lethal injection. Governor Little signed the bill on March 12, 2025, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, making Idaho the only state in the nation to designate the firing squad as its primary execution method, per the Death Penalty Information Center.

On marijuana policy, Skaug sponsored House Bill 7 in 2025, establishing a mandatory minimum fine of $300 for anyone convicted of possessing three ounces or less of marijuana. Governor Little signed it into law in February 2025 and it took effect July 1, 2025, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. Skaug also served as floor sponsor of House Joint Resolution 4, which passed the Idaho House 58-10 and the Senate 29-6 in March 2025. HJR 4 is a proposed constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot that would give the legislature exclusive authority to legalize marijuana, narcotics, or psychoactive substances, removing that power from the citizen initiative process, as documented by Ballotpedia.

In the 2026 session, Skaug sponsored House Bill 557, written by the Idaho Family Policy Center, which bars local governments from maintaining antidiscrimination ordinances that extend beyond state law. The bill passed the House 53-16 and became law, as reported by KTVB. The law would preempt nondiscrimination ordinances in more than a dozen Idaho cities that had extended protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Earlier in his tenure, Skaug sponsored legislation barring all public funding to any entity that provides or assists with abortion. In 2023, he sponsored House Bill 2, which would withhold state tax revenue from any city or county that directed officials not to enforce Idaho’s criminal abortion statutes, as reported by Idaho Reports.

Policy Positions

Skaug’s legislative record reflects consistent positions on criminal justice, drug prohibition, abortion, and limited government. On criminal justice, he has prioritized mandatory minimum sentencing and expanded use of the death penalty for crimes against children. On drug policy, he has worked to increase penalties for marijuana possession and to constitutionally foreclose the citizen initiative process as a path to legalization. Presenting HJR 4, Skaug told lawmakers: “In the Idaho Constitution, ‘The first concern of all good government is the virtue and sobriety of the people.’ That’s in our constitution. I don’t gloss over that,” as reported by Cannabis Business Times. On marijuana generally, Skaug has challenged opponents to name any state that became “a better place” after legalizing marijuana, per the Idaho Capital Sun. On abortion, he has pursued legislation defunding providers and penalizing local governments that decline to enforce state abortion statutes.

Political Alignment

Bruce Skaug is aligned with the conservative activist wing of Idaho Republican politics. His sponsorship of House Bill 557, written by and advocated for by the Idaho Family Policy Center, reflects a documented tie to that organization’s legislative agenda, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. His legislative portfolio — spanning the marijuana constitutional amendment, the firing squad primary method, and the child sex abuse death penalty bill — reflects a posture that regularly challenges or goes beyond the governing conservatism of the Little administration on criminal justice and social issues. His sidebar support affiliations include the Canyon County Republican Central Committee, the Idaho Farm Bureau, and the Idaho Majority Club. Taken together, his documented legislative record and organizational affiliations place him within the Conservative Activist classification.

Campaign and Endorsements

Skaug has received endorsements from Idaho Chooses Life, the NRA, and the Fraternal Order of Police, per his campaign website. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Skaug in the 2024 election cycle, per Ballotpedia. As of April 2026, no additional endorsements for the 2026 race have been publicly reported.

FAQ

Who is Bruce Skaug? Bruce Skaug is the Republican incumbent representing Idaho House District 10B in Nampa, Canyon County. He is a retired attorney and former Nampa city council president, first elected to the Idaho House in 2020 and currently serving his third term.

What district does Bruce Skaug represent? Skaug represents Idaho House District 10B, covering part of Nampa in Canyon County. He is running for re-election in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.

Is Bruce Skaug an incumbent? Yes. Skaug is a third-term incumbent who has served in the Idaho House since December 2020.

What committees does Bruce Skaug serve on? Skaug chairs the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee and also sits on the Local Government and State Affairs committees.

What has Bruce Skaug sponsored in the Idaho Legislature? His most prominent legislation includes the 2025 child sex abuse death penalty bill (HB 380), the 2025 firing squad primary execution method bill (HB 37), the 2025 mandatory minimum marijuana fine (HB 7), the 2025 marijuana initiative constitutional amendment (HJR 4, now on the November 2026 ballot), and the 2026 antidiscrimination preemption bill (HB 557) that bars local nondiscrimination ordinances exceeding state law.

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated April 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.