Chris Trakel

Chris Trakel: Idaho Republican Candidate for Senate District 11

Chris Trakel is a Republican challenger running for the Idaho State Senate in District 11, which covers most of the city of Caldwell in Canyon County. Trakel, of Caldwell, is a retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran and small business owner who served one term in the District 11 Senate seat from 2022 to 2024. He is seeking a rematch against the incumbent who defeated him, Sen. Camille Blaylock, in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.

Background

Trakel was born in Boise and grew up in Meridian, graduating from Meridian High School in 2000. In March 2001 he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a rifleman. He was deployed to Iraq with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and to Afghanistan with the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, and retired in 2016 as a staff sergeant after 15 years of service. Following his retirement he moved to Caldwell with his wife Nicole, where the couple founded Grim’s Wood Design LLC, a woodworking and home decor business. Trakel has three children, one of whom attends private school and two of whom are homeschooled through Idaho Home Learning Academy, a virtual public charter school. He has served on the Caldwell Veterans Memorial Hall Committee and the Concerned Citizens of Canyon County Committee, and is a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the National Rifle Association, according to his Ballotpedia profile.

Political Career

Trakel first ran for the Idaho Legislature in the 2020 Republican primary for Senate District 10, losing to incumbent Jim Rice. In 2022, he ran for the District 11 Senate seat, defeating incumbent state Rep. Greg Chaney in the Republican primary and winning the general election over Democrat Toni Ferro. He served one term on the Local Government and Taxation and Transportation committees, per his official Idaho Legislature listing.

During his single term, Trakel co-sponsored legislation blocking foreign governments from buying Idaho agricultural land and mining claims, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. He also sponsored a bill requiring the use of students’ preferred pronouns to align with biological sex and co-sponsored legislation related to a six-month medication supply for Idaho residents. In January 2023 he appeared at a Caldwell School District board meeting to oppose a proposed gender identity policy, drawing a rebuke from the Idaho Statesman editorial board for his conduct during that meeting. During Senate floor debate on the Vulnerable Child Protection Act, KTVB reported that Trakel cited a small politically motivated pediatric group.

In the May 2024 Republican primary, Trakel lost his seat to challenger Camille Blaylock 1,746 to 1,617 votes, a 3.8-point margin. PAC spending in that race was heavily lopsided against him: Idaho Liberty PAC spent $91,332 opposing Trakel while his only independent support came from $0.72 from the NRA Political Victory Fund, according to Idaho Education News.

Policy Positions

Trakel’s stated priorities center on reducing government spending and taxes, protecting property rights, and limiting government authority over individual decisions. In his 2020 Ballotpedia candidate survey, he described his core views as: all taxes on Idaho residents are too high and need to be decreased; personal rights cannot be restricted by government without due process; and state spending must be reduced. During his 2022 campaign he specifically proposed returning the homeowner’s exemption to 50 percent of the value of the home and land, protecting gun rights, and preserving employee medical rights. He has also cited election integrity and school curriculum content as priorities. Trakel claims he faced religious discrimination when Idaho Home Learning Academy declined to reimburse his family for religious curriculum purchases, according to Idaho Education News.

Political Alignment

Trakel is associated with the Conservative Activist wing of the Idaho Republican Party. He is affiliated with the Citizens Alliance of Idaho and the Idaho Freedom Foundation, and has received support from the Idaho Freedom PAC, Stop Idaho RINOs, and Think Liberty Idaho PAC, as documented on his campaign finance record. The Canyon County Republican Central Committee has also endorsed him. The IVG notes that Trakel drew criticism from the Idaho Freedom Foundation network during his Senate term for failing to align with them on a vote before later receiving their support for his re-election campaign – an episode that reflects the transactional nature of his relationship with that wing of the party rather than independent ideological positioning.

Campaign and Endorsements

Trakel is significantly outraised heading into the 2026 primary. As of April 13, 2026, Blaylock held a cash balance of $33,246 compared to Trakel’s $4,116, according to Idaho Education News. The winner of the May 19, 2026 Republican primary will advance to the November 3, 2026 general election.

Public Controversies or Criticism

In January 2023, Trakel attended a Caldwell School District board meeting where he spoke against a proposed gender identity protection policy. The Idaho Statesman editorial board criticized his conduct, writing that being elected to office does not entitle a person to use their position to attack other elected officials and that Trakel had improperly invoked his senatorial title at a local board meeting where he had no authority.

FAQ

Who is Chris Trakel, Idaho? Chris Trakel is a Republican from Caldwell running for Idaho State Senate District 11 in 2026. He is a retired U.S. Marine Corps staff sergeant, small business owner, and former one-term District 11 senator seeking a rematch against incumbent Camille Blaylock.

What district is Chris Trakel running in? Trakel is running for Idaho State Senate District 11, which covers most of the city of Caldwell in Canyon County.

Is Chris Trakel an incumbent? No. Trakel served one term in the District 11 Senate seat from 2022 to 2024 but lost his 2024 Republican primary to Camille Blaylock and is not a current officeholder. He is seeking a rematch against Blaylock in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.

What committees did Chris Trakel serve on? Trakel served on the Local Government and Taxation and Transportation committees during his single Senate term.

What has Chris Trakel sponsored in the Idaho Legislature? Trakel co-sponsored legislation blocking foreign governments from purchasing Idaho agricultural land and mining claims, sponsored a bill addressing student pronoun use, and co-sponsored a six-month medication supply bill.

Election Results

2022 Republican Primary — Idaho Senate District 11 Trakel / Chaney (Trakel won)

2022 General Election — Idaho Senate District 11 Trakel / Ferro (Trakel won)

2024 Republican Primary — Idaho Senate District 11 Blaylock 1,746 / Trakel 1,617

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