Benjamin Chafetz

Benjamin Chafetz: Idaho Republican Candidate for Senate District 17

Benjamin Chafetz is a Republican who ran twice for Idaho State Senate District 17, a Boise-area legislative district covering southwest Ada County. He challenged Democratic incumbent Carrie Semmelroth in both the 2022 and 2024 general elections, losing both times. As of April 2026, Ballotpedia’s District 17 race page does not list Chafetz as a filed candidate for the May 2026 primary, and he does not appear in the Idaho Secretary of State’s 2026 candidate filings. This profile will be updated if he files.

Background

Chafetz was born in Silver Spring, Maryland. He earned a high school diploma from Winston Churchill High School and a bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University in 2011, according to his Ballotpedia profile. He later earned a second bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Boise State University in 2018. Before settling in Boise, he lived in North Carolina and London, as reported by the Idaho Press. He has worked as an engineer and is a landlord in southwest Boise. He serves as a Republican precinct committeeman in his district.

In 2021, Chafetz co-founded Micron Employees for Religious Freedom (MERF), a nonprofit he has led as president. As reported by KIVI-TV, MERF formed after Micron Technology announced a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for U.S. employees and contractors. Chafetz stated the company’s only accommodation for employees seeking religious exemptions was unpaid leave, double masking, and daily testing. The Idaho Business Review reported that MERF assisted members in filing complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Idaho Human Rights Commission. The IHRC denied MERF’s request to intervene as a party in those proceedings.

Political Career

Chafetz has never held elected office. He first ran for Idaho State Senate District 17 in 2022, challenging Semmelroth, who had been appointed by Governor Brad Little to fill the seat after the prior holder, Alison Rabe, was appointed to a judicial position. Chafetz won the Republican primary unopposed and lost the general election, receiving 40.2 percent of the vote to Semmelroth’s 59.8 percent, as reported by the Idaho Press. He ran again in 2024, again winning the Republican primary unopposed with 2,185 votes, and again lost to Semmelroth in November, according to Ballotpedia.

Policy Positions

Chafetz has stated his priorities across candidate surveys, press interviews, and campaign materials over two election cycles.

On fiscal policy, his IDGOP candidate profile states that Idaho must lower taxes and stop accepting federal money, arguing that federal funding carries conditions he considers harmful to Idaho residents. In a 2022 Ballotpedia candidate survey, he stated his goal was to lower taxes, eliminate regulations and mandates, and described Idaho as having the potential to be “the freest and most prosperous state in the nation.”

On individual liberty, Chafetz has argued that government must not direct personal medical decisions. His IDGOP profile states that government and corporations must not infringe on bodily autonomy and that COVID-era policies “must never occur again in our state.”

On housing, his 2022 Ballotpedia survey states that government affordable housing programs have not stabilized housing markets and suggested business deregulation as an alternative path to affordability. On education, he has expressed support for school choice and for money following the student to allow families to choose private or homeschool options.

On property rights, his 2022 survey describes his core governing principle as the right of Idahoans to manage their property and make their own decisions up to the point of infringing on another person. He stated that government’s role is primarily to resolve disputes rather than regulate individual conduct.

Chafetz also cited opposition to ESG investing criteria as a reason voters should prefer him, as reported by the Idaho Press.

Political Alignment

Chafetz appears aligned with the Conservative Activist wing of the Idaho Republican Party. His 2022 campaign finance records, available through the Idaho Secretary of State’s Sunshine database, show a $250 donation from state Sen. Scott Herndon, a figure publicly associated with the activist right of Idaho’s Republican caucus. His founding of MERF and his sustained emphasis on individual liberty and opposition to COVID-era mandates as central campaign themes are consistent with that alignment.

Campaign and Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify formal endorsements for Chafetz in either his 2022 or 2024 campaigns. His 2022 campaign was primarily self-funded, with Chafetz contributing $5,208 of his own money, according to Idaho campaign finance records. He signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge, per Ballotpedia.

FAQ

Who is Benjamin Chafetz, Idaho? Benjamin Chafetz is a Republican from southwest Boise who ran for Idaho State Senate District 17 in 2022 and 2024, losing both general elections to incumbent Democrat Carrie Semmelroth. He is an electrical engineer, landlord, and co-founder of Micron Employees for Religious Freedom.

What district did Benjamin Chafetz run in? Chafetz ran in Idaho State Senate District 17, a Boise-area district in Ada County.

Is Benjamin Chafetz an incumbent or challenger? Chafetz has never held elected office. He was a challenger in both 2022 and 2024. As of April 2026, he has not filed for the 2026 election.

What are Benjamin Chafetz’s political positions? Chafetz has prioritized lowering taxes, reducing government spending, opposition to COVID-era mandates and vaccine requirements, school choice, and protecting individual property rights.

2022 Primary Election Results Chafetz / Unopposed

2022 General Election Results Semmelroth 59.8% / Chafetz 40.2%

2024 Primary Election Results Chafetz 2,185 / Unopposed

2024 General Election Results Semmelroth 13,250 / Chafetz 9,879

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