Brent J. Crane

Brent Crane: Idaho Republican Incumbent for House District 13A

Brent Crane is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 13A, which covers portions of Canyon County including Nampa. Crane is seeking re-election in the May 2026 Republican primary. He first assumed office in 2006 and is currently serving his ninth term. Ballotpedia He is one of the longest-serving members of the Idaho House and holds two committee chairmanships within the Republican caucus.

2024 Primary Election Results Crane 4,223 votes / Unopposed

2024 General Election Results Crane 15,195 votes / Hohman 6,071 votes

Background

Brent Crane was born on July 2, 1974, in Nampa, Idaho, where he has lived his entire life. He graduated from Nampa Christian High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science with an emphasis in public administration from Boise State University. Idaho State Legislature Crane is the co-owner of Crane Alarm Service, a family-owned security and fire alarm business that has operated in Nampa since 1964. Idaho State Legislature He and his wife Rochenda have two children.

Political Career

Crane was first elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 2006, filling a seat vacated by the retirement of Republican Representative Dolores Crow. He has held the seat continuously since then, winning most subsequent elections with comfortable margins. In his most recent general election, in 2024, Crane won with 71.5 percent of the vote against Democrat Cliff Hohman. Wikipedia

Crane served as Assistant Republican Leader in the Idaho House from 2012 to 2018. LegiStorm In 2022, his colleagues elected him to serve as Chairman of the House Ethics and Policy Committee, in addition to his role as Chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, where he also serves as a member of the House Business Committee. Idaho State Legislature

The House State Affairs Committee handles a broad legislative portfolio. Its jurisdiction includes statewide issues such as elections, abortion policy, electric utility deregulation, the Public Utilities Commission, and the state lottery. Idaho State Legislature As chair, Crane controls which bills receive hearings and advance to the full House floor, giving him substantial influence over the legislative agenda on those subjects.

In recent sessions, Crane has been active on campaign finance and election-related legislation. In February 2025, Crane joined House Speaker Mike Moyle in introducing a package of four bills aimed at increasing transparency around out-of-state spending in Idaho elections, following a 2024 cycle in which approximately $17 million was spent on legislative races, with more than $9.3 million on independent expenditures. Idaho Capital Sun Crane stated during the committee hearing that he considered the influx of outside money to be a serious concern, describing it as the “monetization of politics,” and said that if he could, he would restrict Idaho elections to Idaho-sourced dollars only. He acknowledged that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC limits what the legislature can legally do.

Crane has received the Friend of Agriculture award from agricultural interests in multiple years, including 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Idaho State Legislature

Policy Positions

Crane’s documented policy record reflects consistent support for tax reduction and resistance to federal authority over state affairs. His campaign website lists co-sponsorship of legislation that lowered personal income taxes and co-sponsorship of legislation prohibiting gender-transition surgeries for minors. Earlier in his legislative career, he passed the Women’s Right to View Act, which allowed patients to view an ultrasound before an abortion procedure, and the Fetal Pain Bill, which prohibited abortions after 20 weeks. He co-sponsored a nullification bill that would have prohibited enforcement of the Affordable Care Act in Idaho, though that legislation did not become law.

Crane’s campaign website describes him as a social conservative who has opposed abortion throughout his tenure and lists an A+ rating from the National Rifle Association. Brentcrane

On library materials, Crane supported legislation to regulate materials accessible to minors in Idaho libraries, stating during committee proceedings that sexually explicit material exists in Idaho libraries and characterizing the bills as sound policy. Idahovoters

On education, Crane has expressed general support for school choice and parental rights, consistent with the broader Republican caucus. His position on the Idaho Freedom Foundation’s Education Freedom Index has been rated favorably by that organization.

Political Alignment

Crane appears most accurately classified as a Traditional Conservative Republican within Idaho’s political context, though with a documented record of social conservative activism that places him toward the right of that category.

The Idaho Freedom Foundation’s 2025 Freedom Index gave Crane a score of 77 percent Idahofreedom, which falls in the C+ range under IFF’s grading scale. This score is above the threshold that IFF associates with moderate or establishment-leaning Republicans, and it is broadly consistent with how other House Republican leaders, including Speaker Mike Moyle, score on the same index. It does not reflect the higher scores associated with the Idaho Freedom Caucus or Freedom Foundation-aligned legislators. Crane’s close working relationship with Moyle on campaign finance legislation in 2025 further positions him within the House Republican leadership bloc, which generally reflects the governing conservatism of the Otter and Little administrations rather than the activist wing of the party. His repeated receipt of the Friend of Agriculture award is consistent with alignment with rural establishment organizations. No documented endorsements from the Idaho Freedom Foundation, Citizens Alliance of Idaho, Idaho Family Policy Center, Greg Pruett, or figures associated with the Idaho Gang of Eight were identified in research for this profile.

Campaign and Endorsements

Crane is running in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary for District 13A. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Crane in either the 2024 or 2022 election cycles. Ballotpedia No endorsements for the 2026 race had been publicly reported as of the publication of this profile. Crane has expressed interest, as noted by Wikipedia, in potentially seeking Idaho’s 1st Congressional District seat in the future, though he has made no formal announcement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Brent Crane, Idaho? Brent Crane is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives from Nampa, representing District 13A. He has served in the Idaho Legislature since 2006 and currently chairs both the House State Affairs Committee and the House Ethics and Policy Committee.

What district does Brent Crane represent? Crane represents Idaho House District 13A, which covers parts of Canyon County, including the Nampa area.

Is Brent Crane an incumbent or a challenger? Crane is an incumbent seeking re-election. He is running in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.

What committees does Brent Crane serve on? Crane chairs the House State Affairs Committee and the House Ethics and Policy Committee. He is also a member of the House Business Committee and the Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee.

What has Brent Crane done in the Idaho Legislature? Crane has served nine terms and held House Republican leadership roles including Assistant Majority Leader and two committee chairmanships. He has worked on tax reduction legislation, campaign finance transparency bills, social conservative measures including abortion restrictions, and has received the Friend of Agriculture award from agricultural interests multiple times.

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