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 in District 10B. Skaug represents the Nampa area of Canyon County and is currently serving his third term. He is running in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary.

2024 Primary Election Results Skaug 7,971 votes / Unopposed

2024 General Election Results Skaug 26,516 votes / Tremaine 5,979 votes

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. Wikipedia He has been a resident of Nampa since the early 1990s and identifies as a fifth-generation Idahoan. Idaho State Legislature

After graduating from law school, Skaug worked as a civil practice attorney and served as the deputy prosecutor of Ada County, Idaho. Wikipedia He subsequently operated Skaug Law, a Nampa-based law firm, and also held a position in a land investment company. Skaugforidaho His official Idaho Legislature member profile notes that he is now retired from legal practice after running his own law firm for 32 years.

Skaug has served on multiple nonprofit charitable boards of directors and has received a Lions Club International Award for Outstanding Humanitarian Service (2000), the Christian Legislator of the Year award (2024), and the Champion of the Family Award (2025). Idaho State Legislature He was a member of the Nampa City Council from 2014 to 2020. Wikipedia

Political Career

Skaug was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in November 2020 and assumed office on December 1, 2020. Wikipedia He first represented District 12A, then moved to District 10B following redistricting. He won re-election in 2022 and again in the November 2024 general election, defeating Democratic challenger Shana Tremaine. Ballotpedia

Skaug currently chairs the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee and serves on the Local Government and State Affairs committees. Idaho State Legislature According to his campaign website, his legislative record as a freshman representative included turning over a dozen bills into signed law.

In the 2025 legislative session, Skaug sponsored several high-profile criminal justice bills. He cosponsored House Bill 380, which created a new crime of aggravated lewd conduct with children age 12 and younger and made that offense death-penalty eligible. Governor Brad Little signed the bill into law on March 27, 2025. Idaho Capital Sun Skaug acknowledged the bill contradicts the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2008 ruling in Kennedy v. Louisiana, but told lawmakers he believes 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.” Idaho Capital Sun Skaug also introduced House Bill 37, enacted March 12, 2025, making firing squad the state’s primary execution method, replacing lethal injection. Idaho became the only state in the country to designate the firing squad as its primary method. Death Penalty Information Center

On drug policy, Skaug sponsored House Bill 7 in 2025, which created a mandatory minimum fine of $300 for anyone convicted of marijuana possession of 3 ounces or less. The bill passed the House 54-14, largely along party lines. Idaho Capital Sun Skaug also sponsored House Joint Resolution 4, which passed the Idaho House 58-10 on March 5, 2025. HJR 4 is a proposed constitutional amendment, now placed before voters in 2026, that would give the legislature exclusive authority to legalize marijuana, narcotics, or psychoactive substances, removing that power from the citizen initiative process. Ballotpedia Speaking on the House floor, Skaug framed the resolution around a provision in the Idaho Constitution, stating: “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.” Cannabis Business Times

Earlier in his tenure, Skaug sponsored legislation barring all public funding to any entity that provides an abortion, assists someone in getting an abortion, or even counsels a patient that abortion is an option. The bill passed the House State Affairs Committee on a 10-4 vote in 2021. Idaho State Journal In 2023, Skaug sponsored House Bill 2, which would withhold state sales and tax revenue from any city or county governing body that issued an ordinance directing officials not to enforce Idaho’s criminal abortion statutes. Idaho Reports

Policy Positions

Skaug’s documented 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 pathway to legalization. On abortion, he has pursued legislation defunding providers and penalizing local governments that decline to enforce state abortion statutes.

On marijuana, Skaug has said: “Not long ago, all 50 states of this nation outlawed marijuana,” and challenged opponents to name any state that became “a better place” because of marijuana legalization. Idaho Capital Sun On fiscal matters, his campaign materials emphasize opposition to tax increases and reducing government spending, with a particular focus on small business protection.

Political Alignment

Bruce Skaug appears aligned with the Conservative Activist tier of Idaho Republican politics, though with notable ties to both establishment and activist networks. His Idaho Freedom Foundation index score of 84% is above the 70% threshold that marks a clear conservative activist pattern on IFF’s metric. His documented endorsements from the Fraternal Order of Police, Idaho Chooses Life, and the NRA place him in alignment with both traditional law-enforcement conservatism and social conservative activist organizations. The awards listed on his official legislative profile — including the “Christian Legislator of the Year” (2024) and “Champion of the Family” (2025) — suggest engagement with faith-aligned political organizations, though the specific organizations issuing those awards are not identified in available public records. His legislative portfolio, particularly the marijuana constitutional amendment and the push to challenge Kennedy v. Louisianathrough state legislation, reflects a willingness to move well beyond the governing conservatism of the Little administration on social and criminal justice issues, even where that means inviting constitutional conflict with federal precedent.

Campaign and Endorsements

Skaug has received endorsements from Idaho Chooses Life, the NRA, and the Fraternal Order of Police. IdahovotersHis 2026 campaign website is skaugforidaho.com. As of April 2026, no additional endorsements for the 2026 race have been publicly reported by Ballotpedia or Idaho news outlets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Bruce Skaug in Idaho politics? Bruce D. Skaug is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 10B, which covers the Nampa area of Canyon County. He is a retired attorney and former Nampa City Council president, first elected to the Legislature in 2020 and now serving his third term.

What district does Bruce Skaug represent? Skaug represents Idaho House District 10, Seat B. The district is located in Canyon County and centered on Nampa.

What committees does Bruce Skaug serve on? Skaug chairs the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee. He also serves on the Local Government and State Affairs committees, as listed on his official Idaho Legislature member profile.

What legislation has Bruce Skaug sponsored in recent sessions? In the 2025 session, Skaug’s most prominent bills included House Bill 380, expanding the death penalty to certain child sex abuse offenses; House Bill 37, making the firing squad Idaho’s primary execution method; House Bill 7, establishing mandatory minimum fines for marijuana possession; and House Joint Resolution 4, a proposed constitutional amendment giving the legislature exclusive authority over marijuana and narcotics legalization.

Is Bruce Skaug running for re-election in 2026? Yes. Skaug is an incumbent candidate running in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary for Idaho House District 10B.

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