Carissa Brewer

Carissa Brewer: Idaho Democratic Candidate for Senate District 4

Carissa Brewer is a Democratic candidate for Idaho State Senate District 4, which covers the Coeur d'Alene area of Kootenai County. She is challenging Republican incumbent Ben Toews, who defeated her in the 2024 general election when she ran under her previous name, Carissa Hober. Brewer is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026, Democratic primary, per Ballotpedia, and will face Toews again in the November 3, 2026, general election.

Background

Brewer was raised in Southern California and spent summers in Montana, as she noted in a 2024 candidate forum hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Press. She holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and worked as an ambulatory care pharmacist in Coeur d'Alene. She later focused on raising her four children and coaching youth sports. She has lived in the Coeur d'Alene area for at least twelve years, as she stated during the 2024 forum.

Political Career

Brewer has not held elected office. She ran for Idaho State Senate District 4 in 2024 under her previous name, Carissa Hober, winning the uncontested Democratic primary before losing the general election to incumbent Ben Toews, per Kootenai County official results. Toews received 15,844 votes to her 8,049. Her 2026 filing marks her second consecutive run for the seat, per Ballotpedia.

Policy Positions

Brewer has identified education, housing affordability, and women's rights as her top legislative priorities. In her 2024 candidate forum appearance with the Coeur d'Alene Press, she said education is her top issue, stating that state-level action is needed rather than leaving education funding decisions solely to local communities. On housing, she pointed to cost increases in the Coeur d'Alene area over the past decade as a concern requiring legislative attention. She also cited women's rights as a key priority in the same forum. Her 2024 campaign messaging also addressed healthcare costs and care for elderly residents. Her framing has consistently emphasized cross-partisan cooperation over partisan alignment. As of April 2026, Brewer has not published a detailed 2026 policy platform. This section will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Political Alignment

Brewer is a Moderate Democrat. Her stated priorities of expanding access to women's healthcare, increasing state education funding, and addressing housing affordability are consistent with that classification. Her campaign messaging has emphasized bipartisan outreach and cross-aisle cooperation throughout both her campaigns. No documented affiliations with progressive activist organizations have been identified.

Campaign and Endorsements

Brewer is running her 2026 campaign under the name Carissa Brewer, reflecting a name change since her 2024 race as Carissa Hober. Her campaign Facebook page, created during her 2024 run, remains active at Carissa For Idaho. Ballotpedia did not identify any endorsements for her 2024 campaign, and no formal endorsements for the 2026 cycle have been publicly reported. Campaign finance records are available through the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine database.