Idaho General Election · November 3, 2026Find polling place
Republican

Carl Bjerke

Incumbent
Carl Bjerke

Idaho Senate, District 5

Campaign website:Campaign Website
Phone:(208) 332-1421
Email:CBjerke@senate.idaho.gov
Facebook:Campaign Facebook Page
Campaign finance:Campaign Finance
City:Coeur d'Alene

Carl Bjerke: Idaho Senate District 5 incumbent on the 2026 ballot

Republican State Senator Carl Bjerke, District 5, is on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot against Democrat Adam Chapman. Bjerke won the May 19, 2026 Republican primary unopposed, taking 6,773 votes, or 100 percent of ballots cast. This is a rematch. In 2024, Bjerke defeated Chapman 79.4 percent to 20.6 percent in the general election.

Bjerke is in his second term. He lives in Coeur d'Alene.

Background

Bjerke worked as a respiratory therapist before entering public safety, according to his official legislative bio. He spent 32 years in the fire service. He retired as deputy chief of operations from the Santa Monica Fire Department, where he managed all of the department's operational divisions, including its EMS system.

His education includes an A.S. in respiratory therapy and a B.S. in organizational leadership. He is a graduate of the Paramedic Training Institute. Outside his department work, he served seven years on the management team for the LA Marathon and was a former trustee for the SMFD Health Benefits Trust.

He was born in Long Beach, California. He has lived in Coeur d'Alene since 2017, and began establishing a home in North Idaho in 2014, according to his own 2026 candidate survey response. He and his wife Lesli have been married 35 years. They have two grown children. His son Garrett is a firefighter with the City of Meridian. His daughter Carli is an entrepreneur and graphic designer in Coeur d'Alene, according to the Republican Party of Idaho's candidate page.

How he got to the Senate

Bjerke first won the District 5 seat in 2022. He beat Peter Riggs in that year's Republican primary, 62.1 percent to 37.9 percent, according to Idaho Secretary of State canvass records. He won the 2024 general election against Chapman 79.4 percent to 20.6 percent, the same canvass shows.

The 2026 primary put him on the ballot without opposition, and he carried every one of the 6,773 votes cast in the race.

Legislative role and committees

Bjerke serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee, according to his legislative bio. He also sits on the Senate Finance Committee.

His most consequential assignment is the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, known as JFAC. That committee sets the state budget each year. Members of the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee meet together as JFAC to analyze revenue and agency requests, then set a balanced budget. Bjerke is one of ten Senate members on the 2026 committee, per the JFAC roster.

He also served on two interim bodies between sessions. The 2025 COVID-19 Response Study Committee, created through SCR102, was charged with investigating the state government's conduct and response to the pandemic. Bjerke sat on that committee alongside four other senators and five representatives, per the interim roster. He also sat on the 2025 DOGE Task Force, charged with studying government efficiency matters in Idaho. That task force met six times between July and December 2025 and ran a public portal inviting Idahoans to report waste and duplication.

Bjerke's 2026 priorities, in his own words

The CBS2/FOX9 2026 general election survey sent the same questions to every candidate in the race. Bjerke responded. His answers appear below as he wrote them.

On his top priorities for the district, he wrote that "keeping Idaho affordable is one of the clearest priorities I hear from people in District 5." He cited "housing costs, healthcare expenses, taxes, and the pressures associated with continued growth." He named housing affordability as especially important for young families and working Idahoans.

On healthcare, he called the continuing rise in costs "one of my greatest concerns," particularly health insurance. As a JFAC member, he wrote, "I see that pressure firsthand when we budget for health coverage for state employees." He pointed to competition, transparency, access to providers, and how healthcare is purchased as areas where the state has room to act. "We should continue examining areas where Idaho does have leverage, including competition, transparency, access to providers, and how healthcare is purchased and delivered," he wrote.

On budget shortfalls, he drew a line between revenue problems and spending problems. "My work on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee has reinforced the importance of distinguishing between a temporary revenue problem and an ongoing spending problem," he wrote. "One-time reserves should not become a substitute for correcting recurring expenses. We should examine programs for effectiveness, eliminate unnecessary or duplicative spending, address waste and fraud, and require agencies to operate within sustainable budgets." At the same time, he wrote that responsible budgeting requires prioritization. "Public safety, services for vulnerable Idahoans, and other core responsibilities of state government cannot simply be treated the same as discretionary spending," he wrote.

In his closing survey answer, on why people should vote for him, he wrote: "I have approached public office much the same way I approached my 32 years in the fire service: listen carefully, do the work, make responsible decisions, and remain accountable to the people I serve." He also wrote that "my faith is an important part of why I serve."

Chapman's 2026 priorities, in his own words

Chapman is an independent contractor from Coeur d'Alene who has lived in Idaho for 30 years. He holds a BA in Spanish with a concentration in literature from the University of Oregon, according to his survey response. He won the 2024 Democratic primary unopposed with 583 votes, according to Idaho Secretary of State canvass records.

His listed priorities, in his own words from the survey: "Correct and reform the terrible traffic." "Reduce carbon emissions." "Dramatically increase wealth distribution to middle and lower classes." "Education reform." "Private business reform." "Healthcare expansion, and full cost reduction." "Pro-labor focus (Labor Theory of Value)."

Asked about the biggest issue not being addressed by the Legislature, he wrote: "The obvious biggest issue that is not currently being addressed by the Idaho legislature is the existential threat to life on earth posed by climate change and carbon emissions." On budget shortfalls, he wrote: "To overcome the budget shortfall, we need to mobilize our economy and transform it into one that is not focused on wealth creation, but problem solving."

Chapman addressed his campaign funding directly in his survey response. "In order to ensure that my constituents are heard at the capital, I have decided to not accept any dark money into my campaign," he wrote. "I've also decided to not accept any corporate money. All this information is publicly disclosed, and available. This is a campaign by the people, for the people."

Sources

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated September 25, 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Carl Bjerke?
Carl Bjerke is the Republican state senator for Idaho Legislative District 5. He is in his second term and is running for reelection on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.
Who is Carl Bjerke running against in 2026?
He is running against Adam Chapman, a Democrat from Coeur d'Alene. The 2026 race is a rematch of the 2024 general election, which Bjerke won 79.4 percent to 20.6 percent.
What committees does Carl Bjerke serve on?
Bjerke is Vice Chair of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and a member of the Senate Finance Committee. He also sits on the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, known as JFAC, which sets Idaho's state budget each year.
What did Carl Bjerke do before the Senate?
He worked as a respiratory therapist, then spent 32 years in public safety. He retired as deputy chief of operations from the Santa Monica Fire Department, where he managed all of the department's operational divisions, including its EMS system.
When did Bjerke first win his Senate seat?
He first won the District 5 seat in 2022. He beat Peter Riggs in that year's Republican primary with 62.1 percent of the vote, according to Idaho Secretary of State canvass records, and is now serving his second term.
What are Bjerke's stated priorities for 2026?
In his 2026 campaign survey response, Bjerke named housing affordability, healthcare costs, public safety, transportation, and managing growth as his top priorities for the district. On budget shortfalls, he wrote that the Legislature should distinguish between a temporary revenue problem and an ongoing spending problem, eliminate waste, and prioritize core services.
What are Adam Chapman's stated priorities for 2026?
Chapman's survey response lists traffic reform, reducing carbon emissions, increasing wealth distribution to middle and lower earners, education reform, private business reform, expanding healthcare access, and a pro-labor focus. He identifies as an independent contractor and has lived in Idaho for 30 years.
How does Chapman say he is funding his campaign?
Adam Chapman says he has accepted no corporate or dark-money funding and runs a publicly disclosed, people-funded campaign.

Also on the ballot in District 5

Every candidate for the State Senate and both House seats in this district. See the full District 5 page.

More on the November 3 ballot