Casey Hess
Idaho House of Representatives, District 21 Seat B
Casey Hess: Idaho House District 21, Seat B
Casey Hess, a Democrat from Meridian, is the party's nominee for Idaho House District 21, Seat B, in the November 3, 2026 general election. She will face Republican incumbent Jeff Ehlers. Hess ran unopposed in the May 19, 2026 primary and received 1,283 votes, or 100 percent, according to certified Idaho Secretary of State results.
Her legal name on official filings is Catherine Elizabeth Hess. She goes by Casey.
Background
Hess is an Idaho native with roots on both sides of the state. "I grew up in Nezperce, later graduated from Boise High School, and went on to attend the University of Idaho," she writes on her campaign website. Nezperce is the county seat of Lewis County.
Her work history, in her own telling, is in customer service. "Spending my entire life in customer service taught me that true results come from listening closely and finding common ground through compromise," her campaign bio states. She has lived in the Treasure Valley since the 1990s, according to a 2024 KIVI-TV interview.
State business records show she has served as the registered agent of As You Wish Clothiers, LLC, a Meridian company, since 2013, according to Idaho Secretary of State filings.
A 2024 campaign for a different seat
Hess ran for public office once before, in 2024, for the adjacent seat in the same district. In that cycle she sought District 21, Seat A, not Seat B. She won the May 2024 Democratic primary for Seat A unopposed with 991 votes, then lost the November 2024 general election to Republican James Petzke, 8,160 votes (31.7 percent) to Petzke's 17,558 (68.3 percent), per Idaho Secretary of State results.
That earlier campaign produced the most detailed public statements available on her positions. In a KIVI-TV interview published November 1, 2024, Hess said she entered the race after Idaho Democrats encouraged party members to run. On education funding, she told the station: "The Democratic beliefs about funding education and making sure we are raising good stewards of society shouldn't be something that's really a bipartisan thought, it's really just the way it should be."
She also criticized legislation on social issues. "Book bans are a terrible choice. The Medicaid ban on transgender care is one that I am completely against," she said in 2024. On Idaho's abortion law, passed after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, she said: "Here in Idaho they just went from 0 to 60 and went, 'Okay, that's it. Abortions are no longer on the table.' And I think that doing that without some sort of ballot measure was a big mistake."
Those statements date from her 2024 race. Her 2026 platform, described below, is drawn from her current campaign website.
2026 campaign priorities
Hess lists three priorities on her campaign site. The first is school funding. "We must ensure every child is given the same opportunity to succeed by providing our public schools with high-quality motivated teachers, modern equipment, safe buildings, and the full support of the community," she writes.
The second is what she calls healthcare autonomy. "I am committed to ensuring that medical choices remain between patients and doctors, free from political interference," her platform states.
The third is transportation. Hess argues that roads and transit should expand alongside new housing so commutes remain fast and reliable, a framing aimed at District 21's rapid growth. District 21 covers most of Meridian, between Eagle and McDermott Roads and Victory and Ustick Roads, according to KIVI-TV's 2024 coverage of the district.
Campaign finance
Hess has raised $878.86 for the 2026 cycle, according to her filing on the Idaho Secretary of State Sunshine portal. All of it came from individual donors; the filings show $0 from companies or political action committees. Of that total, $326.25 came from donors inside Idaho and $552.61 from outside the state.
Her three largest contributions are $277.78 from Matthew Erickson of Washington, DC, $250 from David Uhlorn of Seattle, and $250 from Gina Hess of Boise. The rest includes several small donations of $20 to $25 from Meridian donors.
She has spent $847.38 and reports an ending cash balance of $51.48. The filings show no loans and no outstanding debt.
Sources
Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated September 26, 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.
Frequently asked questions
- What office is Casey Hess running for in 2026?
- She is the Democratic nominee for Idaho House District 21, Seat B, which covers most of Meridian in Ada County. She faces Republican incumbent Jeff Ehlers in the November 3, 2026 general election.
- How did she do in the May 2026 primary?
- She ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2026 and received 1,283 votes, or 100 percent, per certified Idaho Secretary of State results.
- Did she run for Seat A in 2024?
- Yes. Her 2024 campaign was for District 21, Seat A, the adjacent seat, not Seat B. She won the May 2024 primary unopposed with 991 votes, then lost the November 2024 general election to Republican James Petzke, 8,160 votes (31.7 percent) to Petzke's 17,558 (68.3 percent). Her 2026 candidacy is for Seat B and her opponent is Jeff Ehlers.
- What is her background?
- Her legal name on official filings is Catherine Elizabeth Hess. She grew up in Nezperce, the Lewis County seat, graduated from Boise High School, and attended the University of Idaho, according to her campaign website. She describes a lifelong career in customer service, has lived in the Treasure Valley since the 1990s, and has been the registered agent of As You Wish Clothiers, LLC, a Meridian business, since 2013, per Idaho Secretary of State business records.
- What are her campaign priorities?
- Her 2026 platform lists fully funding public schools, restoring healthcare autonomy by keeping medical decisions between patients and doctors, and expanding roads and transit to keep pace with new housing development.
- How is her campaign funded?
- She has raised $878.86 in the 2026 cycle, all from individual donors. That includes $326.25 from Idaho donors and $552.61 from out of state. Her top contributors are Matthew Erickson of Washington, DC ($277.78), David Uhlorn of Seattle ($250), and Gina Hess of Boise ($250). Her campaign has reported $847.38 in spending and an ending cash balance of $51.48, with no loans or outstanding debt.
- Did Casey Hess respond to the 2026 candidate survey?
- No. She did not respond to the CBS2/FOX9 "Know Your Candidates" survey for the District 21 Seat B race.
Also on the ballot in District 21
Every candidate for the State Senate and both House seats in this district. See the full District 21 page.
- DemocratCamille AllanHouse Seat A
- RepublicanJames PetzkeHouse Seat A
- RepublicanJeff EhlersHouse Seat B
- RepublicanTreg A. BerntSenate