Charlie Shepherd

Charlie Shepherd: Republican incumbent for Idaho House District 7, Seat B

Republican incumbent Charlie Shepherd of Pollock is on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot for Idaho House District 7, Seat B, facing Democrat Pete Gertonson. Shepherd won his May 19, 2026 primary with 5,919 votes, 70.63 percent, over Maureen Anderson's 2,461 votes, a certified result from the Idaho Secretary of State. Gertonson ran unopposed in his primary and received 1,310 votes.

Background

Shepherd was raised in Garden Valley, Idaho, and graduated from Salmon River High School in Riggins. Per his official Idaho Legislature biography, he spent 10 years logging in Idaho, Utah, Oregon, and Washington, then worked 15 years for a family-owned sawmill and log home business. He coached football, basketball, and track at Salmon River High School for 18 years and is a current member of the District III Basketball Officials Association. He works as maintenance supervisor for Salmon River Joint School District #243. He and his wife, Susan, have been married 31 years and have four children and five grandchildren.

Election history

Shepherd was first elected to the House in 2020. Certified Idaho Secretary of State results show he won that year's Republican primary over Cornel Rasor, 4,414 votes to 4,051, then ran unopposed in the general election. He ran unopposed in both the 2022 primary and the 2022 general. In 2024, he beat Larry Dunn in the primary, 4,440 votes to 2,920, and then beat Democrat Dustin Hardisty in the general, 20,222 votes (77.2 percent) to 5,984 (22.8 percent).

Committee assignments

For the 2026 session, Shepherd serves as vice chair of the House Resources and Conservation Committee, according to his official legislature page. He also serves on the Revenue and Taxation Committee and the Transportation and Defense Committee.

2021 remarks and apology

On March 2, 2021, during House debate on HB 226, a bill that would have let the state Board of Education accept a $6 million early childhood grant, Shepherd said, "I don't think anybody does a better job than mothers in the home, and any bill that makes it easier or more convenient for mothers to come out of the home and let others raise their child, I don't think that's a good direction for us to be going." The House killed the bill.

The next day, March 3, 2021, Shepherd apologized on the House floor. According to Idaho Press reporter Betsy Russell, he said, "My intent was to compliment mothers in every way possible. I stand before you now to admit that I failed miserably. After hearing my remarks played back, I recognize how my remarks sounded derogatory, offensive and even sexist towards the mothers of this state." He added, "I have learned the hard way that misguided statements do not help solve anything. I sincerely apologize to any and all that I have offended, and I will work hard to right any wrongs that I have done."

House Bill 581

In 2022, Shepherd was the House floor sponsor of House Bill 581, the Employee Medical Information Protection Act, which the legislature's bill history describes as adding to existing law to implement protections for employee medical information. The bill came from the House Business Committee and passed the House on February 22, 2022, on a 39-29-2 vote.

In his 2021 apology, Shepherd told the House that single working mothers are "the strongest and most courageous people that I know."

Sources

• Idaho State Legislature, official 2026 member page for Rep. Charlie Shepherd confirming district, term, committees, and biography
• Idaho Secretary of State Elections Database, certified results for Charlie Shepherd's 2020, 2022, and 2024 contests
• Idaho Secretary of State, certified May 19, 2026 primary results
• Idaho Press, Eye on Boise, Betsy Russell's March 3, 2021 report on Rep. Shepherd's House floor remarks and apology
• Idaho State Legislature, House Bill 581 legislative history and floor vote