Christy Zito

Idaho Senate District 8 | Republican — Far-Right Conservative Activist

Christy Zito is the incumbent Republican senator for Senate District 8, a four-county stretch of southwest Idaho that includes Mountain Home and its namesake Air Force base. A family farmer and Senate co-leader of the Gang of Eight alongside Glenneda Zuiderveld, she has served in both the House and Senate across multiple terms. The Idaho Freedom Foundation consistently scores her among the Legislature’s most ideologically aligned members. She sits on the Senate Education Committee and writes at zitoforidaho.substack.com.

Mountain Home is home to Mountain Home Air Force Base, an F-15 installation whose personnel and contractors anchor the local economy through federal spending. Zito co-signed the Gang of Eight’s January 2026 budget pledge to oppose all budget enhancements and reject federal money with conditions attached, a position that sits in direct tension with her district’s dependence on federal military investment. When Idaho faced a revenue shortfall and the Governor mandated a 3% agency spending cut, she posted: “Be strong fiscal conservatives. Stand against budget growth that takes more money from taxpayers. Uphold the founders’ intent of limited government.”

Zito uses her Facebook page as an unofficial Gang of Eight communications hub, coordinating messaging, defending members under attack, and promoting their legislation. When three Magic Valley dairies dropped Glenneda Zuiderveld’s husband’s accounts after his anti-immigration advocacy targeted their workforce, Zito called it “reprehensible” and accused the dairies of “government-subsidized thuggery.” She supports pro-life legislation without exceptions, has attempted three times to end daylight saving time, and posted the group’s signal moment in one Facebook caption: “Idaho Gang of Eight, Joshua Kohl, Make Machine Guns Great Again!!! MMGGA.”

No relationship defines Zito’s political operation more than her partnership with Greg Pruett, founder of the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance. Pruett built I2AA into the flagship Idaho affiliate of a national network centered on the Dorr family of Iowa, whose operation The Trace reported Republicans themselves called “a big scam.” The formula runs across more than a dozen states: confrontational Facebook videos attacking fellow Republicans drive donations, while little legislation passes. Gun Owners of America publicly criticized the network for treating fundraising as the end rather than the means, and their open letter to Wyoming’s gun community named Pruett’s operation there specifically. Pruett ran Wyoming Gun Owners out of Idaho while simultaneously directing I2AA. IRS 990 disclosures revealed more than $90,000 flowing from I2AA donor funds to Aaron Dorr’s network over multiple years. When those payments became public, Pruett dissolved I2AA and relaunched it as Honor Idaho.

Pruett’s credibility took a separate hit in a defamation case brought by Gregory Graf of Political Potatoes. Pruett and then-Rep. Chad Christensen allegedly orchestrated a scheme to lure Graf into a recorded call and execute a coordinated media attack. Pruett admitted under oath to lying about Graf and to publishing an article written by someone else under his own name. The NPR podcast “No Compromise”, which won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize for Audio Reporting, dedicated an episode to Pruett titled “A One-Man Propaganda Band,” documenting how he built multiple Facebook pages to promote anti-government subcultures across Idaho.

Zito gives Pruett access to the Capitol when the Senate is in session and serves as the public face of his legislative agenda, while I2AA’s credibility was under scrutiny. One fact Zito omits from her Substack posts, videos, and social media content about Pruett: he is not a Republican. Pruett is a registered member of the Constitution Party and has publicly stated he has never supported Donald Trump. Zito routinely promotes him to her Republican constituents without disclosing either of those facts. The 2026 stablecoin debate produced a telling floor moment: she praised Pruett by name and trolled his critics while Senator Brian Lenney, speaking at the same podium, called Donald Trump Jr.’s allies “Mar A Lago Fintech Bros.” Zito voted with Lenney.

Voters who support Donald Trump should know where Zito stands. She voted against Trump’s stablecoin bill. She boycotted his multiple Idaho events in early 2026. She refused to meet with a lobbyist for a Trump-owned company because Maria Nate told her to. The Idaho Freedom Foundation, which directs how she votes, scored the stablecoin bill a negative three, and its PAC director, Dustin Hurst, attacks Trump and his agenda on social media every day. The Gang of Eight also backed Nate’s public call to defund the Idaho Republican Party, led by Trump ally Dorothy Moon. All of this while calling any Republican who questioned their record a “RINO.”

Zito’s 2026 primary is the most contested of any Gang of Eight member’s race. She faces former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma and former Rep. Terry Gestrin. Blanksma lost her House seat in 2024 to Gang of Eight member Faye Thompson by 2.6 points, ending her run as Majority Leader, and has described the gang’s agenda as having real consequences for local communities. PACs spent $90,988 specifically to oppose Zito in 2024; combined race spending reached $159,107. Democrat John Garrett is the November candidate.

Zito raised $14,350 through March 2026, second-lowest in the gang despite her high profile. Key donors include Valley County and Boise County Republican Central Committees ($1,000 each), SMC Properties LLC of Eagle ($1,000), and Smith, Driscoll and Associates of Twin Falls ($1,000). SMC Properties is controlled by Stefan Gleason, CEO of Money Metals Exchange, who has directed more than $170,000 to far-right Idaho candidates and PACs since 2021. Doyle Beck of Idaho Falls, an IFF board member, contributed $1,000 for both the primary and general.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Greg Pruett, and why does he matter to this race?

Pruett founded the Idaho Second Amendment Alliance, now rebranded as Honor Idaho, after IRS 990 filings revealed more than $90,000 flowing from member donations to Aaron Dorr’s network. He is part of the Dorr Brothers operation that Gun Owners of America publicly condemned for running anti-Republican fundraising campaigns rather than passing legislation. NPR’s Pulitzer-winning “No Compromise” podcast called him “a one-man propaganda band.” He was also found, under oath, to have lied about a critic and published another person’s article under his own name. Pruett is a registered member of the Constitution Party — not a Republican — and has publicly stated he has never supported Donald Trump. Zito does not disclose this to her Republican constituents. She gave him Capitol access during the session and praised him from the Senate floor in 2026.

Does the Gang of Eight support Donald Trump?

No. Zito voted against his stablecoin bill, boycotted his Idaho events, and refused to meet with a Trump company lobbyist at Nate’s direction. The IFF that scores her votes opposed the stablecoin bill at negative three, and its PAC director attacks Trump daily. The gang publicly backed defunding the Idaho GOP, led by Trump ally Dorothy Moon.

Who is challenging Zito in 2026?

Former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma and former Rep. Terry Gestrin. Blanksma lost her House seat in 2024 to Gang of Eight member Faye Thompson. Democrat John Garrett is the November candidate.

Why does Mountain Home Air Force Base matter to this race?

Mountain Home Air Force Base anchors Zito’s district economy through federal military spending. Her pledge to reject federal money with conditions attached conflicts directly with that dependence.

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated April 2026.

2024 Primary Election Results Zito 4,862 votes / Schroeder 3,766 votes

2024 General Election Results Zito 17,750 votes / Hoag 6,859 votes