Ethan Sanford

Ethan Sanford: Idaho Democratic Candidate for Senate District 34

Ethan Golden Sanford is a Democratic candidate for Idaho State Senate District 34, which covers Madison County in eastern Idaho, including Rexburg and the BYU-Idaho campus. Sanford is running in the May 19, 2026, Democratic primary, per Idaho Education News. He will face Republican incumbent Doug Ricks in the November 3, 2026, general election. Sanford has not previously held elected office.

Background

Sanford has lived in Idaho for several years and describes himself as planning to make Idaho his permanent home. On his campaign website he writes that he loves Idaho and has decided to start the next chapter of his life there, and that if all goes according to plan, Idaho is where he will have his first post-graduation job and start a family. He serves as Chair of the Madison County Democratic Party, per the Madison County Democrats website. No additional biographical details regarding his educational background, professional career, or prior community involvement have been made publicly available as of April 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Political Career

Sanford has not previously held elected office. His leadership of the Madison County Democratic Party reflects sustained civic engagement in one of Idaho's most Republican counties. The 2026 Senate District 34 race is his first campaign for public office.

Policy Positions

As of April 2026, Sanford has not made detailed policy positions publicly available beyond his general commitment to building a more competitive two-party political environment in Madison County. His campaign website states that democracy does not truly exist without the presence of two active political parties. No additional candidate survey responses or documented public policy statements were identified during research. This section will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Political Alignment

Sanford is a Democrat. No additional documentation sufficient to distinguish a more specific alignment within the Democratic spectrum has been identified. This section will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Campaign and Endorsements

Sanford is running in the May 19, 2026, Democratic primary for Senate District 34. His campaign has raised $176 from three donors, with $26 spent as of the most recent filing, per the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine database. No formal organizational endorsements have been publicly reported as of April 2026.