Greg Ferch

Greg Ferch: Idaho Republican Candidate for House District 22A

Greg Ferch is a Republican candidate running for the Idaho House of Representatives in District 22A, which covers a portion of Ada County in the Treasure Valley. He lives in Boise and is seeking election in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary, where he faces fellow Republican Kelly Walton for the open seat left by the retirement of eight-term Rep. John Vander Woude. Democrat Loren Petty is running in the Democratic primary for the November 3, 2026, general election.

Background

Ferch was born in Orange, California, and grew up in Kenmare, North Dakota, graduating from Kenmare High School in 1984. He enlisted in the U.S. Army as a medic during his senior year of high school and served for eleven years, attaining the rank of staff sergeant. His unit was activated during Operation Desert Storm in 1991 while he was in chiropractic school, per his Wikipedia biography. He earned a bachelor’s degree in human biology from the University of North Dakota in 1989 and a doctorate in chiropractic from Northwestern College of Chiropractic in 1993. He moved to Boise in 1994 after purchasing a chiropractic practice, where he has treated patients for more than 30 years. He is also a commercial real estate investor and was named the Idaho Apartment Association’s Independent Rental Operator of the Year in 2018. The Idaho Association of Chiropractic Physicians named him Chiropractor of the Year in 2015, 2021, and 2023.

Ferch has held several leadership roles in Ada County Republican Party organizations, serving as chairman and first vice chairman of the Ada County Republican Party and currently serving as chairman of District 22 Republicans and a member of the Republican State Central Committee Resolutions Committee.

Political Career

Ferch was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives in 2020, representing District 21B, which covered southwest Boise and southeast Meridian. During his one term, he served on the Business Committee and the Health and Welfare Committee. Following the 2020 redistricting cycle, his former District 21B was folded into the new District 22A, placing him in the same district as incumbent Rep. John Vander Woude of Meridian. Ferch ran in the new District 22A in the May 2022 Republican primary and lost to Vander Woude, as documented by Ballotpedia.

After leaving the Legislature, Ferch was appointed to the Central District Health Board in October 2023 by the Ada County Board of Commissioners, filling the seat vacated when Attorney General Raúl Labrador resigned, as reported by Boise State Public Radio. He was reappointed in April 2025 and elected board chairman in February 2025. The board covers Ada, Boise, Elmore, and Valley counties.

Policy Positions

Ferch’s 2026 campaign focuses on fiscal discipline, healthcare policy, education, and infrastructure. On healthcare, he emphasizes patient and practitioner freedom and frames his medical background as a distinctive qualification for legislative work on health policy. He has advocated for individual choice in medical decisions and has been a proponent of “nutritional holistic health care,” per a 2022 interview with Health Freedom Idaho reported by Boise State Public Radio.

On fiscal policy, he supports limited government, reduced spending, and accountability to constituents over government growth. On infrastructure, he supports strategic investment in roads and water as the Treasure Valley manages population growth. On education, his campaign website lists quality education as a priority without detailed policy specifics. He has stated in his Ballotpedia candidate survey that he believes in “limited government, individual liberty, and accountability to the people we serve.”

Public Controversies

Boise State Public Radio reported at the time of his 2023 Central District Health Board appointment that Ferch had shared anti-vaccine content on social media for several years, with at least one post censored by Facebook and flagged as misinformation. The reporting also noted that Ferch had expressed alignment with Ryan Cole, a health district board member and pathologist who spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines, as reported by Boise State Public Radio.

Political Alignment

Ferch is classified as a Conservative Activist. His prior legislative service drew endorsement from the Citizens Alliance of Idaho, and his documented social media activity and public statements on vaccine policy place him outside the mainstream of Republican healthcare governance. His organizational affiliations, including District 22 Republican chairmanship, Central District Health Board chairmanship, and State Central Committee membership, reflect sustained engagement with the activist infrastructure of the Ada County Republican Party. His campaign’s emphasis on medical freedom and individual liberty in healthcare is consistent with the anti-mandate wing of the Idaho GOP rather than with Traditional Conservative Republican governance priorities.

Campaign and Endorsements

Ferch raised $14,887 as of the February 2026 filing period, per Idaho Education News reporting. His campaign website lists individual endorsements from healthcare providers, former constituents, and community members. His campaign slogan is “Veteran. Small Business Owner. Longtime Idahoan.” He faces Kelly Walton in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary. The winner faces Democrat Loren Petty, who ran against Vander Woude in 2024, in the November general election.

FAQ

Who is Greg Ferch Idaho? Greg Ferch is a Republican candidate for Idaho House District 22A in the Treasure Valley. A Boise chiropractor, Army veteran, and former one-term state representative, he served District 21B from 2020 to 2022 and is seeking to return to the Legislature in 2026.

What district is Greg Ferch running in? Greg Ferch is running in Idaho House District 22A, which covers a portion of Ada County in the Treasure Valley.

Is Greg Ferch an incumbent or challenger? Challenger. He previously served one term in the Idaho House (2020-2022) and is seeking to return after a four-year absence. The District 22A seat is open following the retirement of Rep. John Vander Woude.

What are Greg Ferch’s political positions? Ferch emphasizes fiscal discipline, individual liberty in healthcare decisions, infrastructure investment, and limited government. He has a documented history of skepticism toward vaccine mandates and has advocated for nutritional and holistic approaches to public health.

Who is challenging Ferch in the 2026 primary? Kelly Walton is his Republican primary opponent. Democrat Loren Petty is running in the general election.

2022 Primary Election Results Vander Woude / Ferch — Vander Woude won

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