James Lamborn

James Lamborn is a Republican primary candidate for Idaho House District 28 Seat A, covering American Falls in Power County and parts of southeastern Idaho. He is running in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary against incumbent Rep. Richard Cheatum and Republican Mike Saville; the general election is November 3, 2026 against Democrat Kim Jackman.

Background

Lamborn was born in Auburn, Washington, and grew up moving between Washington and Los Alamos, New Mexico, in part because of his stepfather's military service, per his Idaho GOP candidate page. He earned an associate degree from California Coast University in 2020 and previously worked for Aramark Uniform Services. He moved to American Falls from the Seattle area in 2021 and lists his profession as investor. He has been married to his wife Misty since 2013, is stepfather to her two daughters, and is grandfather to three grandchildren. He is active in an Independent Baptist Church.

Political Career

Lamborn has not previously held elected office. He sought the same seat in the 2024 Republican primary and lost to incumbent Rep. Richard Cheatum, finishing second with 33.2 percent (2,343 votes) in a three-way race, as documented by Ballotpedia. He has served in leadership roles in local Republican Party organizations.

Policy Positions

Lamborn's 2026 platform emphasizes that he is "100% pro-life" from conception to natural death and supports defunding organizations that perform or promote abortions. He supports Constitutional Carry, opposes red flag laws, and is rated "A" by the NRA. He advocates a "chainsaw approach" like the federal Department of Government Efficiency for state-spending audits, opposes Medicaid expansion, and has said the state should remind "publicly funded unions... that they're not the government." In a NewsTalk 107.9 interview, Lamborn criticized incumbent Cheatum's record on minors' out-of-state medical procedures and an alleged Second Amendment vote. In his campaign launch he said: "I'm running because District 28 deserves a true conservative. Families here believe in faith, freedom and personal responsibility," per the Idaho State Journal.

Political Alignment

Lamborn self-describes as an "authentic, traditional Republican — Conservative, Constitutional and Christian," with America First and MAGA framing. He has been endorsed by Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC, per his campaign Facebook.

Campaign and Endorsements

Lamborn's 2026 campaign is supported by approximately $5,348 in independent expenditures from Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC, per the Idaho Sunshine portal. Idaho EdNews has reported that Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC draws substantial out-of-state funding from a Virginia-based federal affiliate ($450,000 transfer to the Idaho state PAC) and Pennsylvania gaming-related sources.