Idaho General Election · November 3, 2026Find polling place
Republican

Jaron Crane

Incumbent
Jaron Crane

Idaho House of Representatives, District 12 Seat B

Campaign website:Campaign Website
Phone:(208) 332-1059
Email:jcrane@house.idaho.gov
Facebook:Campaign Facebook Page
Twitter / X:Twitter / X
Campaign finance:Campaign Finance
City:Nampa

Jaron Crane, House Majority Caucus Chair, seeks third term in Idaho House District 12, Seat B

Jaron Crane is the Republican incumbent state representative for Idaho House District 12, Seat B, on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. He is seeking a third term. He currently serves as House Majority Caucus Chair, a leadership post in the chamber, according to his official legislature bio. He won the May 19, 2026 Republican primary unopposed with 3,145 votes. His general election opponent is Democrat Curtis James, who also won his primary unopposed with 806 votes.

Background

Crane's full name is Ronald "Jaron" Crane. He was born and raised in Nampa and is a third-generation Idahoan. He is the youngest of six children of retired Idaho State Treasurer Ron G. Crane and Cheryl A. Crane.

He attended Nampa Christian Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. He then went to Hobe Sound Bible College in Florida before transferring to Ohio Christian University on a basketball scholarship. He received an associate degree in business management there. He returned to Idaho and enlisted in the Idaho Army National Guard while enrolled at Boise State University. He graduated in 2014 with a bachelor's degree in political science with an emphasis in public policy. He completed his National Guard contract in 2019.

Crane has worked for the family business, Crane Alarm Service, full time since 2014, and he and his brother purchased the company from their parents in December 2022. He married his wife, Clarissa, in 2011. They have children together.

Legislative record

House Bill 710 (2024), library materials. Crane was the floor sponsor. The law requires libraries to keep material found harmful to minors in an adults-only section. It passed the House 47-23-0 and the Senate 24-11-0. It took effect July 1, 2024. The law has since drawn two federal lawsuits, according to Idaho Capital Sun coverage.

House Bill 83 (2025), illegal entry penalties. Crane was again the floor sponsor. The bill created criminal penalties for illegal entry into Idaho. It was a renewed version of a bill he sponsored in 2024 that died in a Senate committee. HB 83 passed the House 61-9-0. After a Senate amendment, it passed the Senate 29-6-0. It was signed into law effective March 27, 2025. Its illegal-entry and reentry provisions are currently blocked by a federal preliminary injunction in litigation brought by the ACLU of Idaho.

House Bill 542 (2026), social media. Crane floor-sponsored the "Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act." The bill passed the House 62-7-1. It passed the Senate 21-14-0 after amendment and was signed into law effective July 1, 2026.

Where he stands

Crane's candidate page with the Idaho Republican Party lists three issues. In his own words on the page, they are human trafficking, illegal immigration, and what he calls harmful material in libraries and on cell phones.

On trafficking, the page describes work he carried in 2023 to redefine the state's law so it focuses on victims, and a 42-page rewrite of the human trafficking code in 2024. On immigration, he writes that he drafted legislation mirroring Texas Senate Bill 4 and got it through the House. On minors' access to material, he points to the library law and a 2024 bill restricting harmful cell phone content for minors.

Campaign finance

Per the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine campaign finance system, Crane's 2026 filings show $37,650.00 in total contributions and $7,280.40 in expenditures. His ending cash balance is $43,479.06. He reports $4,700.00 in outstanding debt.

Electoral history

Crane has won all four races he has entered, per the Idaho Secretary of State's elections database.

  • 2022 Republican primary: 4,066 votes, 75.8 percent, against Jana M. Warner
  • 2022 general election: unopposed, 9,960 votes
  • 2024 Republican primary: 3,364 votes, 78.2 percent, against John (Jay) Noller
  • 2024 general election: 15,066 votes, 71.0 percent, against Don Benson

Sources

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated September 26, 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Frequently asked questions

What office is Jaron Crane running for in 2026?
He is the Republican incumbent seeking a third term as state representative for Idaho House District 12, Seat B. The general election is on November 3, 2026. He also currently holds the House Majority Caucus Chair leadership post, per his official legislature bio.
Who is running against Jaron Crane?
Democrat Curtis James is his opponent on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. James won his own primary unopposed with 806 votes, according to Idaho Secretary of State records. Crane ran unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary and received 3,145 votes.
What committees does Jaron Crane serve on?
He is a member of the Business, State Affairs, Transportation and Defense, and Ways and Means committees, according to his official legislature bio.
What is Jaron Crane's professional background?
He has worked full time for Crane Alarm Service, a family-owned security and fire alarm business, since 2014, and he and his brother purchased the company from their parents in December 2022. He served in the Idaho Army National Guard and completed his contract in 2019.
What laws has Jaron Crane sponsored?
He was the floor sponsor of House Bill 710 in 2024, which requires libraries to keep material found harmful to minors in an adults-only section. He floor-sponsored House Bill 83 in 2025, creating criminal penalties for illegal entry into Idaho. In 2026 he floor-sponsored House Bill 542, the Stop Harms from Addictive Social Media Act. All three became law.
Is House Bill 83 still in effect?
Its illegal-entry and reentry provisions are currently blocked by a federal preliminary injunction in litigation brought by the ACLU of Idaho. The rest of the law took effect March 27, 2025. The measure passed the House 61-9-0 and the Senate 29-6-0 after amendment.
What has Jaron Crane said about human trafficking legislation?
On his Idaho Republican Party candidate page, he describes carrying a 2023 bill to make the trafficking law more victim-focused and a 42-page rewrite of the human trafficking code in 2024.
How has Jaron Crane performed in past elections?
He has won all four races he has entered, per certified Idaho Secretary of State results. His margins include 75.8 percent in the 2022 primary and 71.0 percent in the 2024 general election against Don Benson.
Where does Jaron Crane stand on immigration enforcement?
On his Idaho Republican Party candidate page, he writes that he drafted a bill mirroring Texas Senate Bill 4 and got it through the House. That approach became House Bill 83 in 2025, which created criminal penalties for illegal entry into Idaho. The law's illegal-entry and reentry provisions are currently blocked by a federal preliminary injunction.
What is known about his family?
He is the youngest of six children of retired Idaho State Treasurer Ron G. Crane and Cheryl A. Crane, per his Idaho Republican Party candidate page. He married his wife, Clarissa, in 2011. They have children together.

Also on the ballot in District 12

Every candidate for the State Senate and both House seats in this district. See the full District 12 page.