Jason A. Monks

Jason Monks: Idaho Republican Incumbent for House District 22B

Jason Monks is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives and House Majority Leader, seeking an eighth term in District 22B, which covers portions of south Meridian, northern Kuna, southwest Boise, and unincorporated areas of Ada County. Monks lives in Meridian and has represented the district continuously since 2012. He is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary. He faces Democrat Amanda Easley in the general election.

Background

Monks grew up in a working-class family and paid his way through high school and college working construction doing exterior stucco, as described in his Idaho Republican Party candidate profile. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences with a dual emphasis in environmental health and industrial hygiene from Brigham Young University. His professional background includes work as Environmental Health and Safety Manager at ZiLOG, work at a hazardous waste remediation company, and ownership of multiple small businesses, as noted on Ballotpedia. He lives in Meridian with his wife Shelley. They have eight children, four of whom are adopted, and seven grandchildren. He previously ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Meridian, losing to Tammy de Weerd, as noted on Wikipedia.

Political Career

Monks was first elected to the Idaho House in 2012 and has been re-elected in every cycle since, as documented on Ballotpedia. He served as House Assistant Majority Leader from 2019 to 2022, then chaired the House Revenue and Taxation Committee beginning in the 2023 legislative session. He was elevated to House Majority Leader in February 2024 following the removal of Rep. Megan Blanksma from the post, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. The Majority Leader is the No. 2 leadership position in the House majority caucus, behind the Speaker. He currently sits on the Business, Revenue and Taxation, Transportation and Defense, and Ways and Means committees, per his Idaho Legislature member page. His legislative work has focused heavily on tax reduction. He has also consistently prioritized infrastructure funding, particularly highway expansion to address growth in the Treasure Valley. He has signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge.

Policy Positions

Monks's publicly stated priorities, drawn from his Idaho Republican Party candidate profile and candidate interviews, center on tax reduction, infrastructure investment, managed growth, and preserving Idaho's quality of life. On taxes, he has championed income and property tax reduction throughout his tenure and has described competitive tax rates as essential to Idaho's economic appeal. On infrastructure, he has consistently called for extending Highway 16 to I-84 and widening Highway 20/26 as immediate priorities. His voting criteria, as described on his candidate profile, require bills to be consistent with the U.S. and Idaho constitutions, not expand the scope of government, not limit personal rights, and represent a genuine solution to a documented problem.

Political Alignment

Monks is a Traditional Conservative Republican. As House Majority Leader and a seven-term veteran, he occupies the institutional center of Idaho's Republican House caucus. His focus on tax reduction, infrastructure, and business-friendly policy reflects the governing conservative mainstream. His endorsements from the Idaho Farm Bureau, Professional Firefighters of Idaho, and Idaho Fraternal Order of Police reflect broad-based conservative institutional support.

Campaign and Endorsements

Monks is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary. His documented endorsements include the Idaho Farm Bureau, Professional Firefighters of Idaho, and Idaho Fraternal Order of Police. The general election is November 3, 2026.