Jayson Meline

Jayson Meline: Idaho Democratic Candidate for House District 28B

Jayson Meline is a Democratic candidate for the Idaho House of Representatives District 28B, which covers portions of Bannock, Power, and Franklin counties in southeastern Idaho. Meline lives in Chubbuck and is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026, Democratic primary. He will face Republican incumbent Dan Garner in the November 3, 2026, general election. This is Meline's third consecutive campaign against Garner, having lost the general election in both 2022 and 2024.

Background

Meline was born and raised in Pocatello, where he attended Chubbuck-Pocatello public schools and graduated from Pocatello High School, per the Idaho State Journal. He pursued higher education at Brigham Young University, the Monterey Institute of International Studies, Arizona State University, and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He currently works in the insurance industry, with experience spanning multinational corporations, small businesses, nonprofits, and the public sector. He received a Small Business Administration Award as a Champion for Minority-Owned Business. He is an active member of the Centennial Rotary Club of Pocatello and has raised seven children and has nine grandchildren.

Political Career

Meline has not previously held elected office. He first ran for House District 28B in 2022, losing the general election to Garner. He ran again in 2024, advancing from the Democratic primary unopposed before losing the general election to Garner, 18,188 to 5,514, as reported by East Idaho News. His 2026 candidacy is his third consecutive run for the seat.

Policy Positions

Meline's documented priorities draw from his 2024 Idaho State Journal candidate profile. He says his campaign focuses on restoring what he calls traditional Idaho values to state government through practical, sensible, and balanced leadership. He has emphasized his international business background and multilingual experience as assets for representing a diverse southeastern Idaho constituency that includes significant Hispanic agricultural worker communities. As of April 2026, he has not published a new campaign website or detailed platform for the 2026 race. This section will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Political Alignment

Meline is a Mainstream Democrat. His framing around traditional values, practical governance, and balanced leadership reflects centrist positioning for a heavily Republican southeastern Idaho district. His international education and business background give him a distinctive profile within the Idaho Democratic field.

Campaign and Endorsements

Meline is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026, Democratic primary for District 28B. No formal endorsements have been publicly reported as of April 2026. Campaign finance records are available through the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine database.