Jeff Ehlers

Jeff Ehlers: Idaho House District 21, Seat B

Jeff Ehlers ran unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary for Idaho House District 21, Seat B, taking 3,510 votes, or 100 percent of ballots cast in that contest, according to certified Secretary of State results. The Meridian Republican is finishing his second term in the House and now faces Democratic nominee Casey Hess in the November 3, 2026 general election. Hess also ran unopposed in her own primary, receiving 1,283 votes.

Ehlers chairs the House Ways and Means Committee and also serves on the Business and Revenue and Taxation committees. His work as cochair of the Legislature's interim DOGE Task Force put him at the center of one of the session's more contested cost-cutting proposals.

Background

According to his official legislative biography, Ehlers is a sixth-generation Idahoan with a bachelor's and master's degree in accounting from BYU-Provo and an MBA from the University of Utah. He is a CPA and works as a CFO and small business owner. He is married with four children.

In his candidate survey responses to CBS2/FOX9, Ehlers described himself as a "6th generation Idahoan" and a "business entrepreneur and small business owner" who has spent 33 years in Idaho, with the last 11 in Meridian. He framed his background as the foundation of his legislative work: "As the only CPA in the Idaho House of Representatives, I bring a strong knowledge and experience in tax policy."

DOGE Task Force and the Hispanic Affairs Commission bill

Ehlers cochairs the Legislature's interim DOGE Task Force, named for the now-defunct federal Department of Government Efficiency, alongside Sen. Todd M. Lakey. The task force voted in December 2025 to recommend phasing out state funding of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, with some members likening the commission to "DEI," or diversity, equity and inclusion, according to Idaho Capital Sun reporting.

In March 2026, Ehlers introduced legislation to carry out that recommendation: a bill to eliminate state funding for the commission by July 1, 2028, and remove the charitable income tax credit for private donations to it. He said the change would save an estimated $80,000 a year in general funds, with the state budget-writing committee phasing out the commission's remaining $200,000 in state appropriations. "The commission could continue on their mission, they would just be privately funded," Ehlers told the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.

Boise Democratic Reps. Steve Berch and John Gannon, the only "no" votes on the bill's introduction, said the $80,000 savings was negligible against a general fund budget of nearly $5.7 billion. "I think that the focus on the Hispanic commission is not justified or appropriate," Gannon said. Some Republicans were skeptical too: Rep. Jerald Raymond said he was "absolutely opposed to the concept" of eliminating the commission, though he welcomed a public hearing, and Rep. John Shirts questioned the point of the bill "if somebody's not doing anything wrong." Ehlers distinguished his bill from a separate January effort by Rep. Heather Scott to eliminate the commission outright, which failed on a 7-7 committee vote, saying his approach followed the task force's recommendation to phase out funding while keeping the commission intact.

Idaho Freedom Index

The Idaho Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group that scores legislators on its own methodology, gave Ehlers a Freedom Index grade of C+ (77.9 percent) and a Spending Index grade of F (46.5 percent) in its 2026 scorecard. These are the advocacy group's own ratings, not an official or neutral measure of his record.

Legislative record and constituent access

In his CBS2/FOX9 survey response, Ehlers said he sponsored 21 bills that became law last session and described an open-door approach to constituents. "In the 2 terms I've served, I have a track record of being actively engaged and working hard at the Capitol to ensure our district is represented," he wrote. He listed phone calls, texts, emails, town halls, and in-person visits as channels constituents can use.

Campaign finance

Ehlers reported $14,500.00 in total contributions and $9,576.11 in expenditures for the 2026 cycle, with an ending cash balance of $31,159.65 and no outstanding debt, according to his Idaho Sunshine portal filing. His largest contribution was $1,500 from Intermountain Gas Company. Five contributors gave $1,000 each: the UHFG Insurance Political Action Committee, the Idaho Credit Union Legislative Action Committee, United Heritage, Altria Client Services, and the Idaho Cable Broadband Association PAC.

Candidate survey

The same CBS2/FOX9 survey went to both candidates in the race. Hess did not respond in time, so her positions on the survey questions do not appear in that outlet's coverage.

Ehlers named fiscal responsibility, lower taxes, managing growth while preserving "Idaho values and our Constitutional rights," and education funding that reflects what he calls parents' central role as his top priorities. He said Idaho "can have both strong public schools and excellent school choice options."

Asked about the biggest issue the Legislature has not addressed, he pointed to traffic. "We've had tremendous growth in Meridian and throughout Idaho," he wrote. "We need roads to keep up with that growth." On recent budget shortfalls, he said the state should keep looking for wasteful or inefficient spending and consolidate or eliminate outdated programs.

Sources

• Jeff Ehlers, official biography, Idaho Legislature
• 2026 general election survey: State Representative District 21B, CBS2/FOX9
• Lawmakers bring bill to phase out state funding of Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, Idaho Capital Sun
• Lawmaker Leaderboard, Idaho Freedom Index
• Jeff Ehlers candidate profile, Idaho Sunshine portal
• Certified May 19, 2026 primary election results, Idaho Secretary of State