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

John C. Shirts

Incumbent
John C. Shirts

Idaho House of Representatives, District 9 Seat A

Campaign website:Campaign Website
Phone:208-332-1166
Email:JShirts@house.idaho.gov
Facebook:Campaign Facebook Page
Twitter / X:Twitter / X
Campaign finance:Campaign Finance

John C. Shirts: Republican incumbent runs unopposed in Idaho House District 9, Seat A

John C. Shirts, the Republican incumbent state representative for Idaho House District 9, Seat A, is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's filed-candidates system. He first had to win his own party's nomination, taking 75.66 percent of the May 19, 2026 primary vote against Heidi Smith-Takatori, 6,257 votes to 2,013, a certified result.

Background

Shirts is a fifth-generation Idahoan raised on his family's working ranch in Washington County; his great-great-grandfather homesteaded there in the 1880s, according to his campaign site. He attended Weiser High School and the University of Idaho, then earned a law degree from the University of Colorado Law School. He clerked for Idaho District Court Judge Jonathan P. Brody in Rupert, then earned a commission as a U.S. Air Force JAG officer, serving in Korea as an adviser to the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base. He was later appointed to the Air Force's Special Victims Unit, where he prosecuted sexual assault cases at bases around the world, and received the Air Force Commendation Medal and the Korean Defense Service Medal. After active duty, he was appointed an Assistant United States Attorney under the first Trump administration, serving as a federal prosecutor in Idaho. He used the GI Bill to earn a master's degree in international relations from Harvard University's Extension School and continues to serve as a prosecutor in the Air Force Reserve. He lives on the family ranch in Weiser with his wife, Mercedes, a high school teacher.

He first won the seat in 2024, defeating incumbent Jacyn Gallagher in the Republican primary, 5,274 votes to 3,255, then defeating Democrat Thomas Albritton in the general election, 21,107 votes to 3,718, about 85 percent. District 9 covers Payette, Washington, and Canyon counties.

Legislative record

In his first term, Shirts serves on three committees: Agricultural Affairs, where he is vice chair; Judiciary, Rules and Administration; and Revenue and Taxation.

In 2025 he was House floor sponsor of Senate Bill 1099, which set a five-year mandatory minimum prison term for vehicular manslaughter by a repeat DUI offender. The House passed it 60-10-0, Gov. Little signed it, and it took effect July 1, 2025. He also voted for House Bill 93, the Idaho Parental Choice Tax Credit, which passed the House 42-28-0 and became law retroactive to January 1, 2025, and for House Bill 354, which shifted the burden of proof in property tax assessment and homestead exemption disputes; it passed the House 69-0-1 and took effect January 1, 2026.

Speaking to Idaho News 6 after the 2025 session, Shirts said: "I think we got the things we wanted to get done: tax relief, a lot of good law enforcement bills and for my district personally, a lot of Ag bills, things I worked on for farmers and ranchers that will impact generations." Asked whether Idaho is too Republican, he answered, "No! I don't think so," adding, "At the end of the day we're Idahoans, but everyone comes from a different district perspective, representing a different district."

Where he stands

His campaign site says maintaining low taxes, cutting regulations, and eliminating government waste is essential to limited government. On law enforcement, it calls for mandatory minimum sentences for people who deal fentanyl. It describes him as "staunchly pro-life" and supportive of the Second Amendment, and on agriculture says he will "fight to stop agriculture killing policies and protect our water." The site also says that as a federal prosecutor he convicted "illegal alien drug traffickers and child predators."

On the Idaho Republican Party's platform-certification questionnaire, Shirts noted one exception: he supports the direct election of U.S. Senators, a break with a platform plank favoring repeal of the Seventeenth Amendment. On abortion, he noted no exception, writing that he supports Idaho's pro-life laws and that his "views align with current Idaho law, including the Defense of Life Act."

His 2026 campaign committee reported $117,455.25 in contributions and $83,099.76 in expenditures, leaving $51,088.58 on hand with no outstanding debt, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's campaign finance system.

Sources

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

Frequently asked questions

Is John Shirts on the November 2026 ballot?
Yes. He is the Republican incumbent for Idaho House District 9, Seat A, and is unopposed on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot after winning his May primary with 75.66 percent of the vote.
What does he do outside the legislature?
He is an attorney and a prosecutor in the Air Force Reserve. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Idaho under the first Trump administration, and before that prosecuted sexual assault cases for the Air Force's Special Victims Unit.
Which bill did Shirts sponsor in his first term?
He was House floor sponsor of Senate Bill 1099, a 2025 law setting a five-year mandatory minimum prison sentence for a repeat DUI offender convicted of vehicular manslaughter. The House passed it 60-10-0 and it took effect July 1, 2025.
What committees does he serve on?
He sits on Agricultural Affairs, where he is vice chair, along with Judiciary, Rules and Administration, and Revenue and Taxation.
What are his main campaign priorities?
His campaign site lists low taxes, cutting regulations, and eliminating government waste; mandatory minimum sentences for fentanyl dealers; a staunchly pro-life position; Second Amendment support; and opposition to what he calls "agriculture killing policies" alongside protecting water for farmers and ranchers.
Did he break with the Idaho Republican Party platform anywhere?
Yes, on one point. In his platform certification, Shirts said he supports the direct election of U.S. Senators, differing from the platform's position favoring repeal of the Seventeenth Amendment. On abortion, he affirmed the platform without exception, citing Idaho's Defense of Life Act.
Who did Shirts defeat to win his seat?
In the 2024 Republican primary, he defeated incumbent Jacyn Gallagher, 5,274 votes to 3,255. He then defeated Democrat Thomas Albritton in the general election, 21,107 votes to 3,718, about 85 percent.
What district does he represent?
Idaho House District 9, Seat A, covering Payette, Washington, and Canyon counties in western Idaho. He lives in Weiser, in Washington County, on the family ranch where he was raised.

Also on the ballot in District 9

Every candidate for the State Senate and both House seats in this district. See the full District 9 page.