Josh Callen

Josh Callen: Idaho Republican Candidate for House District 25A

Josh Callen is a Republican challenger running for the Idaho House of Representatives in District 25A in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary. Callen, of Twin Falls, is an agricultural market researcher and small business owner competing in a four-way Republican primary for an open seat in Twin Falls County. The vacancy traces to longtime Rep. Lance Clow, who resigned at the end of November 2025 after 32 years in elected office, citing health limitations and personal goals. Gov. Brad Little appointed Don Hall to fill the term, but Hall later ended his re-election campaign due to health issues, leaving the seat open. Callen's primary opponents are Andrew Messer, Twin Falls City Councilman Grayson Stone, and Zaine Newberry.

Background

Callen grew up on a custom hay farming operation in southern Idaho. After serving an LDS mission in Mexico and working his way up to baler crew boss, he left the farm to attend college, pursuing a dual major in Accounting and Finance at Boise State University and graduating with a bachelor's degree in December 2015. He then moved to the Magic Valley and worked as an Operations Analyst on the finance team at Chobani before transitioning to agricultural market research. In 2018 he joined The Hoyt Report, a Twin Falls-based publication covering western hay markets, and took over as owner and Market Research Analyst in 2020. The Hoyt Report provides hay price tracking, supply and demand analysis, and market briefings to clients including hay growers, dairy operators, and agricultural associations. Callen and his wife Lauren live in Twin Falls with their children.

Political Career

Callen has not previously held elected office. His 2026 campaign for Idaho House District 25A is his first known run for public office. He filed for the Republican primary in February 2026 for the open seat in Twin Falls County's District 25A.

Policy Positions

Callen has outlined his priorities on his campaign website and in his Idaho Republican Party candidate questionnaire. His stated focus on energy and utilities centers on lowering costs for ratepayers. He opposes DEI programs at public utilities and what he calls the premature removal of coal from Idaho's energy mix, both of which he argues raise residential power prices. He also supports requiring large data centers to pay higher rates reflecting the strain they place on the grid rather than passing those costs to households. On education, Callen calls for reducing the influence of teachers' unions, keeping parents as the primary stakeholders in their children's schooling, and updating curriculum standards to expand vocational and practical-skills training alongside college preparation. Callen's agriculture and water priorities include expanded water storage to support Idaho's economy and population growth, and partnering with farmers to secure a reliable agricultural labor force. On immigration, he supports enforcement of federal immigration laws while preserving access to that labor pool. His family policy proposals include making an equal 50/50 parenting time split the default presumption in custody cases, which he frames as part of a broader effort to strengthen family formation, and reforming Idaho divorce law along similar lines.

Political Alignment

Callen is a Conservative Activist. His Idaho GOP candidate statement explicitly identifies him as "more dedicated than ever to the principles of the Idaho Republican Party Platform," and his Integrity in Affiliation submission accepts the platform "as the standard by which my performance as a candidate and as an officeholder should be evaluated." His campaign messaging, including opposition to utility DEI programs, criticism of teachers' union influence, framing of family law in cultural-restoration terms, and emphasis on immigration enforcement, reflects positions associated with the activist wing of the Idaho Republican Party rather than traditional conservative governance.

Campaign and Endorsements

Callen filed for the District 25A Republican primary in February 2026. The four-way primary on May 19, 2026, is widely expected to decide the seat in this heavily Republican district. Outgoing appointee Don Hall has endorsed Grayson Stone, one of Callen's primary opponents. The general election is November 3, 2026.