Josh Wheeler

Josh Wheeler: Idaho Republican Incumbent for House District 35B

Josh Wheeler is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 35B, which covers portions of Bonneville and Bannock counties along with Teton, Caribou, and Bear Lake counties in southeastern Idaho. Wheeler lives in Ammon and is seeking his third term in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary, where he is running unopposed.

Background

Wheeler was born and raised in Ammon, Idaho. He graduated from Hillcrest High School and served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from Brigham Young University in 2001 and an MBA from Idaho State University in 2015, per his Ballotpedia profile. His career has included work as a project engineer with Layton Construction. He is currently president and one of three third-generation owners of Wheeler Electric, a family-owned electrical contracting business based in eastern Idaho, per his Idaho Legislature biography. He previously served on the Ammon City Council before running for the legislature. He and his wife, Dr. Laramie Wheeler, have six children.

Political Career

Wheeler entered the legislature in 2022 by defeating incumbent Chad Christensen in the Republican primary, then winning the November general election, per Ballotpedia. Christensen had been among the Idaho House's highest-rated IFF members. In the 2024 Republican primary, Wheeler defeated Brett Skidmore with 62 percent of the vote, as reported by Idaho Reports. He then defeated Democrat Maggie Shaw in the November 2024 general election. Wheeler currently serves on the Commerce and Human Resources, Environment, Energy and Technology, and Health and Welfare committees, per his Idaho Legislature biography. In the 2023 session, Wheeler supported the Idaho Launch Grant Program, legislation directing state funds toward technical training in workforce-demand fields. In 2025, he was associated with House Bill 418, an appropriation directing additional funding to the Division of Career Technical Education. He co-sponsored Senate Bill 1087, which requires healthcare providers to furnish one free copy of medical records in certain Social Security claims contexts. He publicly expressed disappointment at the failure of House Bill 443, a measure designed to incentivize private investment in career and technical education, per his Wikipedia entry.

Policy Positions

On taxes and spending, Wheeler has emphasized fiscal restraint at the state level. In his 2024 East Idaho News candidate profile, he described supporting historic tax cuts and property tax reform during his first term and stated that Idaho must respond to federal fiscal trends by cutting unnecessary spending and lowering taxes. On education, Wheeler has consistently opposed measures that would redirect funding away from public schools. His campaign website states that he does not support policies that dismantle Idaho's public education system and that he supports increased educator compensation. Career and technical education is a documented legislative focus, reflected in his bill activity during both the 2023 and 2025 sessions. On healthcare, Wheeler opposed House Bill 138 in 2025, a measure that would have curtailed Medicaid expansion by imposing enrollment caps and work requirements. He argued the change would disproportionately harm rural health systems. In his 2024 East Idaho News response, he noted that Idaho lost a significant share of its OB/GYN physicians following passage of the state's abortion restrictions, and that physician shortages posed a serious concern for rural communities. On local control, Wheeler has framed his legislative philosophy around limiting state legislative reach over municipalities, stating on his campaign website that the most effective government is the government closest to the people.

Political Alignment

Wheeler is a Traditional Conservative Republican whose voting record on education, Medicaid, and local control places him within the governing wing of the Idaho House. His 2022 defeat of Chad Christensen, who had received among the highest IFF ratings in the House, was reported in context by East Idaho News as a contest between competing Republican visions for the district. His endorsement from U.S. Representative Mike Simpson and his documented support from the Idaho Potato Industry PAC and the Idaho State AFL-CIO PAC, per Idaho Sunshine campaign finance records, reflect a cross-constituency coalition unusual for a Republican legislator and consistent with a governing-conservative rather than activist profile. His support for public school funding and opposition to Medicaid restrictions reflect that orientation.

Campaign and Endorsements

Wheeler received an endorsement from U.S. Representative Mike Simpson, who stated that Wheeler has proven himself an effective lawmaker who votes with a conservative conscience, as quoted on his campaign website. Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti also endorsed Wheeler. His campaign has been supported by the Idaho Potato Industry PAC and the Idaho State AFL-CIO PAC. Ballotpedia did not identify additional endorsements for the 2024 or 2026 races. Campaign finance records are available through the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine database.