Kelly Anthon

Kelly Arthur Anthon: Idaho Republican Senator for District 27

Kelly Arthur Anthon is a Republican member of the Idaho State Senate representing District 27, which covers Cassia and Minidoka counties in southcentral Idaho. Anthon lives in Rupert and is currently serving his sixth term. He holds the position of President Pro Tempore of the Idaho Senate, the chamber’s highest-ranking leadership role. He is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary.

Background

Anthon was born on August 4, 1974, in Burley, Idaho. He was raised on a family farm near Declo, attending public schools there and graduating from Declo High School in 1992. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Japan, and later graduated from Brigham Young University with a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology in 1998, and from the University of Idaho College of Law in 2002, where he was named the Bistline Scholar and served as student body president, according to Wikipedia. He is a seventh-generation Idahoan whose family has continuously farmed in the Declo area for over a century.

Before entering politics, Anthon worked as a partner with the firm Robinson, Anthon & Tribe, focusing on municipal law, debt restructuring, and large business reorganization. He served as appointed city attorney for the cities of Burley, Rupert, Acequia, and Minidoka, per Ballotpedia. He later became city administrator for Rupert, where he has managed multiple public utilities. In 2020 he began teaching part time at the University of Idaho College of Law. He serves on the board of directors of the Mart Group, a potato processing and marketing company, and on the boards of the Southern Idaho Economic Development Council and the Region IV Development Corporation.

Anthon is proficient in Japanese and spent roughly two decades working as a contract consultant and international business specialist. In 2025, he received a commendation from the Japanese Government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in recognition of his work strengthening cultural and economic ties between Idaho and Japan, per Wikipedia.

Political Career

Governor Butch Otter appointed Anthon to the Idaho Senate in 2015 to fill a vacancy left when incumbent Senator Dean Cameron resigned to become director of the Department of Insurance, per Ballotpedia. He was subsequently elected in 2016, 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. He ran unopposed in 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2024, and defeated an independent challenger 89 to 11 percent in 2022.

Within the Senate Republican caucus, Anthon rose steadily through leadership. Senate Republicans elected him Majority Caucus Chairman in 2017, Majority Leader in 2020, and President Pro Tempore in December 2024, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. The role makes him the highest-ranking member of the Idaho Senate and places him second in line of succession to the Governor. He succeeds Chuck Winder, who was defeated by a challenger in the May 2024 Republican primary. Anthon currently serves on the Senate Local Government and Taxation and State Affairs committees, per his Idaho Legislature biography.

Anthon co-sponsored H231, a property tax relief bill that passed the House 61 to 6 and the Senate 30 to 3 during the 2025 session, as reported by the Idaho Farm Bureau.

In 2024, Anthon co-sponsored the Idaho Parental Rights Act, Senate Bill 1329, which required parental consent for nearly all medical care provided to minors under 18. After the law took effect in July 2024, the Idaho Capital Sun reported that it had inadvertently disrupted minors’ access to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline, non-emergency first aid, medical exams related to crimes against a child, and pregnancy care when the mother was a minor. Anthon sponsored follow-up legislation in 2025 to address those gaps. That bill passed the Senate but did not advance in the House. Anthon told Idaho Reports: “Sometimes you bring a bill that is meant to generally deal with concerns your constituents bring to you, and you know it may need some work on the backside.” In 2026, a new cleanup bill, HB 860, was introduced by Rep. Barbara Ehardt and advanced through the House Judiciary Committee, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun.

Policy Positions

Anthon’s publicly stated priorities center on fiscal conservatism, agriculture, water policy, and rural economic development. On his campaign website, he describes agriculture as the lifeblood of the Idaho economy and calls for balanced budgets, tax cuts, and reduced regulation, with particular emphasis on ensuring state policy works for farming and ranching communities.

In comments to the Idaho Farm Bureau, Anthon said of Cassia and Minidoka counties: “There’s nothing in Idaho that can survive without agriculture.” On constitutional rights, his campaign website states his support for Second Amendment protections and parental rights over medical and educational decisions.

Political Alignment

Anthon is a Traditional Conservative Republican whose career reflects the governing conservatism of southcentral Idaho’s agricultural establishment. The Idaho Farm Bureau has recognized him annually with its Friend of Agriculture Award, and the Idaho Food Producers has designated him an Ag All-Star every year of his service, per his campaign website. His endorsements from agricultural organizations, his two decades of service in Senate leadership under the Otter and Little administrations, and his position as Senate President Pro Tempore reflect alignment with the organized agricultural and business constituencies that anchor the governing wing of Idaho Republican politics. His co-sponsorship of the parental rights legislation and property tax relief bills are consistent with that classification.

Campaign and Endorsements

Anthon is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026, Republican primary for District 27. He has received the Idaho Farm Bureau’s Friend of Agriculture Award and the Idaho Food Producers’ Ag All-Star designation annually throughout his Senate tenure. Ballotpedia had not identified specific endorsements for the 2026 race as of April 2026. Campaign finance records are available through the Idaho Secretary of State’s Sunshine database.

FAQ

Who is Kelly Arthur Anthon? Kelly Arthur Anthon is a Republican Idaho State Senator representing District 27, covering Cassia and Minidoka counties in southcentral Idaho. He has served in the Idaho Senate since 2015 and currently holds the position of President Pro Tempore.

What district does Kelly Anthon represent? Anthon represents Idaho State Senate District 27, which covers Cassia and Minidoka counties in southcentral Idaho.

Is Kelly Anthon an incumbent? Yes. Anthon is an incumbent seeking re-election to a seventh term. He was first appointed to the Senate in 2015 and has been elected at each subsequent election.

What committees does Kelly Anthon serve on? Anthon serves on the Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee and the State Affairs Committee, per his Idaho Legislature biography.

What is Kelly Anthon’s role in Idaho Senate leadership? Anthon is the President Pro Tempore of the Idaho Senate, elected to the position by Senate Republicans in December 2024. The role makes him the highest-ranking member of the Senate and places him second in the line of succession to the Governor.

2024 Primary Election Results Anthon / Unopposed

2024 General Election Results Anthon 17,628 / Unopposed

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