Marla Palmer

Marla Palmer: Idaho Democratic Candidate for House District 25A

Marla Palmer is a Democratic candidate running for Idaho House District 25A in the May 19, 2026, primary and November general election. Palmer, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University Billings, serves as President of MDC Magic Valley, an organization that serves the Twin Falls area. She entered the 2026 race in March, running on a platform centered on protecting Medicaid expansion and disability healthcare coverage in a district that is one of southern Idaho’s most competitive for legislative races. She will face the winner of a competitive Republican primary featuring Grayson Stone, Andrew Messer, Josh Callen, and Zaine Newberry.

MDC Magic Valley

Palmer serves as President of MDC Magic Valley, a role that reflects her engagement with community services and public health in the Twin Falls area. MDC (formerly Magic Valley Developmental Center) provides services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the Magic Valley region. Her leadership of this organization directly informs her campaign’s central focus on protecting Medicaid expansion and ensuring that individuals with disabilities retain access to healthcare coverage, positions that put her at odds with the majority of the Republican legislature, which has consistently sought to limit Medicaid scope since Idaho voters approved Medicaid expansion by initiative in 2018.

2026 Campaign and Platform

Palmer entered the 2026 race in March, running on a healthcare-focused Democratic platform centered on protecting Medicaid expansion and disability coverage. Twin Falls’ House District 25A is one of the Magic Valley’s most competitive legislative seats, with a Republican primary field of four candidates, Stone, Messer, Callen, and Newberry, competing for the right to face Palmer in November. The Magic Valley’s mix of agricultural workers, healthcare employees, and Medicaid-dependent populations creates the conditions for Medicaid protection to be a politically resonant issue even in a traditionally Republican area.

FAQ Who is Marla Palmer? Marla Palmer is a Democratic candidate for Idaho House District 25A in Twin Falls, a Montana State University Billings graduate and President of MDC Magic Valley who entered the 2026 race in March. She is running on a platform of protecting Medicaid expansion and disability healthcare coverage, and will face the winner of a four-way Republican primary in November.

Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated April 2026.