Idaho Senate, District 8
Blanksma, 51, was born and raised in Nampa and has lived and farmed in the Hammett valley with her husband Jeff for more than 20 years. She graduated from Nampa High School, where she served as a legislative page in the Idaho Senate her senior year, and earned a B.S. in Economics from the University of Idaho, as documented on her campaign biography. She is a potato farmer and agribusiness owner, raised two children (Adrie and Tucker) on the family farm, and serves on the St. Luke's Elmore Community Board. She has held Republican Party roles since her teenage years, including Precinct Committee Person, State Committee Woman, and Chairman of the Elmore County Central Committee.
Blanksma served four terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, from December 2016 through November 2024, representing District 23 and then District 8B following redistricting. She won her first race in 2016 by defeating a 14-year incumbent in the Republican primary. She served as House Majority Caucus Chair from approximately 2018 to 2022 and as House Majority Leader from December 1, 2022 until February 8, 2024, making her the first woman to hold the position in Idaho. Her House committee assignments included Health & Welfare, Resources & Conservation, Transportation & Defense, Local Government, and Ways & Means, as listed on her Idaho Legislature member profile. She sponsored Idaho Launch, the workforce program providing up to $8,000 in tuition grants for in-demand career fields such as lineman training, and a 2024 bill to re-establish Idaho's Maternal Mortality Review Committee within the Idaho Board of Medicine, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun.
Blanksma's stated priorities are keeping property taxes low, preserving family farms and ranches, protecting water rights, supporting rural schools, and promoting pro-life and family values. On the state budget, she opposes across-the-board cuts that disproportionately reduce rural programs and favors evaluating budgets individually for targeted reductions. On school choice, she has been critical that the Parental Choice Tax Credit provides little benefit to District 8, noting that three of the four counties she would represent have no eligible private schools. On immigration enforcement, she has said county sheriffs should decide locally how best to enforce immigration laws because "Idaho isn't a one size fits all state." She frames her motivation as district-first: "I'm a mom who raised two kids on the family farm where we value hard work, honesty, loyalty, and freedom. ... strong representation is desperately needed," as documented in the Idaho Capital Sun voter guide.
Blanksma presents as a rural, agriculture-focused Republican grounded in district representation and farm-economy priorities. Her endorsements and recognitions include the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation (Friend of Agriculture), Idaho State Fraternal Order of Police, Food Producers of Idaho (Ag All-Star Award), Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (2024), Idaho Mining Association (Friend of Mining), and Professional Fire Fighters of Idaho (Legislator of the Year). She is affiliated with Idaho Chooses Life.
Blanksma is running in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary for Senate District 8 against incumbent Sen. Christy Zito and former Sen. Terry Gestrin. As of mid-April 2026, her campaign had raised approximately $13,100 with a cash balance near $12,181, per Idaho EdNews. Her endorsements and awards (above) reflect agriculture, business, public-safety, and mining-industry support built across four House terms. The general election is November 3, 2026.
Profile published by IdahoVoters.com. Last updated May 7, 2026. This profile will be updated as additional information becomes available.
news · Idaho Capital Sun · Kyle Pfannestiel · 20240205
Blanksma’s bill, which would place the maternal review committee in the Idaho Board of Medicine, would mean Idaho’s maternal mortality review committee wouldn’t rely on federal funds, like it did before, Blanksma told the committee. Banskma questioned providing blanket immunity for people involved in investigations, and said confidentiality can be addressed.
news · Idaho Capital Sun · Clark Corbin
The vote to oust Blanksma appeared to occur behind closed doors during one of several House Republican caucus meetings Thursday. There was no public vote or announcement on the House floor. House Republicans have not disclosed the vote against Blanksma or the votes to retain Dixon and Manwaring.
news · Idaho Statesman · Ian Max Stevenson · 20240209
Rep. Megan Blanksma, R-Hammett, was removed from her position as majority leader, the most senior position in the House after Speaker Mike Moyle. The vote against Blanksma came a day after she was the lone House leader to vote against budgets passed by a panel of lawmakers — an apparent statement made over a new controversial process for setting state agencies’ budgets.
news · Idaho Capital Sun · Kyle Pfannestiel · 20240411
“This is a difference of opinion,” Rep. Megan Blanksma, who sponsored the Medicaid waivers bill, told the Idaho Capital Sun in an interview. “The governor has one opinion, and the Legislature has a different opinion. And it’ll all get worked out in the end.”