Michael G. Collins

Michael G. Collins: Idaho Republican Candidate for House District 7A

Michael G. Collins is a Republican candidate challenging incumbent Kyle Harris for the Idaho House of Representatives seat in District 7A, which covers portions of Idaho, Adams, and Nez Perce counties. Collins, 57, is a Lewiston resident and longtime head coach of the cross country and track and field programs at Lewis-Clark State College. He previously served on the Lewiston City Council for eight years and as Lewiston's mayor. He has never served in the Idaho Legislature.

Background

Collins grew up on a farm in Parma, Idaho, and has lived in Lewiston for decades. He holds a master's degree in exercise physiology from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. in sport science from the University of Idaho, with his graduate research focused on the performance of endurance athletes. He joined Lewis-Clark State College as a cross country coach in 1997 and has led both the men's and women's programs for 29 seasons, producing 11 NAIA national champions and more than 140 All-Americans over that span. He holds a USATF Level II coaching certification with a specialization in endurance events. In addition to coaching, Collins founded and directs the Warrior Running Camp, described as the largest distance running camp in Idaho, and is the founder and president of the Confluence Elite Track Program, a USA Track & Field club in the Lewis-Clark Valley. He is also the owner of ACES: Auctions, Consignments and Estate Sales, a Lewiston-based consignment and estate sale business. He has previously served on the Regional Head Start board and has been appointed by the Idaho Attorney General to the LCV Health Foundation board, which distributes health-focused grants in the region. His wife Tracy Collins is the head athletic trainer at Lewis-Clark State College; the couple has two adult daughters. Collins has completed the Ironman Triathlon three times and qualified for the USA Triathlon National Championships eight times.

Political Career

Collins was elected to the Lewiston City Council in 2014 and served on the council for eight years. In January 2018, the council elected him mayor to replace the outgoing Jim Kleeburg, with Collins receiving the votes of four council members including himself. During his tenure as mayor, Collins cast a vote in March 2021 to repeal Lewiston's COVID-19 mask mandate, which the council had originally passed in November 2020. The repeal passed 4-3. Collins has not previously sought state legislative office. His 2026 Republican primary challenge against first-term incumbent Kyle Harris marks his return to electoral politics after a break from public office. He told the Lewiston Tribune he and his wife prayed over his decision to run and concluded it was the right move.

Policy Positions

Collins has identified three issues as central to his 2026 campaign: opposition to transgender women competing in women's sports, support for immigration enforcement, and reducing the cost of home ownership. On the question of transgender athletes, Collins, speaking as both a coach of men's and women's teams and the father of two daughters who competed in sports, stated in the Lewiston Tribune that "men don't belong in women's sports" and extended that position to include restrooms. He supports policies that restrict athletic participation to biological sex categories. On immigration, Collins draws on his upbringing on a farm in Parma to acknowledge agriculture's reliance on migrant labor. He supports enforcement of existing immigration law and has stated that those who entered the country legally should be allowed to remain, while those who entered illegally should face deportation, particularly if they have committed crimes. He described the situation as one requiring consistent application of the law even where individual circumstances are sympathetic. On housing, Collins has said he wants to reduce property taxes and lower regulatory barriers to home construction, arguing that easing the building process would increase supply and make homeownership more attainable for working families. On education, Collins expressed skepticism about the $50 million school voucher law passed by the Idaho Legislature, which provides a $5,000 tax credit to families who send their children to private schools. He said the program might work in principle but expressed concern that combining it with ongoing state budget cuts could harm public schools. He noted that he and his family are products of public education. Collins has acknowledged he has more to learn on several policy areas and has said he is willing to consult experts and do his homework before taking positions.

Political Alignment

Collins appears aligned with Traditional Conservative Republican governance. His policy positions on housing costs, immigration, and public education reflect a pragmatic, locally grounded conservatism rather than an ideological or activist orientation. He is running against an incumbent who is a member of the Idaho Freedom Caucus, positioning his candidacy from the center-right of the Republican primary field. He has no documented ties to the Idaho Freedom Foundation, the Idaho Freedom Caucus, or comparable activist organizations. His mayoral record on the Lewiston City Council reflects a governing-oriented approach, including a nuanced response to COVID-related policy.

Campaign and Endorsements

As of April 2026, no formal endorsements have been publicly reported for Collins's 2026 House campaign. His campaign is focused on the May 19, 2026, Republican primary against incumbent Kyle Harris. The winner of that primary will face Democrat Larry Nostrant of Lewiston in the November 3, 2026, general election.