Mike Pohanka

Mike Pohanka: Republican Incumbent for Idaho House District 26A

Mike Pohanka is a first-term Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 26A, which covers parts of Jerome, Lincoln, and Blaine counties in south-central Idaho. He lives in Jerome and is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary, where he faces challenger Jeffrey Emerick. Democrat Anita Janis has filed for the November general election.

Background

Pohanka was born in Twin Falls, the son of immigrants who fled postwar Europe. According to his campaign biography, his father escaped Czechoslovakia in the late 1940s, met his mother in Germany, and the couple immigrated to the United States; his father went on to become a plant geneticist who developed bean varieties for Idaho agriculture and taught horticulture at the College of Southern Idaho. Pohanka grew up in the Magic Valley and has been a Jerome County resident for more than 30 years.

He holds an Associate of Arts from the College of Southern Idaho, a Bachelor of Science in management from Lewis-Clark State College, and a Master of Arts in management from City University. His professional career included 30 years at Idaho Power, where he began as a meter reader and advanced into accounting and marketing roles, followed by 23 years teaching economics at CSI as an adjunct and assistant professor.

His civic record spans decades. He served as a reserve deputy with the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office and currently serves as chaplain for the Idaho State Police, the Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jerome City Police. He is a past president of the Jerome Chamber of Commerce, the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce, and the Jerome Rotary Club, and is a former executive director of Jerome 20/20 Economic Development. He has received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award from Rotary International and the Citizen of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Jerome Chamber of Commerce. He and his wife Susan have been married more than 45 years and have two children and ten grandchildren.

Political Career

Pohanka ran for House District 26A twice before winning. He advanced through the 2022 Republican primary but lost the general election to incumbent Democrat Ned Burns. He ran again in 2024, defeating Kally Schiffler in the Republican primary 2,348 to 1,561, and then defeated Burns in the general election 11,495 to 10,960. He assumed office on December 1, 2024.

Pohanka serves on the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration, State Affairs, and Transportation and Defense committees, and has signed the U.S. Term Limits pledge. During the 2024 session he testified in support of legislation to prosecute drivers whose cellphone use while driving resulted in injury to a person or property.

Policy Positions

Pohanka’s publicly stated priorities center on education, water rights, public safety, and transportation infrastructure, as outlined on his campaign website. He has emphasized parental involvement in schools, pointed to pandemic-era learning loss as a driver of his focus on classroom instruction, and said he supports preparation in both traditional academics and vocational trades. On water, he describes the resource as the foundation of Idaho agriculture and has stated his commitment to protecting water rights for agricultural, residential, recreational, and industrial uses. On public safety, he has emphasized funding and staffing for law enforcement and first responders. On transportation, he has called for equitable infrastructure investment in District 26 and, in his 2022 campaign announcement, expressed support for the concept of a third bridge over the Snake River in the Twin Falls area.

Pohanka opposed the Lava Ridge Wind Energy Project, co-authoring a July 2024 opinion piece with Senate candidate Laurie Lickley calling on federal officials to halt the project. After the Trump administration canceled federal approval of Lava Ridge in August 2025, he told the Mountain Express he believed the decision was “fantastic.”

Political Alignment

Pohanka is a Traditional Conservative Republican. His campaign themes of law enforcement support, water rights, pro-agriculture governance, and local economic development reflect the rural establishment conservatism typical of south-central Idaho legislators, and his 2024 campaign drew contributions from legislative leadership including Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke, House Speaker Mike Moyle, House Majority Leader Jason Monks, and former Idaho Republican Party chairman Tom Luna, each of whom gave between $500 and $1,000 according to Idaho EdNews.

Campaign and Endorsements

Pohanka is running for re-election in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary against challenger Jeffrey Emerick. His campaign website describes him as “a dedicated conservative leader and law enforcement supporter” and lists support from the Idaho Fraternal Order of Police. No additional organizational endorsements had been publicly reported at the time of publication. The general election is November 3, 2026.

FAQ

Who is Mike Pohanka Idaho? Mike Pohanka is a first-term Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives representing District 26A, covering Jerome, Lincoln, and Blaine counties. He is a Jerome resident, retired Idaho Power employee, and retired economics professor.

What district does Mike Pohanka represent? Pohanka represents Idaho House District 26A, which covers parts of Jerome, Lincoln, and Blaine counties in south-central Idaho.

Is Mike Pohanka an incumbent? Yes. He won the seat in November 2024 by defeating Democratic incumbent Ned Burns and is seeking re-election. He faces Republican primary challenger Jeffrey Emerick on May 19, 2026.

What committees does Mike Pohanka serve on? Pohanka serves on the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration, State Affairs, and Transportation and Defense committees.

What are Mike Pohanka’s main policy positions? Pohanka’s stated priorities are education, water rights, public safety and support for law enforcement, and transportation infrastructure investment in the Magic Valley.

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