Nancy Gregory

Nancy Gregory: Idaho Democratic Candidate for State Senate District 15

Nancy Gregory is a Democrat from Boise running for the Idaho State Senate in District 15, which covers West Boise and East Meridian in Ada County. She is a challenger with no prior state legislative experience, running on a platform centered on public education. Gregory is unopposed in the May 19, 2026, Democratic primary and will face Republican Desi Burbank in the November 3 general election. The original Republican incumbent, Sen. Codi Galloway, withdrew from the race in March 2026, per Idaho Education News.

District 15 is described by Idaho Education News as one of the state's most competitive swing districts, where Galloway defeated Democratic incumbent Rick Just by only 3.6 percent in 2024.

Background

Gregory has lived in Boise since 1990 and holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education from Brigham Young University, per her Ballotpedia profile. She and her husband Paul have six children and 23 grandchildren, as described on her campaign website.

She served 24 years as an at-large trustee on the Boise School District Board of Trustees, beginning in 2002, including a term as board chairwoman, per Idaho Education News. She also served as president of the Idaho School Boards Association. During her tenure she participated in district committees covering gifted and talented education, special services, mental health, strategic planning, and school finance. She founded the Treasure Valley PAGE (Parent Advocates for Gifted Education) in 1998 and has served as an Edufest board member, per Ballotpedia. She did not seek re-election to the school board when her term expired in September 2026.

Political Career

Gregory has not previously held state or federal elected office. Her 2026 Senate candidacy is her first bid for the legislature. She announced her campaign in October 2025, making her one of the earliest-declared candidates for the race.

Policy Positions

Gregory launched her campaign specifically citing the Legislature's passage of House Bill 93, the $50 million private school tax credit, as a motivating factor, according to Idaho Education News. In that October 2025 interview, she highlighted unfunded teacher salary mandates and public schools' reliance on supplemental levies as specific concerns. She told EdNews that west Boise voters "are looking for a different voice," and that the Legislature "seems to be more intent on making that more difficult than more reliable and steady and supported" for public schools.

On her campaign website, Gregory lists five priorities: supporting public schools, advocating for affordable healthcare, addressing affordable housing in District 15, promoting fiscal responsibility, and protecting Idaho's public lands. Her campaign leans most heavily on her school board expertise, and her website frames her record on education committees as her central qualification.

As of April 2026, she has not published detailed policy statements beyond these campaign themes. This section will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Political Alignment

Gregory is classified as a Liberal Democrat. Her 24-year career on a public school board, her opposition to the HB 93 private school tax credit, and her campaign priorities on healthcare, housing, and public lands are consistent with the liberal wing of the Idaho Democratic Party. Her campaign draws directly on her school board experience rather than ideological framing, giving her positioning a practical and credential-based character.

Campaign and Endorsements

Gregory is listed as a candidate in the Ada County Democrats' 2026 voter guide. The Idaho Democratic Party has identified District 15 as a targeted race for 2026, with state party chair Lauren Necochea citing it as a district Democrats believe they can flip, per Idaho Education News. No other organizational endorsements have been publicly reported as of April 2026.