Pete Gertonson

Pete Gertonson: Idaho House District 7, Seat B, Democratic nominee

Pete Gertonson is the Democratic nominee for Idaho House District 7, Seat B, on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. He faces Republican incumbent Charlie Shepherd. Gertonson won the May 19, 2026 Democratic primary unopposed, receiving 1,310 votes, per certified Idaho Secretary of State results.

Background

Gertonson was born in 1951 in Fall River, Massachusetts, while his father served in the Navy on a weather ship in the North Korean sea, according to the Nez Perce County Democratic Party. He has been a Nez Perce County resident for 65-plus years. He graduated from Lewiston High School in 1971. He served in the Idaho National Guard.

He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lewis-Clark State College in 2010, with a minor in Geographic Information Systems, completing the degree over 15 years, taking one class at a time.

Community and career

Gertonson is affiliated with the National Association of Letter Carriers Union and the Washington State Association of Letter Carriers. He is a licensed water operator affiliated with the Waha Glen Water District. His other community service includes the New Hope Service Food Bank and Kiwanis, along with volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club and reading to elementary school students. He counts a combined 107 years of service across these organizations.

He currently serves as County Chair of the Nez Perce County Democrats. He and his wife Jerene will celebrate their 53rd anniversary in 2026. They have two daughters, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

National political history

Gertonson has held a role in Idaho Democratic politics beyond the county level. The Spokesman-Review, in its July 27, 2016 report on Idaho's delegation to the Democratic National Convention, listed "Pete Gertonsen, Waha" among the state's superdelegates publicly committed to Bernie Sanders, who won 78 percent in Idaho's 2016 Democratic presidential caucuses.

Campaign platform

Per his campaign site, his stated priorities are:

• Eliminating Idaho's grocery tax, which he calls "the most direct, immediate relief the Legislature can deliver"
• Raising the minimum wage "in a way that works for Idaho businesses and Idaho families alike"
• Housing affordability, healthcare access, and support for small businesses, the concerns he says he hears most from District 7 neighbors
• Good government, which he describes as honest debate, transparent decision-making, and accountability to constituents first

"It's time the Idaho Legislature concerns itself with practical, everyday economic concerns that directly affect its citizens' livelihood, wallet, and well-being," he says on his campaign site.

The general election

Shepherd, the Republican incumbent, has held Seat B since 2020. He won a contested May 2026 primary over Maureen Anderson, 5,919 votes to 2,461, or 70.63 percent to 29.37 percent, per certified Secretary of State results.

In his own words: "With Your Help and Vote, I will represent our District in the Idaho Legislature with Common Sense and Humility. It's about time we restore balance to the Idaho Legislature!"

Sources

• Idaho Secretary of State, certified May 2026 primary election results
• Nez Perce County Democratic Party, "Pete Gertonson is Running for Idaho House Seat 7B," March 31, 2026
• Spokesman-Review, "Dems take turn in national spotlight; Balukoff chairs Idaho delegation," July 27, 2016
• Pete Gertonson campaign site