Steve Tanner

Rep. Steven "Steve" Tanner is the first-term Republican incumbent for Idaho House District 13 Seat B, covering parts of Nampa in Canyon County. He took office in December 2024 and is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary against challenger Kody Daffer; Democrat Cody Gorman is on the November 3, 2026 general-election ballot.

Background

Tanner, 72, was born in November 1953 in Honolulu, Hawaii and relocated from California to Nampa approximately ten years ago, describing himself and his wife as "political refugees," per his campaign biography. He earned a B.A. from California State University, Long Beach, two years of graduate work at the University of California, Santa Barbara, an M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2005, and a master's in clinical mental health counseling from Liberty University. He is licensed in Idaho as a Licensed Professional Counselor. His prior career included data analyst and computer programmer roles at AT&T, Latham & Watkins, Countrywide, Bank of America, and Blue Cross of Idaho, plus five and a half years pastoring a church in Simi Valley, California.

Political Career

Tanner won the 2024 Republican primary for District 13B against then-incumbent Rep. Kenny Wroten and ran unopposed in the general election, as documented by Ballotpedia. He took office in December 2024 and serves on the House Education Committee.

Policy Positions

Tanner's campaign site describes him as a "Platform Republican" who signed a pledge to support the Idaho GOP platform and as a "conservative Christian." Verbatim from the site: "I am NOT one of those people that put an 'R' by their name at election time, but then vote like a Democrat once elected. Not me." Tanner sponsored 2025 legislation requiring public schools to collect and report student immigration status and nationality, presented to the House Education Committee, and supported HJM 20 protesting Plyler v. Doe as an unfunded mandate. Idaho Capital Sun reported the bill drew opposition over implementation and potential stigmatization of families. He co-sponsored the Medical Freedom Act and H602 (foreign-law-in-courts bill, signed into law). His platform calls for ending taxes on tips and overtime, opposing mail-in ballots and ballot drop boxes, and removing "transgender and queer ideologies" and "critical race theory (anti-white)" from schools.

Political Alignment

Tanner is a documented member of the Idaho Freedom Caucus. The Idaho Freedom Foundation Freedom Index has scored him in the high 80s to low 90s percent range on Freedom (A- to B+) and approximately 93.8 percent (A-) on Spending. He is endorsed by Idaho Freedom PAC, Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC, Stop Idaho RINOs PAC, and Think Liberty Idaho PAC.

Campaign and Endorsements

Tanner's 2026 campaign is supported by approximately $2,262 in independent expenditures from Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC and Idaho Summit PAC, per the Idaho Sunshine portal. Idaho EdNews has reported that Citizens Alliance of Idaho PAC draws substantial out-of-state money, including a $450,000 transfer from a Virginia-based national affiliate and Pennsylvania gaming-related sources. In an April 2026 X post (@SteveTannerUSA), Tanner criticized Gov. Brad Little's endorsement of his opponent: "It's so interesting that the Governor has chosen to endorse Kody Daffer... rather than a sitting legislator with a demonstrated fiscal and social conservative voting record."