Steve Tanner

Steve Tanner: Idaho Republican Incumbent for House District 13B

Steve Tanner is a Republican member of the Idaho House of Representatives serving District 13B, which covers portions of Nampa in Canyon County. Tanner assumed office on December 1, 2024, after winning both the Republican primary and the general election that year. He is seeking re-election in the May 19, 2026 primary, where he faces challenger Kody Daffer, a florist, real estate developer, and former Nampa City Council candidate, as reported by the Idaho Press.

Background

Steve Tanner was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in a military family. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from California State University, Long Beach, a Master of Divinity from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena, and is completing a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling from Liberty University, according to his Idaho Legislature member profile. He spent most of his adult life in California, working as a data analyst and programmer for companies including AT&T, Latham & Watkins, Countrywide, Bank of America, and Blue Cross of Idaho.

Tanner planted and pastored a church for five and a half years in Simi Valley, California. He and his wife Kathy relocated to Idaho approximately nine years ago, describing themselves on his campaign website as “political refugees wanting more freedom.” He serves as a church planter and pastor at The Well Christian Fellowship. Before running for the legislature, he became involved as a Republican precinct committeeman in District 13 after relocating to Idaho.

Political Career

Steve Tanner defeated incumbent Kenny Wroten and challenger Amy Henry in the Republican primary for Idaho House District 13B on May 21, 2024, receiving 2,205 votes to Wroten’s 1,752 and Henry’s 886, per Ballotpedia. He went on to win the November 2024 general election and assumed office on December 1, 2024.

Tanner currently serves on the House committees on Commerce and Human Resources, Education, and Environment, Energy and Technology, according to his Idaho Legislature member profile.

During the 2025 session, Tanner co-sponsored House Bill 472, which prevents businesses and government entities from denying service to individuals who decline certain medical care, including vaccines. That same session, he sponsored a bill requiring Idaho schools to report the immigration status of enrolled students; the bill was pulled from the committee agenda the day it was set to receive a hearing because it lacked sufficient support, as reported by the Idaho Capital Sun. Tanner reintroduced a similar bill in the 2026 session, framing it as a way to collect aggregate data on the costs of educating undocumented students; that version was introduced in the House Education Committee but also did not advance to a full hearing, as reported by Idaho Education News. On his campaign website, Tanner states he introduced three bills in his freshman session and all three were signed into law in 2025.

Policy Positions

Tanner has publicly stated positions on several policy areas through his campaign website, candidate questionnaires, and legislative activity.

On education, Tanner states on his campaign website that he supports school choice as a mechanism to introduce competition among education options, while also expressing support for public schools. He opposes what he describes as the indoctrination of children with transgender and queer ideologies in schools.

On medical policy, his co-sponsorship of House Bill 472 reflects his stated opposition to government and employer mandates for vaccines and other medical interventions. His campaign website calls for continuing “the fight for medical freedom in every area.”

On property taxes, Tanner’s campaign website frames Nampa homeowners as bearing an unfair burden and calls for relief. On election integrity, he states opposition to mail-in ballots and ballot drop boxes. On immigration, he has sponsored legislation in both the 2025 and 2026 sessions to require public schools to collect and report aggregated immigration status data for enrolled students, as documented by the Idaho Capital Sun.

In a 2024 candidate questionnaire published by iVoterGuide, Tanner stated that abortion should be permitted only when the mother’s life is in danger and there is no chance for the baby to survive, that abortion providers should not receive taxpayer funds, and that biological males should not be permitted to participate in women’s sports or occupy spaces designated for biological women. On energy, he indicated support for fossil fuels, hydropower, and nuclear energy.

Political Alignment

Tanner is a Far-Right Extremist. He is a documented member of the Idaho Freedom Caucus, as confirmed by the Idaho Freedom Caucus Substack, which identifies him as one of seven IFC members facing challengers in 2026. His 2024 primary campaign was backed by Idaho Freedom PAC, the campaign arm of the Idaho Freedom Foundation, as well as Stop Idaho RINOs PAC and Think Liberty Idaho PAC, as documented in campaign records. The Freedom Index lists him at 100 percent for the 2025 session. His legislative record in his freshman term (including co-sponsoring the Medical Freedom Act, sponsoring immigration status data collection bills in consecutive sessions alongside IFC-aligned colleagues, and attending a WallBuilders conference as an IFC representative) reflects full alignment with the organized far-right network in Idaho Republican politics. His campaign website also uses explicitly religious framing on governance, stating his policy is guided by the need to protect against what he characterizes as moral and ideological threats to children and families.

Campaign and Endorsements

In the 2024 primary, Tanner was endorsed by Idaho Freedom PAC, the campaign arm of the Idaho Freedom Foundation. He also received support from Stop Idaho RINOs PAC and Think Liberty Idaho PAC. He faces Republican primary challenger Kody Daffer in the May 19, 2026 primary, as reported by the Idaho Press. The general election is November 3, 2026.

FAQ

Who is Steve Tanner, Idaho? Steve Tanner is a Republican state representative from Nampa serving his first term in the Idaho House of Representatives for District 13B. He is a pastor, former IT professional, and Idaho Freedom Caucus member seeking re-election in the May 2026 primary.

What district does Steve Tanner represent? Tanner represents House District 13B, which covers portions of Nampa in Canyon County.

Is Steve Tanner an incumbent? Yes. Tanner was first elected in 2024 after defeating incumbent Kenny Wroten in the Republican primary.

What committees does Steve Tanner serve on? Tanner serves on the House Commerce and Human Resources, Education, and Environment, Energy and Technology committees.

What legislation has Steve Tanner sponsored? Tanner co-sponsored House Bill 472, the Medical Freedom Act, in 2025. He also sponsored legislation in the 2025 and 2026 sessions to require Idaho public schools to collect and report aggregated immigration status data for enrolled students; neither version advanced through committee.

2024 Primary Election Results Tanner 2,205 / Wroten 1,752 / Henry 886

2024 General Election Results Tanner 17,124

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