Ted Hill

Ted Hill: Republican for Idaho House District 14, Seat A

Ted Hill won the May 19, 2026 Republican primary for Idaho House District 14, Seat A unopposed, receiving 7,919 votes after his only opponent, Matt Stallsmith, withdrew. The Eagle Republican is the incumbent, seeking a third term in the House. On the November 3, 2026 general election ballot, he faces Democrat Jo Daly, who won her own primary unopposed with 1,227 votes.

Background

Hill was born and raised in Idaho. He attended Boise High School, earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Boise State University, and completed a master's degree in international relations at Salve Regina University.

He joined the Navy in 1984. Over a 38-year career, he served as a fighter pilot on three combat tours, commanded an F/A-18 Hornet squadron, and served as deputy commander of an air wing of seven squadrons. His official biography states he acted as a liaison to Arab countries on defense operations and training, and worked closely with British, Australian, and Japanese allies. He also spent more than a decade with the Department of Defense on strategic war planning and weapons assessment. He retired in April 2022. His current legislative bio lists his occupation as a contract adversary fighter pilot supporting naval aviator tactical training.

The personal story behind his candidacy

Hill's teenage daughter, Shauna, died in a car accident at the intersection of Highway 16 and Floating Feather Road near Eagle. After her death, he pressed the Idaho Transportation Department and the Ada County Highway District to install a traffic light at the intersection. In a 2022 press release launching his first campaign video, Ada County Sheriff Matt Clifford said the light "has undoubtedly saved lives."

The same release describes Hill's work with then-Congressman Raul Labrador on the Shauna Hill Post 9/11 Education Benefits Transferability Act. After Shauna's death, Hill tried to transfer his unused G.I. Bill benefits to his surviving daughter, Haley, and ran into a barrier in Veterans Affairs policy. The act addressed that problem and was signed into law by President Trump in 2017.

In that release, Hill gave his own reason for running: "After 38 years defending America and keeping her safe, I have more to give, and I believe the proper place to focus my energies now is serving my neighbors in Eagle and Emmett."

Where he stands

Hill describes himself on his campaign site as "a lifelong Conservative, protecting and defending Idaho." His issues page leads with the Second Amendment. "When freedom is under assault, the first thing at risk is the ability to defend yourself," the page states, adding that "our right to bear arms is that essential freedom that guarantees the rest."

On abortion, his site says it is his duty "to protect the unborn" and calls abortion policies in some states "undeniably barbaric." His Idaho GOP candidate page lists defending the Constitution and countering federal overreach among his top three issues.

On growth, he writes that Idaho needs to "bring all state and local entities together to cooperate in a long-term strategic plan" to sustain quality of life. On education, his site says he strongly supports school choice and teachers. It describes the importance of special education and gifted programs and notes he is the spouse of a career and technical education teacher.

Legislative role

Hill is in his second term. For 2026, he serves on the House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee, the Revenue and Taxation Committee, and the Transportation and Defense Committee.

Electoral history

Hill has won two generals and two of four primaries. He first won the House seat in 2022, taking a four-way primary with 42.4 percent of the vote and then defeating Democrat Crystal Ivie in the general with 75.8 percent. In 2024, he ran unopposed in the primary and won the general with 26,769 votes, or 99.9 percent, against a write-in candidate.

His earlier races went differently. He ran for the District 14 State Senate seat in the 2018 and 2020 Republican primary, losing both times to C. Scott Grow, first in a six-candidate field and then in a two-way race in which Grow took 52.7 percent to Hill's 47.4 percent, according to the Idaho Secretary of State's elections database.

Hill has framed his candidacy around continued service rather than a new direction. "Service is all that I know and I have more to give," his campaign site states, echoing the argument he made in his first race. The general election is November 3, 2026.

Sources

• Idaho State Legislature, official member page for Rep. Ted Hill, supporting his biography, Navy service, occupation, and committee assignments
• Ted Hill 4 Idaho, Issues page, supporting his stated positions on the Second Amendment, abortion, growth, and education
• Idaho Republican Party, Hill's candidate page, supporting his listed top issues and background statement
• Idaho Dispatch, April 2022 campaign press release, supporting the account of Shauna Hill's death, the traffic light, and the federal education benefits act
• Idaho Secretary of State, elections database, supporting primary and general election results from 2018 through 2024