Todd Lakey

Todd Lakey: Idaho Republican Incumbent for Senate District 23

Todd Lakey is a Republican member of the Idaho State Senate seeking an eighth term in District 23, which covers southern Canyon County, southern Ada County, and all of Owyhee County. Lakey lives in Nampa and has served in the Idaho Senate continuously since December 2012. He is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary, as confirmed on Ballotpedia. Democrat Paul Morgan is running in the general election.

Background

Lakey was born in Portland, Oregon. His father worked for Albertsons and moved the family across the Pacific Northwest and Midwest before Lakey eventually settled in Nampa, where he and his wife Jan have raised their five children, as described in his Idaho Republican Party candidate profile. He earned a Bachelor of Science in International Business from Brigham Young University and a Juris Doctorate from Lewis and Clark Northwestern School of Law, as noted on his Idaho Legislature member page. He served in the United States Army Reserve for 20 years, retiring as an officer. He and Jan have been married for more than 36 years and have several grandchildren. He currently practices law at the Borton-Lakey Law Office in Nampa, focusing on real estate, business, and local government, and has been honored in the Canyon County Republican Hall of Fame.

Political Career

Lakey served as Canyon County deputy prosecutor from 1993 to 1999 and as a two-term Canyon County Commissioner from 1999 to 2004, during which time he was elected president of the Idaho Association of Commissioners and Clerks, as noted on his Idaho Legislature member page. He ran unsuccessfully for Idaho Attorney General in 2002, finishing third in the Republican primary, as documented on Wikipedia. He was first elected to the Idaho Senate in 2012 representing District 12, then moved to District 23 following redistricting in 2022, as documented on Ballotpedia.

He currently chairs the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee and also sits on the Agricultural Affairs and Commerce and Human Resources committees, per his Idaho Legislature member page. His legislative record includes co-sponsoring SB 1385, Idaho’s abortion trigger law that criminalized most abortions contingent on the overturning of Roe v. Wade, which passed in March 2020, as documented on Wikipedia. He has also pursued legislation related to city planning boundaries, law enforcement training and support, and immigration enforcement.

Policy Positions

Lakey’s publicly stated priorities, drawn from his Idaho Republican Party candidate profile, center on traditional Idaho conservative values of family, faith, hard work, lower taxes, limited government, law enforcement support, pro-life measures, and Second Amendment rights. He has described his approach to elected office as listening more than talking and serving those who entrusted him with office.

Political Alignment

Lakey is a Traditional Conservative Republican. His three decades of public service spanning county prosecution, county commission, and the Idaho Senate reflect the governing conservative tradition in Idaho Republican politics. His chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee, his co-sponsorship of Idaho’s abortion trigger law, and his consistent support for law enforcement and fiscal conservatism place him within that tradition.

Public Controversies

In late 2023, constituents of District 23 filed a conflict-of-interest complaint with the Idaho Senate Pro Tempore and a grievance with the Idaho State Bar Association, alleging that Lakey had represented a developer within his own district on a housing project opposed by local residents, while serving simultaneously as their senator, as reported by the Idaho Dispatch. The complainants argued that his dual role as attorney and legislator created a conflict between his professional client obligations and his duty to represent constituents opposed to the project. No formal Senate ethics action had been publicly reported at the time of publication.

Campaign and Endorsements

Lakey is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary. Democrat Paul Morgan is running in the general election. No formal organizational endorsements for his 2026 campaign had been publicly reported at the time of publication. The general election is November 3, 2026.

FAQ

Who is Todd Lakey, Idaho? Todd Lakey is a Republican state senator from Nampa currently serving his seventh consecutive term in Idaho Senate District 23. He is an attorney, Army Reserve veteran, and former Canyon County Commissioner who has served in the Idaho Senate since 2012 and chairs the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee.

What district does Todd Lakey represent? Lakey represents Senate District 23, which covers southern Canyon County, southern Ada County, and all of Owyhee County.

Is Todd Lakey an incumbent? Yes. Lakey was first elected in 2012 and is seeking an eighth term. He is running unopposed in the May 19, 2026 Republican primary.

What committees does Todd Lakey serve on? Lakey chairs the Senate Judiciary and Rules Committee and also sits on the Agricultural Affairs and Commerce and Human Resources committees, per his Idaho Legislature member page.

What are Todd Lakey’s main policy positions? Lakey’s stated priorities include lower taxes, limited government, law enforcement support, pro-life measures, Second Amendment rights, and fiscal conservatism.

2024 Primary Election Results Lakey — Unopposed

2024 General Election Results Lakey defeated Morgan (D) and Smith (Constitution Party)

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