Van T. Burtenshaw

Van T. Burtenshaw: Republican Incumbent for Idaho Senate District 31

Van T. Burtenshaw won his May 19, 2026 Republican primary unopposed with 8,131 votes. His opponent in the November 3, 2026 general election, Democrat Kevin Gerrard, also ran unopposed in his primary and received 438 votes. Both results come from the certified canvass of the Idaho Secretary of State.

The Race and the District

Burtenshaw is the Republican incumbent state senator for Idaho Legislative District 31, which covers Clark, Fremont, Lemhi, and Jefferson counties in eastern Idaho, including the Terreton area where he lives and farms. He is seeking his fifth Senate term. Gerrard is his Democratic opponent on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.

Electoral History

Burtenshaw has never lost a race for the Idaho Legislature, according to certified results on the Idaho Secretary of State's election canvass. His record spans more than a decade and two district numbers, the product of a 2022 redistricting that renumbered his seat without changing the candidate.

Voters first elected him to the Idaho House in 2014, when he won the House District 35A Republican primary with 3,916 votes, or 52.5 percent, and then ran unopposed in the general election. He repeated that path in 2016, taking the primary with 4,601 votes, or 69.3 percent, and facing no general election opponent.

In 2018 he moved up to the Senate, winning the District 35 Republican primary with 4,393 votes, or 53.1 percent, and again running unopposed in the general. He won a second Senate term in 2020 with 4,989 primary votes, or 51.8 percent, and another unopposed general election.

Redistricting after the 2020 census placed his seat in Senate District 31 for the 2022 cycle. Burtenshaw won the new district's Republican primary over Fran Bryson, 7,217 votes (68.6 percent) to Bryson's 3,310 votes, and ran unopposed in the general election. In 2024 he won an unopposed primary with 8,788 votes, then won the general election with 23,525 votes, or 87.5 percent, over Democrat Dean Martonen, who received 3,351 votes, or 12.5 percent.

Farming, Family, and Education

Burtenshaw describes himself on the Idaho Republican Party's candidate profile as "a self employed farmer and rancher" and "an independent contractor for Superior Livestock Auction." The same profile lists his education as a West Jefferson High School graduate who "attended college at Ricks College and BYU." No specific degree or field of study is listed on any source covering his candidacy.

His own campaign site states: "I have farmed and ranched in the Terreton area all my life. I have been married to my wife, Joni, for 39 years and we have five children and 16 grandchildren."

Committee Work in the Senate

Burtenshaw holds three Senate committee assignments in the current session, according to his official profile on the Idaho Legislature's website. He chairs the Senate Resources and Environment Committee and serves on the Senate Education and Senate Transportation committees.

What He Says He Stands For

The Idaho Republican Party's candidate page lists his top three issues in his own words. On agriculture and water, he said: "As the Senate Ag Chairman I have a responsibility to make sure that agricultural issues are one of my top priorities. Water is the life blood of agriculture and affects all of our lives every day. Having ample supplies and storage is paramount." The Idaho Legislature's current committee listing shows his chairmanship as Resources and Environment.

On taxes, his stated record reads: "In the past two years the legislature has reduced income taxes by over $984 million, and increased the circuit breaker for property tax relief. We have increased the grocery tax exemption and have provisions to move the indigent care portion of property tax to the state. I believe we need to continue to seek relief for the overburdened citizens."

On education, he wrote: "Education is a top priority. This year we have increased teacher pay in a variety of ways. First by reducing health insurance premiums and providing improved insurance coverage for school district employees. Second by increasing the funding for the career ladder and teacher bonuses. Finally investing in our students in a variety of new programs."

His campaign site adds two other stated priorities in his own words: "Protecting Idaho's water rights, small businesses, farmers and ranchers because they are the backbone of Idaho's economy and need to be preserved," and "Actively defending the 2nd amendment rights of Idaho citizens and supporting the INL efforts to secure our state and nation."

Campaign Finance

Burtenshaw's 2026 campaign finance filing on the Idaho Secretary of State's Sunshine portal shows $15,000.13 in cash at the start of the cycle. He raised $22,875.00 in contributions and spent $28,872.19, leaving $13,565.13 in ending cash. The filing lists no loans and no debt.

Ten donors gave $1,000 each, the maximum itemized in the filing: the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation PAC, the Senate Republican PAC of Idaho, Idaho Truck PAC, Peggy Larsen, Richard Larsen, the Idaho Dairy Industry PAC, Intermountain Gas, Amalgamated Sugar, ICUA PAC, and T Simmons Farms.

Sources

• Idaho Secretary of State, certified results for the May 19, 2026 primary election
• Idaho Secretary of State, election canvass history for Van T. Burtenshaw
• Idaho State Legislature, official member page for Sen. Van T. Burtenshaw
• Idaho Republican Party, candidate profile for Van Burtenshaw
• Van Burtenshaw for Senate, campaign website biography
• Idaho Secretary of State Sunshine portal, 2026 campaign finance filings for Van T. Burtenshaw