Two Democratic candidates seeking statewide office are visiting Pocatello and Idaho Falls this weekend to meet with voters ahead of the November general election.
Terri Pickens, the Democratic nominee for Idaho governor, and Dr. Becky Sundin Mitchell, the Democratic candidate for state superintendent of public instruction, will hold separate campaign events in both cities.
Pocatello Event Friday Evening
Pickens and Mitchell will appear together at a meet-and-greet in Pocatello on Friday, July 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bison Room of Yellowstone Restaurant, located at 230 W. Bonneville Street. The event is open to the public.
Idaho Falls Gathering Saturday
The candidates will hold a second public event Saturday at Russell A. Freeman Park in Idaho Falls, 1290 Science Center Drive, from noon to 3 p.m.
The Candidates
Pickels secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination on May 19 after winning the party’s primary. A Boise-based trial attorney and small business owner, Pickels was previously registered as a Republican. She will face incumbent Gov. Brad Little, along with independent John Stegner and Libertarian Paul Sand, in the November general election.
Mitchell ran uncontested in the Democratic primary for superintendent. She switched her party affiliation from Republican to Democratic after the November 2020 election. Mitchell is challenging incumbent Superintendent Debbie Critchfield, a Republican, and Constitution Party candidate Teresa Roundy in the fall contest.
The visits mark part of a broader effort by Idaho Democrats to build support in southeast Idaho, a region where Republican candidates have traditionally held strong advantages. Pocatello and the surrounding Bannock County area have voted Republican in recent statewide races, though the region includes pockets of Democratic support, particularly among younger voters and in areas with strong state university influence.
The general election is scheduled for November 3.
What Comes Next
Both candidates are expected to intensify their campaign schedules through the fall. Pickels and Mitchell will likely return to Southeast Idaho for additional events as the election approaches. Idaho voters will decide the governor’s race and superintendent contest alongside other statewide offices in November.