A retired Marine and former Idaho state legislator is seeking a second shot at a seat he once held, setting up a rematch in the Republican primary for Idaho Senate District 11. Chris Trakel will face incumbent Sen. Camille Blaylock when voters head to the polls on May 19.
The race, which covers the Caldwell area in Idaho, pits two Republicans with sharply different backgrounds and political profiles against each other in what is shaping up to be one of the more closely watched legislative primary contests of the 2026 election cycle.
A Familiar Matchup With Different Stakes
Trakel is no stranger to Idaho’s legislative halls — or to losing. He has run for the Legislature three times and won his first election in 2022, serving one term before losing to Blaylock in the 2024 Republican primary by a margin of 3.8 percentage points. That race was Blaylock’s first-ever election, making her victory notable and her incumbency a significant political achievement heading into this rematch.
Now Trakel is back, hoping to reclaim the seat and return to the Senate with what he describes as unfinished business. During his previous term, Trakel sponsored a pronoun bill and drew significant public attention at a 2023 Caldwell School District meeting over comments he made regarding a proposed district policy. He has also claimed that he and his family faced religious discrimination when a virtual public charter school declined to reimburse them for purchasing a religious curriculum — an issue he has made a centerpiece of his campaign platform.
Blaylock, an entrepreneur with a background in technology startups, has focused her first term on substantive legislative work, including efforts to boost special education funding in Idaho. She has made clear she intends to continue serving her Caldwell constituents and is running on her record as a first-term senator.
PAC Spending Paints a Clear Picture
Campaign finance figures from the 2024 race shed light on where the Idaho Republican political establishment placed its support — and opposition. The spending disparity was striking.
Five mainstream political action committees spent a combined $30,022 supporting Blaylock in 2024, with no PAC spending to oppose her. Her backers included Idaho Liberty PAC, Idaho Prosperity Fund, and Right 2 Learn.
The story on Trakel’s side was very different. Idaho Liberty PAC — the same organization that backed Blaylock — spent $91,332 opposing Trakel, a figure nearly three times the total spent in support of Blaylock. By contrast, Trakel’s only PAC support came from the NRA Political Victory Fund, which contributed a reported $0.72 to his campaign.
That level of institutional opposition and the lack of organized support represent significant headwinds for Trakel as he attempts a comeback. Whether the same PAC dynamics will play out in 2026 remains to be seen, as observers note it is still early in the fundraising and outside-spending cycle.
Education Policy at the Center of the Race
Both candidates have education issues at the heart of their campaigns, though their approaches differ considerably. Blaylock’s record includes a focus on special education funding — a policy area with broad bipartisan appeal among Idaho families who rely on those services. Her backing from Right 2 Learn, a PAC associated with school choice and parental rights advocacy, signals alignment with Idaho conservatives who want more educational options for families.
Trakel’s education-related concerns have taken a more personal and culturally charged angle. His claim of religious discrimination involving a public charter school’s curriculum reimbursement policy speaks directly to issues of parental rights and the role of faith in education — topics that resonate with a segment of Idaho’s conservative electorate.
The District 11 race is part of a broader series of competitive Idaho legislative primary contests with implications for education policy statewide, as highlighted by Idaho Education News, which has been profiling key primary matchups ahead of the May 19 election.
What Comes Next
Idaho’s primary election is scheduled for May 19, 2026. Voters in Senate District 11 will choose between Sen. Camille Blaylock and challenger Chris Trakel in the Republican primary. The winner will advance as the Republican nominee. Residents can find voter registration information and polling locations through state election resources. Bannock County News will continue to monitor this race as the primary approaches. For statewide election coverage, visit Idaho News and the Idaho News Network.