Three Republicans Vie for Bannock County Commission Seat Ahead of May 19 Primary
POCATELLO — Three Republican candidates are competing for an open seat on the Bannock County Commission, with a primary election scheduled for May 19. Samantha Damron, Joel Jolley, and Craig Yadon are all seeking to represent District 1 following the decision by incumbent Commissioner Ernie Moser not to seek another term.
The race brings together three candidates with deep roots in Southeast Idaho, each drawing on different backgrounds in finance, local government, and business to make their case to Republican primary voters.
The Candidates: Backgrounds and Experience
Samantha Damron has lived in Bannock County for nearly four decades, originally coming to Pocatello to attend Idaho State University, where she earned a degree in Finance. She spent more than a decade in the finance industry before joining the Eastern Idaho Development Corporation in 2005 as a loan officer. She later became the organization’s Executive Director — the first woman to hold that role — and currently oversees a loan portfolio of more than $32 million. Damron cites her work guiding small businesses through the 2008 financial crisis and the economic disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic as proof of her ability to manage complex financial challenges. She and her husband have been married 30 years, have four children and seven grandchildren, and have spent the past quarter century living in the Marsh Valley area.
Joel Jolley relocated to Idaho from New Mexico in 1985 with his wife, and the couple raised four sons in the Marsh Valley area. His professional career was built in the instrumentation and electrical field, with more than two decades working at the phosphate processing facility in Soda Springs — known at various points as NuWest, Agrium, and now Idaphos — including a decade focused on safety and industrial hygiene. Jolley’s public service record in Inkom spans more than 30 years, including service on the city’s land use board, two separate stints on the city council, and 14 years as mayor. He previously ran for the commission seat six years ago, losing to the incumbent, and says continued encouragement from community members prompted him to file again.
Craig Yadon is a Pocatello native, graduating from Highland High School before earning a degree from Idaho State University. Following four years of service in the U.S. Army, he returned to Pocatello and built a contracting business that eventually employed more than 200 workers and served industrial facilities across the country, including government agencies, oil refineries, and power plants. Yadon and his wife Mariya have four adult children and four grandchildren. The family spent five years as missionaries in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Yadon currently serves as a board member and assistant pastor at Christ Church in Pocatello. In recent years, he has invested in the revitalization of Historic Downtown Pocatello, renovating the Petersen’s Furniture Building into an event venue called the Purpose Center.
Key Issues: Spending, Government Accountability, and Local Leadership
Each candidate has pointed to fiscal discipline and responsible governance as central themes. Yadon has been the most pointed in his criticism of current county leadership, specifically citing a 14 percent pay raise commissioners gave themselves in 2025 while simultaneously cutting funding to the county’s Veterans Building and other assistance programs. He has framed his candidacy around stopping what he describes as wasteful spending and ensuring county departments are adequately funded to serve residents.
Jolley has emphasized the depth of his experience in local government, arguing that decades navigating municipal processes in Inkom give him a working knowledge of how county-level decisions affect everyday residents. He has described his platform as centered on steady leadership and accountability.
Damron has highlighted her financial management background, noting her experience working within disciplined budgets while still delivering services — experience she argues translates directly to the demands of county government.
The race is drawing attention as one of the more competitive local contests ahead of the May 19 primary. For more on closely watched local races in the region, see our earlier coverage of three hotly-contested legislative races that generated significant voter interest earlier this cycle.
Voters may also be watching how the new commission shapes decisions on county facilities and spending priorities. The Pocatello city government has its own ongoing debate over public facilities, including a recent split-decision vote on a study of a potential city hall relocation.
What Comes Next
Republican primary voters in Bannock County will cast ballots on May 19. The winner of the District 1 Republican primary will advance to the general election in November. With no incumbent in the race, the seat is guaranteed to bring new leadership to the commission regardless of the outcome.