Voter Guide: Erin Bingham (R)

Party:
Republican

• Website: https://erinbinghamforidaho.com/
• Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586793570271
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/erinbinghamidaho/
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Q: Tell us about your background, including your education, career experience, public service, and any previous political involvement. What experiences have best prepared you to serve in the Legislature?

My husband, Val, and I have raised our four children in Idaho, and Idaho Falls has been our home since 2006. Being a mom, business owner, and community volunteer has shaped how I approach public service.

I graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. For more than 20 years, I have worked in accounting, financial management, and business operations, including budgeting, practice management, and real estate development.

Some of my most meaningful volunteer work has been in our schools as a classroom volunteer and PTO president. I have also served on local nonprofit boards. My Republican Party service includes serving as a precinct committeeman, Bonneville County State Committeewoman, and a member of the Region X Rules Committee.

Since January 2026, I have represented District 32B in the Idaho House, serving on the State Affairs; Commerce and Human Resources; and Environment, Energy, and Technology committees.

My financial experience helps me examine budgets and understand long-term consequences. My community service has taught me the importance of listening and bringing people together. I bring both to the Legislature: a willingness to connect with people, work through the details, and follow through.

Q: If elected, what would be your highest legislative priority, and what specific policies or actions would you pursue to address it?

My highest priority is helping Idaho families build an affordable future, with education at the center of that work.

I hear concerns about whether young adults can afford to live here, whether families can keep up with everyday expenses, and whether our children are prepared for the opportunities ahead. Those concerns should guide our legislative priorities.

I would pursue two areas of work. First, review regulations and requirements that add costs without providing meaningful value. Government should be able to explain why a requirement is necessary and whether its benefits justify the expense.

Second, strengthen education from the classroom through career preparation. That includes updating Idaho’s education funding formula to better reflect today’s students, their needs, and the services provided. It also means investing in higher education, including opportunities for college degrees, skilled trades, technical training, and workforce development. Partnerships among schools, colleges, and employers can help Idahoans prepare for good-paying jobs here at home.

These priorities require sustained work and cooperation. I will bring families, educators, local leaders, and employers into the conversation and focus on practical improvements that help people afford to stay, work, and raise their children in Idaho.

Q: Many families are concerned about rising costs of fuel, housing, groceries, health care, and other essentials. What role should government play in addressing inflation and improving economic opportunities, and what specific steps would you support?

State government cannot control every cause of inflation, but it has a responsibility to address costs its policies can influence and create conditions for businesses and workers to succeed.

Housing is one area where we can make progress. I support working with local communities to review permitting delays, lot requirements, and other rules that increase construction costs. We should preserve health and safety protections while allowing housing options that meet local needs.

We also need to plan for the roads, water, and infrastructure that growth requires. Housing affordability includes the cost of serving new development and the effect on existing residents.

For groceries, fuel, and other essentials, I support examining taxes, fees, and unnecessary requirements that increase production and transportation costs.

I support tax relief that leaves families with meaningful savings. That requires considering the whole household budget, including income taxes, property taxes, and fees.

Economic opportunity also depends on reliable infrastructure, a prepared workforce, and a predictable business environment. Government should spend carefully, remove unnecessary obstacles, and give Idahoans room to build successful businesses and careers.

Q: Immigration remains a major issue at both the state and federal levels. What is your position on immigration policy, and what role, if any, should state government play in addressing immigration-related concerns?

Immigration is primarily a federal responsibility. I support secure borders, enforcement of the rule of law, and a workable legal immigration system. Congress needs to address our immigration challenges, including the millions of people living in this country without legal status.

Idaho’s role should focus on public safety and how federal policy affects our communities. I support lawful cooperation with federal authorities and ensuring local law enforcement can address criminal activity.

Before supporting a state proposal, I want to understand what it would require of sheriffs, police departments, employers, and taxpayers. I have consulted with local law enforcement because they understand how these proposals would work in practice.

Additional duties should come with a clear purpose and the resources needed to carry them out. We should avoid diverting local officers from existing public safety responsibilities without understanding the consequences.

I will evaluate state proposals on their effectiveness, legality, and local impact while continuing to call on Congress to fulfill its responsibility to establish and enforce immigration policy.

Q: Access, affordability, and workforce shortages continue to challenge the health care system. What do you see as the biggest health care issues facing residents, and what solutions would you advocate for?

Families need care they can afford and providers available when they need them. Addressing one without the other leaves people struggling.

There is no single solution to health care costs. We need practical improvements that give patients more options and make it easier to understand what care will cost.

This session, I sponsored H929. It allows qualifying discounted cash payments for covered services to count toward a patient’s applicable insurance deductible and out-of-pocket maximum. Eligible patients will be able to seek a lower price while still receiving credit toward those limits.

I would continue examining price transparency, administrative costs, and barriers to more affordable care.

Improving access also requires recruiting and retaining health care professionals, supporting training opportunities, and addressing the challenges facing rural providers. We should listen to providers about what makes it difficult to establish or maintain a practice in Idaho.

My experience in practice management helps me understand the challenges on both sides of the exam room. I want policies that help patients obtain care and allow providers to spend more time delivering it.

Q: As lawmakers consider state budget priorities, what level of funding do you believe public schools should receive? What factors shape your position, and what outcomes would you hope to achieve?

Public schools should receive adequate, dependable funding to provide a strong education, support teachers, and meet students’ needs. Education should remain a leading state budget priority.

We need to examine both the amount of funding and how it is distributed. Idaho’s approach should reflect today’s educational landscape, including traditional public schools, charter schools, online schools, and the school choice tax credit established through HB93. These options operate differently, and funding decisions should account for student needs, services provided, and clear accountability for taxpayer dollars.

I support updating our school funding formula to recognize those differences and give schools flexibility to serve their students. Educators, families, and school leaders should help shape that work, so decisions reflect classroom needs.

I also support strengthening career and technical education and workforce preparation. College is a valuable path for many students. Skilled trades, apprenticeships, and technical careers offer excellent opportunities as well. Partnerships among schools, colleges, and employers can help students explore those options and prepare for good jobs here in Idaho.

As a parent, classroom volunteer, and former PTO president, I want students to graduate with strong academic foundations, practical skills, and a clear path forward. Those outcomes should guide our funding decisions.

Q: Looking at the most recent legislative session, what do you think lawmakers got right, what did they get wrong, and what changes would you advocate if elected?

Lawmakers got it right when we addressed practical problems facing Idaho families. H929, which I sponsored, is one example of making a targeted improvement to help patients manage health care costs. Maintaining a balanced state budget was also essential.

My concern was the approach to spending reductions. Across-the-board cuts do not distinguish between an inefficient program and an essential service already operating with limited resources.

As an accountant and business owner, I would not reduce every part of a business by the same percentage without examining its responsibilities and performance. Government should apply that same discipline.

I would advocate reviewing budgets agency by agency, identifying administrative overlap, duplicative boards and commissions, and opportunities to improve operations. Agencies should explain what their spending accomplishes, and lawmakers should understand what would change under a proposed reduction.

We should work with agencies to find solutions, establish priorities, and measure results. My goal is a budget that reflects careful judgment about where spending is necessary, where improvements are possible, and where genuine savings can be achieved.

Q: What is one issue that has not received enough attention during this campaign, and why do you believe voters should care about it?

Voters deserve more discussion about where costs go when the state cuts its budget.

If the state reduces funding but leaves counties and cities responsible for the same needs, the expense doesn't disappear. It may show up in local property taxes or fees. That is not a true saving for taxpayers.

Mental health and disability services are examples where unmet needs can create additional burdens for families, hospitals, and law enforcement. Local communities may also lack the programs or resources to respond effectively.

Transportation illustrates another consequence. Delaying necessary road maintenance can allow deterioration to worsen, leaving taxpayers with a more expensive repair later. That merely kicks the can down the road.

The state needs to fund its responsibilities and account for the full consequences of its decisions. Before calling a reduction a saving, we should ask: Does the expense actually go away? Who pays instead? Will waiting make it cost more?

Those questions matter to every property owner and every family trying to manage a household budget.