Democrats take all District 29 races as Shea and Roberts flip House seats
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Democrats secured a total sweep in District 29, capturing the Senate seat and flipping both House seats, according to unofficial election results.
In District 29 Seat A, Democrat Mary Shea defeated Republican incumbent Dustin Manwaring, flipping the seat blue in the third contest between the two candidates. Shea won with 10,009 votes (56.37%) to Manwaring’s 7,748 votes (43.63%).
In District 29 Seat B, former Democratic Representative Nate Roberts earned 9,897 votes (55.83%) to defeat Republican Jennifer Miles, who received 7,830 votes (44.17%). The outcome marks a reversal of the 2024 election when Tanya Burgoyne unseated Roberts. Burgoyne lost the Republican primary in May to Miles by 40 votes.
Meanwhile, incumbent Democratic State Senator James D. Ruchti retained his Senate seat, earning 10,439 votes (58.82%) over Republican challenger John Crowder’s 7,308 votes (41.18%).
Reflecting on the local and national economic mood as Bannock County precincts reported on Tuesday night, Ruchti pointed to rising costs as a key concern for voters.
"Idaho voters, like many in the nation, just feel like their government officials, their elected officials, aren't listening to them," said Ruchti. "They're seeing that in the fact that their lives are more expensive, whether it's, you know, groceries or a tank of gas, whatever it is, it is really expensive to live life, and that's frustrating to people."
What makes the sweep particularly interesting is the sheer scale fo the rebound compared to two years ago. In 2024, Pocatello's District 29 took a turn to the right as Republican incumbent Dustin Manwaring beat Shea by 2,304 votes (12,214 to 9,910), while Democrat Nate Roberts lost his Seat B post to Republican challenger Tanya Burgoyne by 1,139 votes (11,498 to 10,359).
Fast forward to this election, and the script reversed entirely. Shea flipped Seat A by surging to a 2,261-vote victory over Manwaring. Meanwhile, Roberts reclaimed a seat in the House by securing a 2,067-vote margin over Republican contender Jennifer Miles.
