Mike Simpson

Mike Simpson joined his father and uncle in their Blackfoot dental practice before building a career in public office.¹ Born in Burley and raised in Blackfoot, he has been married to Kathy for more than fifty years.¹ His campaign biography lists reading, golf and painting among his interests away from work.²

Simpson graduated from Utah State University and earned his dental degree at Washington University in St. Louis.¹ He won election to Blackfoot's City Council in 1980 and the Idaho Legislature in 1984.¹ He stayed in the legislature until 1998, serving its last six years as House speaker.¹

Now in his fourteenth House term, Simpson chairs the Interior and Environment subcommittee on Appropriations, a position involving federal spending on public lands and environmental programs.¹ One of his major legislative projects became law in 2015, creating three wilderness areas in central Idaho after years of negotiations.³⁴ The package also addressed grazing, recreation and the transfer of certain federal lands to local governments.³

He faces Democrat Ellie Gilbreath, Libertarian Will Johanson and independents Emre Houser and Tripp Hutchinson in Idaho's Second District.⁵ Simpson advocates nuclear energy development, efficiency and renewable energy, alongside domestic oil and natural gas.⁶ His campaign also emphasizes border enforcement, federal spending restraint and support for Idaho agriculture.⁷