U.S. Senator
Election Results
Candidate | Votes | Pct |
---|---|---|
Mike Crapo (R) | 452,620 | 66.16% |
Jerry Sturgill (D) | 189,394 | 27.69% |
Ray J. Writz (C) | 42,080 | 6.15% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
About The Race
Mike Crapo has long been one of Idaho’s most popular politicians, piling up big victory margins in every election and even running unopposed for re-election in 2004 but for a write-in challenger. His DUI arrest and conviction in 2013 surprised Idahoans who know him as a teetotaling member of the Mormon Church, but Crapo apologized, moved on and ran unopposed for re-election in the GOP primary this year. Jerry Sturgill, his Democratic opponent, has sharply criticized Crapo for the DUI and suggested that it’s a symptom showing that Crapo has changed. He’s also faulted Crapo for his prodigious fundraising from financial interests – Crapo is the ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, in line to become its next chairman, and has a campaign warchest of $5.1 million. Crapo, for his part, just completed a two-year marathon of town-hall meetings across the state, hitting every incorporated city; no one at any of those sessions brought up the DUI. His top issue is the federal debt; he’s also active on health, veterans and tax issues.
Crapo’s biggest splash in Washington, D.C., came when he served on the Simpson-Bowles Commission and the bipartisan “Gang of Six” senators pushing a big, tough plan to cut the national debt by cutting spending and raising revenues – a plan that included reforming the tax code, lowering tax rates, and eliminating loopholes and reforming entitlements like Medicare and Social Security.
Sturgill has made public lands, education and the economy his top issues, and he stresses his experience in top business positions. “I’m a businessman who’s run companies,” Sturgill said. “Two things are important to me: integrity and finding solutions.”
The Candidates
Mike Crapo
- Party:
- Republican
- Age:
- 73
- City:
- Idaho Falls, Idaho
Party: Republican
Education: Earned bachelor’s degree in political science from Brigham Young University and a law degree from Harvard University.
Work experience: Attorney, practiced law in Idaho Falls before election to Congress.
Political experience: Has served three six-year terms in the Senate and is running for a fourth. Previously served three terms in the U.S. House representing Idaho’s 2nd District, and before that served four terms in the Idaho Senate, where he was elected president pro-tem, the Senate’s top leadership position.
Family: Married. Has five children. with five children and three grandchildren.
Jerry Sturgill
- Party:
- Democratic
- Age:
- 71
- City:
- Boise, Idaho
Education: Earned bachelor’s and law degrees from Brigham Young University
Work experience: Worked as a corporate lawyer and investment banker in New York; founded his own firm in Boise. Served as CEO for two companies, a 500-employee regional armored transit and ATM servicing company, and a major food manufacturing company. In 2010, he joined Headwaters MB, a financial services firm, as a managing director. Former river guide. Serves as a bishop in the LDS church.
Political experience: Sturgill is making his first run for office.
Family: Married. Has three children.
.
Ray J. Writz
- Party:
- Constitution
- Age:
- 73
- City:
- Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
- Occupation:
- Janitorial business owner
Education: Graduated from Grant High School in Fox Lake, Illinois, in 1969. Studied accounting at the now-defunct Kinman Business University in Spokane in 1982-83.
Political Experience: Ran unsuccessfully for Idaho state Senate in 2010, state House of Representatives in 2012, again for state Senate in 2014 and for U.S. Senate in 2016.
Work Experience: Partially retired after a career as a carpenter, laborer and sanitation engineer. Most recently, ran a janitorial business in Coeur d'Alene.
Family: Married. Has two adult children and five grandchildren.
Campaign Fundraising: $7,410 as of Oct. 1. Writz contributed nearly all of those funds himself, with one donation from independent political activist Darcy Richardson.
Complete Coverage
Crapo: ‘A policy agenda that delivers opportunities for our nation’
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo issued this statement in response to Donald Trump’s inaugural address today: “Today, we witnessed the peaceful transfer of power that has been the hallmark of our democracy since its founding. In this election, voters chose a candidate who put forth a…
Eye on Boise: Idaho Treasurer Ron Crane won’t seek re-election
Idaho state Treasurer Ron Crane has announced that he won’t seek re-election in 2018 to a sixth term, and will retire instead.
Crapo joins Senate Judiciary Committee, hopes to push for more Idaho federal judges
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has been named to the Senate Judiciary Committee, a position that could help him shepherd through the nomination and confirmation of Idaho’s next federal district judge and push for Idaho to get a third federal judgeship. Crapo didn’t give up any…
Eye on Boise: Crapo to again head Senate’s ‘Committee on Committees’
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has again been selected by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to chair the Senate’s Committee on Committees, meaning he’ll lead negotiations about which senators get which committee assignments. This is the seventh consecutive two-year congressional term that Crapo’s been tapped for this role.
Lame-duck session of Congress wrapping up without vote on Idaho Judge Nye
Despite the best efforts of Idaho’s two senators, the lame-duck session of Congress is wrapping up without any confirmation votes on judges – including U.S. District judge nominee David Nye of Idaho; you can read my full story here at spokesman.com. The House already had adjourned Thursday afternoon, and the Senate…
Idaho could be down to just one federal judge for another six months
Despite the best efforts of Idaho’s two senators, the lame-duck session of Congress is wrapping up without any confirmation votes on judges – including U.S. District judge nominee David Nye of Idaho.
Senators ponder how much to do in lame-duck session, with Nye nomination at the ready
As Congress kicks off its lame-duck session this week, Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo said this morning that he and fellow Idaho Sen. Jim Risch will be pushing hard for a vote on Idaho U.S. District Judge nominee David Nye, but they’ve not yet heard if…
Sens. Crapo, Risch standing by Nye nomination; Trump Administration also may support it
Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch say they’re standing by federal judge nominee David Nye and hoping for a confirmation vote in the lame-duck session of Congress that started today. And if it doesn’t come right away, they’ll continue to push for Nye’s nomination with the Trump Administration in 2017.
Crapo, Risch standing by Judge Nye nomination, hoping for Senate vote soon
Idaho Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch say they’re standing by federal judge nominee David Nye and hoping for a confirmation vote in the lame-duck session of Congress that started Monday. And if it doesn’t come right away, they’ll continue to push for Nye’s nomination with the Trump Administration in 2017.
Idaho Sen. Crapo wins historic fourth term; Labrador, Simpson also win
Idaho GOP Sen. Mike Crapo won a fourth six-year term in the Senate on Tuesday, the first Idaho senator to win a fourth term since famed Democrat Frank Church in 1974. And 1st District GOP Rep. Raul Labrador won a fourth two-year term in the U.S. House, even as he mulls a run for governor of Idaho. But there were deep divisions among Idahoans on Tuesday on the nonpartisan Idaho Supreme Court race and a constitutional amendment that state lawmakers placed on the ballot.
Crapo, to cheers: ‘It’s looking good - it’s looking really good’
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo just told a cheering crowd at the Idaho GOP election night watch party, “Any of you who have heard me talk during this election have probably heard me say that in this election, all three branches of the U.S. government are…
Crapo declared winner in Senate race
The AP has called the Idaho Senate race for GOP incumbent Mike Crapo, a call it made at 9:02 p.m. MT, two minutes after the polls closed in Idaho. Only the very earliest numbers are available so far from the Idaho Secretary of State’s office;…
Idaho Sen. Crapo headed for record fourth term
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo appears headed easily to a fourth six-year term in the Senate – the first Idaho senator to win a fourth term since famed Democrat Frank Church in 1974.
Young ISP trooper, relative of Sen. Crapo, injured in Capitol Tree-related crash
ISP Trooper Brandalyn Crapo – a relative of Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo – was flown to St. Alphonsus hospital in Boise, where she was treated for minor injuries; she’s since been released, and the crash is under investigation.
AdWatch: Crapo’s final ad tries to stir voters to turn out
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has launched his final campaign commercial of the season, focusing on stirring images and broad themes to stress the importance of the upcoming election. “So much is on the line…
AdWatch: Crapo’s final ad tries to stir voters to turn out
Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo has launched his final campaign commercial of the season, focusing on stirring images and broad themes to stress the importance of the upcoming election.