Todd Achilles
Independent · Challenger · U.S. Senate (ID) · 2026
Independent challenger and former state legislator positioning himself as the primary alternative to incumbent Senator Jim Risch.
Before politics: Technology executive for over 20 years, including roles at T-Mobile, Hewlett-Packard, and Evoca; public policy instructor.
Their shot at this seat
Achilles faces an uphill climb in a Solid R district where the incumbent maintains massive financial and institutional advantages, requiring a massive shift in the current +18 structural lean to be viable.
Who's behind them
Achilles is building a grassroots infrastructure that provides essential visibility, but his reliance on small-dollar donations leaves him significantly outspent by the incumbent's multi-million dollar war chest.
What could go wrong
Achilles’s ability to survive political pressure is unproven at the federal level, while Risch’s past campaign finance litigation offers a specific target for criticism during the campaign.
Why they fit this seat
Achilles’s platform aligns with a growing sense of local dissatisfaction, potentially disrupting established voting patterns if he successfully channels broad resentment toward the political establishment.
Key contrasts
advocates for fair competition and middle-class economic relief
Advocates for spending restraint and balanced budgets.
Who this moves: Millennials and Gen Z voters struggling with cost of living.
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| Issue | Todd Achilles | Jim Risch | Who this moves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Economy and taxes | Supports advocates for fair competition and middle-class economic relief | Opposes Advocates for spending restraint and balanced budgets. | Millennials and Gen Z voters struggling with cost of living. |
| Healthcare | Supports advocates for reforming ACA and strengthening public options | Opposes Advocates for private-sector healthcare; opposes government-owned entities. | Voters concerned about healthcare affordability and access. |
| Abortion and social issues | Supports supports reproductive access and Idaho's abortion ballot initiative | Supports Consistent, vocal anti-abortion supporter; A+ rating from SBA. | Voters concerned about physician shortages and government interference in medical decisions. |
| Democracy and elections | Supports advocates for independent, reform-focused, and anti-corruption leadership | Avoids Avoids public town halls; relies on party-insider strategy. | Republicans dissatisfied with the Idaho GOP seeking change. |
| Immigration and border | Supports supports border security and legal pathways to citizenship | Supports Supports border wall; opposes path to citizenship. | Agricultural employers and workers concerned about labor needs. |
| Foreign policy and defense | Opposes advocates for ending endless wars and reasserting war powers | Supports Balances 'America First' with assertive global leadership. | Voters skeptical of military deployments and foreign interventionism. |
Who has more standing to be believed
| Credibility axis | Todd Achilles | Jim Risch |
|---|---|---|
Insider knowledge | State legislative experience only. | Three-term U.S. Senator; serves on Foreign Relations and Ethics Committees. |
Moral legitimacy | Same-party rival David Roth withdrew; no party endorsement on record. | Endorsed by party organization and Donald Trump; no rival decline or censure on record. |
Scandal resilience | One documented allegation or informal complaint, no formal finding resulted. | One confirmed formal event: a settled FEC fine for campaign finance violations. |
Pressure absorption | Won a contested primary for state office in 2024. | Won most recent general election and primary; no recall or censure on record. |
State legislative experience only.
Three-term U.S. Senator; serves on Foreign Relations and Ethics Committees.
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Network
Endorsements and money spent against
Mobilization
Signals against
No information — no opposition-only outside-spend committees recorded — absence of data, not absence of oppositionThe case they'd make
Todd Achilles is positioning his independent bid as a rejection of traditional party-line politics and establishment control. By focusing on institutional reforms like term limits and breaking up corporate monopolies, he aims to capture voters disillusioned with the current political landscape. His campaign serves as a structural alternative for those seeking to challenge the influence of established power in Idaho.