Steve Johnson (Idaho)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Steve Johnson

Independent

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 5, 2024

Education

Bachelor's

University of Idaho, 1972

Graduate

University of Idaho, 1988

Personal

Profession

Educator

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Campaign YouTube

Personal Facebook

Steve Johnson (independent) ran for election to the Idaho State Senate to represent District 1. He did not appear on the ballot for the general election on November 5, 2024.

Biography

Steve Johnson earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Idaho in 1972 and a graduate degree in 1988. His career experience includes working as an educator, farmer, rancher, and small-scale logger.

Elections

2024

See also: Idaho State Senate elections, 2024

General election

General election for Idaho State Senate District 1

Jim Woodward defeated Dan Rose in the general election for Idaho State Senate District 1 on November 5, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Woodward (R)	76.3	23,545
	Submit photo	Dan Rose (Independent)	23.7	7,314

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,859
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Steve Johnson (Independent)

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 1

Jim Woodward defeated incumbent Scott Herndon in the Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 1 on May 21, 2024.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jim Woodward	51.9	8,219
		Scott Herndon	48.1	7,606

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 15,825
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Johnson in this election.

2022

State Senate

See also: Idaho State Senate elections, 2022

General election

General election for Idaho State Senate District 1

Scott Herndon defeated Steve Johnson in the general election for Idaho State Senate District 1 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Herndon (R)	59.1	13,064
		Steve Johnson (Independent) (Write-in)	40.9	9,025

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 22,089
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 1

Scott Herndon defeated incumbent Jim Woodward in the Republican primary for Idaho State Senate District 1 on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Herndon	56.2	7,771
		Jim Woodward	43.8	6,064

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 13,835
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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State House

See also: Idaho House of Representatives elections, 2022

General election

General election for Idaho House of Representatives District 1A

Mark Sauter won election in the general election for Idaho House of Representatives District 1A on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Sauter (R)	100.0	18,434

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 18,434
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Steve Johnson (D)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Idaho House of Representatives District 1A

Steve Johnson advanced from the Democratic primary for Idaho House of Representatives District 1A on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Steve Johnson	100.0	1,118

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 1,118
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Idaho House of Representatives District 1A

Mark Sauter defeated Spencer Hutchings, Travis Thompson, Cynthia Weiss, and Adam Rorick in the Republican primary for Idaho House of Representatives District 1A on May 17, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Mark Sauter	38.2	4,816
		Spencer Hutchings	32.5	4,093
		Travis Thompson	15.3	1,929
	Submit photo	Cynthia Weiss	8.0	1,004
		Adam Rorick	5.9	749

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 12,591
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Steve Johnson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.

Idaho State Senate election

Video for Ballotpedia

Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released Aug. 7, 2022

Steve Johnson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Johnson's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I’m Steve Johnson, and I’m running for Idaho State Senate, District 1, as an Independent write-in candidate.

I’m running for State Senate as a write-in because my opponent, Scott Herndon, has a personal agenda that is not what Idaho families need or want.

I know District 1 very well. Mom and Dad bought our family farm in 1957, and it has been home ever since. I graduated from Sandpoint High School and the University of Idaho. I’ve been a railroad laborer, a farmhand, a small-scale logger, a rancher and a farmer, and a small business owner. I spent most of my 42-year education career here in District 1, as an elementary and high school teacher and a principal.

I believe in a conservative fiscal policy, supporting public education, protecting our rural lifestyle, and traditional Idaho values. As your State Senator, I will work on the issues that matter most to our community.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• When I’m elected to the Idaho State Senate, I will vote to double the homeowner’s exemption to $250,000, so we Idahoans can stay in the homes we worked so hard for.
• While my opponent Scott Herndon supports pulling money out of public education, I support funding education in Idaho to build a better economy, and support Idahoans in having the quality of life we all want for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren. When I’m elected to the Idaho State Senate, I will vote to support education funding, including the Quality Education Act, which will bring our education up to the standards we need to produce an educated workforce ready to work in today’s trades, healthcare, and technology fields here, in Idaho.
• In the last ten years, the population of Bonner and Boundary Counties has grown by a whopping 21%. Growth may be unavoidable, but it cannot happen at the cost of our way of life. As your State Senator, I will fight to preserve our open spaces, rural lifestyle, and access to public lands.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about preserving our rural lifestyle. Keeping property taxes affordable is key to that, so people can afford to stay in the homes they’ve worked so hard for. Funding education is also key, because it keeps rural schools open and funds important vocational programs in our high schools, which give our kids and grandkids opportunities to stay in Idaho in high-paying trade jobs. That way, they can continue to enjoy the rural lifestyle they had growing up, and pass that legacy on to future generations.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I looked up to my dad. Always. He had the ability to listen to each of us (my 3 brothers and me) and conveyed to us that he had faith that we could do anything we set our minds to. Although our career paths were very different from his, since he never had the chance to finish high school, he had the ability the empathize with my brothers and me throughout our adolescence and into adulthood. He once told me he regretted never having meaningful work. That was a big motivator for me to choose a career in education - to make sure that MY work was always meaningful, and it always was.

The ability to listen attentively and to have empathy are the examples I have strived to follow all my life.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The characteristics that are important for an elected official are: integrity, the ability to actively listen, and the willingness to cooperate and reach consensus.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am an excellent listener, a person willing to work with others, and I am always willing to learn.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

We had just moved to our family farm in Sagle, Idaho, in 1957, when my brother heard on the radio that the Soviet Union had launched a satellite called Sputnik. We all went outside that night awn watched as Sputnik moved across our sky. It felt like it was an exciting time and that something dramatic was happening.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was farmhand. I started working on the family farm in 1966, and I'm still working on the same farm!

What do you believe is the ideal relationship between the governor and state legislature?

The ideal relationship between a governor and state legislature is the ability to govern in a manner that produces beneficial and meaningful laws and policies for ALL the citizens of our state.

What do you perceive to be your state's greatest challenges over the next decade?

The greatest challenge the State of Idaho will face over the next decade is continuing to have a functioning government that can overcome extremist dysfunctional positions and produce laws, policies, and regulations that actually benefit the people of our great state, while preserving our rural lifestyle and the amazing quality of life that Idaho is known for.

What are the benefits and drawbacks of a unicameral state legislature, in your opinion?

Idaho has a bicameral state legislature, and it is designed to be very effective - when it functions.

Do you believe that it’s beneficial for state legislators to have previous experience in government or politics?

State legislators, first and foremost, need to authentically represent their constituents, protecting their interests and fighting for the issues that matter to them. In some cases, previous experience in government and politics could be beneficial, but the primary requirement is integrity, ensuring that they remain true to the values of their constituents.

Do you believe it’s beneficial to build relationships with other legislators? Please explain your answer.

It's essential to build relationships with other legislators. Nothing can be accomplished unless a consensus is reached. Reaching consensus requires building relationships to find points to agree upon and points where compromise can be reached.

What process do you favor for redistricting?

Redistricting should result from a bi-partisan, independent committee that represents the spectrum of Idaho demographics.

If you are not a current legislator, are there certain committees that you would want to be a part of?

When I am elected to Idaho State Senator, I hope to be appointed to the Education Committee, the Agriculture Affairs Committee, and Local Government and Taxation Committee.

If you are a current legislator, what appealed to you about your current committees?

N/A

Is there a particular legislator, past or present, whom you want to model yourself after?

The out going senator for District 1, Senator Jim Woodward, was an effective legislator who knows how to work with other legislators.

Are you interested in running for a different political office (for example, the U.S. Congress or governor) in the future?

I am looking forward to serving my district as their State Senator, and I am focused on accomplishing that.

Both sitting legislators and candidates for office hear many personal stories from the residents of their district. Is there a story that you’ve heard that you found particularly touching, memorable, or impactful?

When I was teaching at our local alternative high school, a young mother was able to secure Medicaid for herself after the birth of her child. Having regular access to health care gave her a feeling of safety and security; it removed the fear of a financially catastrophic medical event that could derail her plans for her future. Medicaid allowed her to focus on working part-time and continuing her education, rather than getting trapped in a low-wage job just because it offered health insurance. She was able to earn an Associate's Degree that allowed her to earn a good income, which helped her get off of state aid and provide a stable home and future for herself and her child.

Should the legislature oversee or grant the use of emergency powers?

In the face of a true emergency, the governor needs to have the ability to act quickly to use emergency powers. The Legislature should, as always, act as a check on the power of the governor, but a legislative body is simply not nimble enough to respond immediately to emergencies or emergent situations.

Do you believe that compromise is necessary or desirable for policymaking?

Compromise is essential for policymaking. Lawmakers start from their own positions and it is imperative to meet in the middle to accomplish anything when it comes to getting bills out of committee and laws passed in the Legislature.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Idaho House of Representatives election

Steve Johnson did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign finance summary

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Steve Johnson campaign contribution history

Year	Office	Status	Contributions	Expenditures
2024*	Idaho State Senate District 1	Withdrew general	$0	$0
2022	Idaho House of Representatives District 1A	Withdrew general	$34,641	$33,815
Grand total			$34,641	$33,815
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
* Data from this year may not be complete

See also

2024 Elections

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External links

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Candidate

Idaho State Senate District 1

Website

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Footnotes

[show]

Current members of the Idaho State Senate

Leadership

Majority Leader:Lori Den Hartog

Minority Leader:Melissa Wintrow

Senators

District 1

Jim Woodward (R)

District 2

Phil Hart (R)

District 3

Doug Okuniewicz (R)

District 4

Ben Toews (R)

District 5

Carl Bjerke (R)

District 6

Dan Foreman (R)

District 7

Cindy Carlson (R)

District 8

Christy Zito (R)

District 9

Brandon Shippy (R)

District 10

Tammy Nichols (R)

District 11

Camille Blaylock (R)

District 12

Ben Adams (R)

District 13

Brian Lenney (R)

District 14

C. Scott Grow (R)

District 15

Codi Galloway (R)

District 16

Alison Rabe (D)

District 17

Carrie Semmelroth (D)

District 18

Janie Ward-Engelking (D)

District 19

Melissa Wintrow (D)

District 20

Josh Keyser (R)

District 21

Treg Bernt (R)

District 22

Lori Den Hartog (R)

District 23

Todd Lakey (R)

District 24

Glenneda Zuiderveld (R)

District 25

Josh Kohl (R)

District 26

Ron Taylor (D)

District 27

Kelly Anthon (R)

District 28

Jim Guthrie (R)

District 29

James Ruchti (D)

District 30

Julie VanOrden (R)

District 31

Van Burtenshaw (R)

District 32

Kevin Cook (R)

District 33

David Lent (R)

District 34

Doug Ricks (R)

District 35

Mark Harris (R)

Republican Party (29)

Democratic Party (6)