Idaho District 24 Republican Primary: Twin Falls County Commissioner Challenges Two-Term Budget-Cutting Senator
A competitive Republican primary is taking shape in Idaho’s District 24, where a Twin Falls County commissioner and former state corrections director is challenging a two-term incumbent senator known for her firm opposition to new government spending. The race, set for the May 19 primary election, will decide who represents rural Twin Falls, Gooding, and Camas counties in the Idaho Legislature.
Sen. Glenneda Zuiderveld, R-Twin Falls, is seeking a third consecutive term after winning election in both 2022 and 2024. She faces Brent Reinke, a Twin Falls County commissioner, former director of the Idaho Department of Corrections, and longtime Magic Valley public figure who also started a family ice cream business — known as “MR. B’s” — that operated at the county fair for 38 years.
A Clash of Conservative Credentials
Zuiderveld has built her legislative identity around fiscal restraint and resistance to government expansion. She is a member of the so-called “Gang of Eight,” a bloc of hardline conservative legislators who vote against new government spending. Four of the eight members represent Magic Valley districts. All eight are facing primary challengers on May 19.
The senator has made clear she does not intend to moderate her positions under political pressure. “I will continue to be steadfast,” Zuiderveld said in remarks reported by Idaho Education News. Her campaign has positioned her record as a principled stand against unnecessary growth in the size and cost of Idaho government — a message with significant appeal among fiscally conservative Republican primary voters.
Reinke, by contrast, is framing his candidacy around local representation and responsiveness to constituents. He said the decision to run came after encouragement from individuals and community groups across District 24. “They don’t want me to run on a platform necessarily, like my opponent is,” Reinke said, according to Idaho Education News. The comment signals a more pragmatic approach — one centered on listening to district needs rather than ideological consistency.
Reinke’s long record of public service, including his tenure at the Idaho Department of Corrections and his time as a county commissioner, gives him credibility with voters who value hands-on governance experience at the local level. His background in county government, where budgets must balance and constituents are close at hand, contrasts with Zuiderveld’s record of voting against state-level spending.
Big Money Targeting the Incumbent
Zuiderveld has become a high-profile target for political action committees in recent election cycles. During the 2024 primary, PACs spent $112,080 in opposition to her campaign — a figure second only to House Speaker Mike Moyle statewide. That opposition spending included $78,000 from Idaho Liberty PAC and $12,250 from WinAg PAC.
That outside money opposition has not abated. WinAg and the Surface Water Coalition, a group aligned with the Twin Falls Canal Company, have already reported opposition spending against Zuiderveld in the current cycle. The involvement of agricultural interests — a cornerstone of Magic Valley’s economy and identity — could prove significant in a district where Palouse-style farming traditions and water rights carry outsized political weight.
Despite the PAC pressure, both candidates are raising competitive sums from individual contributors. Zuiderveld has collected $51,117 in campaign contributions, while Reinke holds a slight edge with $53,763 raised. The close fundraising totals suggest a genuinely competitive race heading into the May vote.
The District 24 contest is one of several competitive primary races across Idaho with implications for education policy and state spending priorities. For broader statewide coverage of Idaho’s 2026 legislative races and how they may shape policy in Boise, readers can follow Idaho News and the Idaho News Network.
Local government and property rights questions have also been front and center in communities across the region this year. Troy, Idaho, recently filed a federal lawsuit response defending its local zoning authority over its historic downtown district — another example of how tensions between local control and outside pressure are playing out across the state.
What Comes Next
Idaho’s May 19 primary election will determine whether Zuiderveld advances to the general election for a third term or whether Reinke replaces her on the Republican ticket for District 24. With PAC spending already active, fundraising competitive, and constituent groups rallying behind the challenger, the race is shaping up as one of the more closely watched contests in the Magic Valley this cycle. Voters in Twin Falls, Gooding, and Camas counties will have the final say.