Longtime House Republican who split with party on Jan 6 commission wins primary in deep red state

Longtime Rep. Mike Simpson won the Republican primary for Idaho's 2nd Congressional District, a seat he has held since 1998.

Longtime Rep. Mike Simpson won the Republican primary for Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District, a seat he has held since 1998.

Thirteen-term U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, won the Republican primary on Tuesday in his re-election effort for Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District.

The Republican has represented the Gem State in Congress for 13 consecutive terms, advancing Tuesday night to face Idaho Falls Democrat David Roth, who is unopposed, in the general election in November.

Simpson has represented the district since the late 1990s, but his career in politics stretches back to when he served on the Blackfoot City Council in 1980.

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Simpson’s win comes after the lawmaker split with several members of his party in backing an investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol riots and voting against a recount of the 2020 election results.

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The Republican went on to win his 2022 GOP primary with 55% of the vote.