Brad Little | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2019 | |
| 33rdGovernor of Idaho | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2019 | |
| Lieutenant | Janice McGeachin Scott Bedke |
| Preceded by | Butch Otter |
| 42ndLieutenant Governor of Idaho | |
| In office January 6, 2009 – January 7, 2019 | |
| Governor | Butch Otter |
| Preceded by | Jim Risch |
| Succeeded by | Janice McGeachin |
| Member of theIdaho Senate | |
| In office May 24, 2001 – January 6, 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Judy Danielson |
| Succeeded by | Melinda Smyser |
| Constituency | 8th district (2001–2002) 11th district (2002–2009) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Bradley Jay Little (1954-02-15)February 15, 1954 (age 71) Emmett, Idaho, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | University of Idaho (BS) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | Office website Campaign website |
Bradley Jay Little (born February 15, 1954) is an American politician serving as the 33rdgovernor of Idaho since January 2019. A member of theRepublican Party, he served as the 42ndlieutenant governor of Idaho from 2009 to 2019 and as anIdaho state senator from 2001 to 2009.
Little is a graduate of theUniversity of Idaho, having earned aBachelor of Science degree in 1976. He has been involved in public service since the 1980s. Little was appointed as an Idaho state senator by GovernorDirk Kempthorne in 2001, a position he held for just under eight years. During his senate tenure, Little chaired the majority caucus and represented the8th and (after redistricting in 2002)11th legislative districts.[1] In 2009, GovernorButch Otter appointed Little to the office of lieutenant governor after the previous lieutenant governor,Jim Risch, resigned to become aUnited States senator.
After Otter declined to run for a fourth term, Little ran for governor in the2018 gubernatorial election and defeated Democratic nomineePaulette Jordan.[2] He was reelected in2022 with 60.5% of the vote, defeating Democratic nominee Stephen Heidt andIndependent candidateAmmon Bundy.[3]
Little was born and raised inEmmett, Idaho and graduated fromEmmett High School in 1972.[4] He attended theUniversity of Idaho inMoscow,[5] was a member of the Idaho Alpha chapter ofPhi Delta Thetafraternity,[6][7] and earned aB.S. inagribusiness in 1976.
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Little has had an extensive dual career tending to his family's ranching interests (his grandfather was the"Idaho Sheep King")[4] and in public service. During the 1981 and 1985 legislative sessions, Little represented his father, David Little, in the Senate on a temporary appointment due to illness, during which time he served on the Finance and Resources Committees.[8] Little also managed his family's ranching operation, Little Land and Livestock, for almost 30 years until his son, David, became manager in 2009 when Little was appointed lieutenant governor.[9] He continues to work as the head of Little Enterprises, Inc. (a diversified farming and cattle operation), and is a member of the board of directors of Performance Design Inc., a small Boise-based manufacturing company.[9]
Little has also been involved in a variety of private organizations and companies based in Idaho and the Mountain West. He is a former chairman of the Idaho Association of Commerce and Industry (IACI), "The Voice of Business in Idaho", and was a member of its board for 20 years (1981–2001).[10] Little is also the former vice-chairman of the Idaho Community Foundation and the Emmett Public School Foundation, and the former director of the Idaho Wool Growers Association and the University of Idaho Foundation.[9][11][12] He has also served in the past on the boards of directors ofHigh Country News, Home Federal Bank, a small Idaho-based regional bank recently acquired by Bank of the Cascades, and the Idaho Foundation for Excellence in Education.[13][14]
Governor Dirk Kempthorne appointed Little to fill a state Senate vacancy in May 2001. He represented what was at the time District 8, which covered a part ofGem County surrounding and north of Emmett, all ofBoise,Valley, andAdams Counties, and the southern portion ofIdaho County.[15][16]
After a change in district boundaries due to redistricting in 2001–02, Little was elected in the fall of 2002 to District 11, which then encompassed all ofGem County and the northern portion ofCanyon County, including the communities ofMiddleton andParma.[17][18] He was reelected senator from the 11th legislative district four times.[19][20][21] Little was also elected in 2003 by hisRepublican peers to the party leadership position of Majority Caucus Chair, which he held until 2009.[22]
State Senator from District 11: 2002 results[23][24]
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Republican Party | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 3,865 | 72.1 | Mike Pullin | 1,498 | 27.9 |
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Independent | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 8,478 | 76.2 | John Steinebach | 2,646 | 23.8 |
State Senator from District 11: 2004 results[25][26]
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Republican Party | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 3,402 | 65.00 | Steven Thayn | 1,398 | 26.71 | Walter Bayes | 434 | 8.29 |
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 13,533 | 100.00 |
State Senate from District 11: 2006 results[27][28]
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Constitution Party | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 10,090 | 77.05 | Jared Eastley | 3,006 | 22.95 |
State Senate from District 11: 2008 results[29][30]
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Independent | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 14,870 | 77.5 | Kirsten Faith Richardson | 4,309 | 22.5 |
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In January 2009, GovernorButch Otter appointed Little to the office oflieutenant governor to fill the vacancy left by former Lieutenant GovernorJim Risch's election to theU.S. Senate in 2008. Little was sworn in by Otter on January 6, 2009, and confirmed by unanimous consent when the Idaho Senate convened on January 12.[31][32]
Little was elected lieutenant governor in 2010, defeating two opponents in the primary election and two opponents from the Democratic and Constitution parties in the general election.[33][34] He was reelected in2014.
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Republican Party | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 95,758 | 67.6 | Joshua Blessinger | 26,808 | 18.9 | Steven Dana Pankey | 19,096 | 13.5 |
| Republican Party | Votes | Pct | Republican Party | Votes | Pct | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brad Little | 96,780 | 66.8 | Jim Chmelik | 48,099 | 33.2 |
Little focused on economic development as lieutenant governor, helping persuade energy bar producerClif Bar to build a new food manufacturing plant in Idaho in 2013.[37][38]
Little also took part in and led several trade missions. He led a Friendship Mission to theBasque Country in Spain in 2010, during which he met the President of the Basque GovernmentPatxi López. During this meeting, Little and López agreed to establish a Basque Economic Development Office in Boise that "would provide resources and services for Idaho and Basque companies to ease collaboration on research, sales and collaborative programs."[39] Later signed the Euskadi-Idaho Friendship Agreement, which affirms the friendship and cultural affinity between the Basque Country and Idaho, which has the largest Basque community outside Spain.[40]
Little was also a member of a 2011 Idaho trade delegation that traveled toMexico andBrazil.[41] After the trade mission, he said, "we found tremendous interest and opportunities in both countries for Idaho products and services … This trip strengthened key trade relationships and established new customers for Idaho businesses." TheIdaho Department of Commerce estimated that the mission resulted in sales of more than $30 million.[42]
In the 2014 legislative session, Little sponsored Senate Bill 1354, an anti-"patent troll" bill. The bill protects companies from abusive or "bad faith assertions ofpatent infringement" to collect an extortionate licensing fee.[43][44][45]
In June 2016, Little announced his candidacy for theIdaho gubernatorial election in 2018.[46][47] He said thatIdaho National Laboratory would be a priority if he became governor.[48]
Little was endorsed by incumbent Governor Otter,[49] former governorsDirk Kempthorne andPhil Batt, and U.S. Senator Jim Risch.[50]
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During his campaign, Little called for a phased-in $350 million reduction in the state income tax and the elimination of the Idaho grocery tax.[51]
Little won theIdaho Republican Party primary, beating both U.S. RepresentativeRaúl Labrador and businessmanTommy Ahlquist with 37.3% of the vote.[52] In the general election in November, he defeated state RepresentativePaulette Jordan, theIdaho Democratic Party nominee,[53] by over 130,000 votes.
In March 2022, Little filed papers to run for a second term in office, having announced his intention to run the previous month.[54][55] He won the Republican nomination in May, defeating Lieutenant GovernorJanice McGeachin.[56]
The Democratic nominee in the race was Stephen Heidt. At the same time, an anti-government activist,Ammon Bundy, ran in the race as an independent.[57] Little easily wonthe November 8 election, certifying the win in every county exceptBlaine County, which Heidt won.[58][59]
In March 2020, Little gained attention for signing two bills into law that addressedtransgender people.[60] The first bans transgender women and girls fromcompeting in women's sports, citing possible unfair physical advantages. The second bill, HB 509, bans transgender people from changing the sex on their birth certificates.[61][62][63]
In 2021, Little signed legislation that raised signature requirements for ballot initiatives.[64] That year, he also signed legislation that would permit killing up to 90% of the state's estimated 1,500 wolves to the minimum level of 150 as set by Idaho's wolf conservation and management plan; the legislation was backed by the ranching sector of Idaho, but strongly opposed by environmental advocates.[65]
In late April 2021, Little signed House Bill 366, effectivelyprohibiting abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, making exceptions for victims of rape, incest, and for medical emergencies. He also said, "We should never relent in our efforts to protect the lives of the preborn" and "Hundreds and hundreds of babies lose their lives every year in Idaho due to abortion, an absolute tragedy."[66][67]
In March 2022, Little signed Senate Bill 1309 modeled after theTexas Heartbeat Act that prohibited abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy. The bill made exceptions for victims of rape, incest, and for medical emergencies.[68] The Idaho Supreme Court later temporarily blocked the law.[69]
In April 2023, Little signed State House Bill 242, which prohibits "recruiting, harboring, or transporting" minors across state lines for abortions without explicit parental consent. It also makes it illegal to obtain abortion pills for a minor. A conviction for "abortion trafficking" carries a minimum sentence of two years in state prison and a maximum of five years. This is the first anti-abortion bill to prosecute people who travel to states where abortions are legal to undergo the procedure.[70]
Little opposesgun control. In May 2021, he signed a bill that would thwart nearly a half-dozen of executive orders fromPresident Joe Biden combating gun control.[71] Little has an A+ rating from theNRA Political Victory Fund for his record on Second Amendment rights and was endorsed in the 2022 election.[72][73]
In March 2020, Little signed both House Bill 500 and House Bill 509, which ban transgender women from playing on women's athletic teams and prohibit people from changing their gender mark on their birth certificate.[74]
In April 2023, Little signed House Bill 71 into law, banning anyone under the age of 18 from receivingpuberty blockers,hormone therapy, orgender-affirming surgery beginning in 2024. Doctors who violate the law face up to ten years in prison. It offers no exemptions for minors currently taking puberty blockers or undergoing hormone therapy.[75]
In a January 2019 interview, Little expressed opposition to legalizing recreational marijuana. He had expressed skepticism about legalizing medical marijuana for patients.[76]
When being asked about marijuana legalization in April 2019, Little said: “If Idahoans want legal marijuana, they elected the wrong guy as governor.”NORML, a group advocating thelegalization of marijuana, gave Little an F rating for his policies about reforming marijuana laws.[77][78]
In February 2021, Little signed Senate Bill 1017, which raises the legalTHC limit incannabidiol (CBD) products from 0% to 0.1% THC. The law went into effect on July 1, 2021.[79]
In April 2021, Little signed a bill that would legalize the cultivation and transportation of hemp in Idaho with up to 0.3% THC in it, making Idaho the final state to do so, but the bill would prohibit the sale of hemp products containing any THC.[80]
In March 2023, Little, a supporter ofcapital punishment, signed House Bill 186, which adds afiring squad as an alternative form of execution whenlethal injection is not available. Idaho is the fifth state to pass such a bill.[81] In March 2025, he signed a bill making firing squads the state's primary execution method. Idaho became the first state with such a policy.[82][83]
Also in March 2025, Little signed a bill into law that permits the death penalty for rape and sexual abuse of children younger than 12. The law became effective on July 1, 2025. It could ultimately challenge the precedent ofKennedy v. Louisiana.[84]
| Year | Democratic | Votes | Pct | Republican | Votes | Pct | 3rd Party | Party | Votes | Pct | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Paulette Jordan | 231,081 | 38.2% | Brad Little | 361,661 | 59.8% | ||||||||
| 2022 | Stephen Heidt | 120,160 | 20.3% | Brad Little | 358,598 | 60.5% | Ammon Bundy | Independent | 101,835 | 17.2% |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brad Little | 72,518 | 37.3 | |
| Republican | Raúl Labrador | 63,460 | 32.6 | |
| Republican | Tommy Ahlquist | 50,977 | 26.2 | |
| Republican | Lisa Marie | 3,390 | 1.7 | |
| Republican | Steve Pankey | 2,701 | 1.4 | |
| Republican | Harley Brown | 874 | 0.4 | |
| Republican | Dalton Cannady | 528 | 0.3 | |
| Total votes | 194,448 | 100.0 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Brad Little (incumbent) | 148,831 | 52.8 | |
| Republican | Janice McGeachin | 90,854 | 32.2 | |
| Republican | Ed Humphreys | 30,877 | 11.0 | |
| Republican | Steve Bradshaw | 5,470 | 1.9 | |
| Republican | Ashley Jackson | 3,172 | 1.1 | |
| Republican | Lisa Marie | 1,119 | 0.4 | |
| Republican | Ben Cannady | 804 | 0.3 | |
| Republican | Cody Usabel | 680 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 281,807 | 100.0 | ||
Little marriedTeresa Soulen ofWeiser in May 1978; they have two sons and five grandchildren.[9]
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| Idaho Senate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Judy Danielson | Member of theIdaho Senate from the8th district 2001–2002 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of theIdaho Senate from the11th district 2002–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Idaho 2009–2019 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Governor of Idaho 2019–present | Incumbent |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Republican nominee forGovernor of Idaho 2018,2022 | Most recent |
| U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
| Preceded byasVice President | Order of precedence of the United States Within Idaho | Succeeded by Mayor of city in which event is held |
| Succeeded by OtherwiseMike Johnson asSpeaker of the House | ||
| Preceded byasGovernor of Washington | Order of precedence of the United States Outside Idaho | Succeeded byasGovernor of Wyoming |
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Statewide political officials ofIdaho | ||
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