Lenney Challenges Anthon for Idaho Senate Leadership
Republican Sen. Brian Lenney of Nampa says he will seek the Senate president pro tempore post held by Kelly Anthon.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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Idaho state Sen. Brian Lenney, R-Nampa, announced Monday he will challenge Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, R-Declo, for the top Senate leadership post. The announcement came in a post on Lenney's personal X account, and Senate Republicans are scheduled to hold the leadership election in December.
Why it matters
The pro tem is second in line of succession after the lieutenant governor under the Idaho Constitution, so the contest affects how the Senate sets its agenda. Lenney said good bills are being stuffed in a drawer and that leadership should change often.
The December leadership vote among Senate Republicans will decide the pro tem post, which Anthon has held since December 2024. Lenney has not responded to questions about an October 30 repost on his personal X account, and the outcome of the vote has not been determined.
The players
Brian Lenney
Republican state senator from Nampa, first elected to the Idaho Senate in 2022 after moving to Idaho in 2010 from Southern California.
Kelly Anthon
Republican state senator from Declo who was elected senate president pro tempore in December 2024.
Dan Foreman
Republican state senator from Moscow who held the teachers' union funding bill in the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee.
The details
Lenney made the announcement on Monday in a post on his personal X account. He radiator-capped a bill prohibiting taxpayer funding for teachers' unions during the final week of the 2026 session after Sen. Dan Foreman, R-Moscow, held it in the Senate Commerce and Human Resources Committee.
Timeline
December 2024: Senate Republicans elected Anthon as senate president pro tempore.
2026 legislative session, final week: Lenney radiator-capped the teachers' union funding bill.
October 30: Date of Lenney's repost that he has not addressed publicly.
Monday: Lenney announced his challenge to Anthon on X.
December: Senate Republicans are scheduled to hold the leadership election.
Legislative Context
Under the Idaho Constitution, the Senate pro tempore sits second in line of succession after the lieutenant governor, which gives the post weight beyond routine floor management. Lenney's challenge puts pressure on how the chamber's Republican majority allocates that power and which bills reach a vote.
The result determines who controls the Senate's calendar and which bills get hearings, which affects what reaches the governor's desk. Residents who follow a particular bill can track whether it is scheduled for a committee vote after the December leadership election.
The takeaway
Leadership contests in a state Senate often shape which bills move forward as much as the bills themselves. Watching the December vote and the committee assignments that follow will show how the chamber's priorities shift.
What happens next
Senate Republicans are scheduled to hold the leadership election for the pro tem post in December, when the contest between Lenney and Anthon will be decided.
Further reading
For more on how the chamber makes its rules, see Legislative Policy coverage across Idaho.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Idaho Education News.
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