Russ Fulcher

In 2005, Fulcher was appointed by Governor Dirk Kempthorne to the Idaho State Senate representing Idaho's 21st Legislative District, which encompasses large portions of Boise, Meridian and Kuna, to replace Jack Noble, who resigned after a conflict of interest. Fulcher was first elected in 2006 and served through 2012.[2][3]

Fulcher then served in the Idaho Senate representing District 22 from 2012 to 2014.[4]

He served has State Senate Majority Caucus Leader from 2008 to 2012, and from 2013 to 2014.[5]

Fulcher served on the following Committees:

• Senate Education Committee (Member)
• Senate State Affairs Committee (Vice-Chairman)[6]

On June 15, 2017, Fulcher announced that he would seek the Republican nomination for Idaho's 1st congressional district in the 2018 election.[7][8]

He was endorsed by the incumbent representative, Raúl Labrador,[9] and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.[10]

Fulcher won the Idaho Republican Party primary with 43.1% of the vote, defeating David H. Leroy, Luke Malek, Christy Perry, Michael Snyder, Alex Gallegos, and Nick Henderson.[11] Fulcher won 18 of 19 counties in Idaho's 1st congressional district. He was one of two candidates to win his home county.[12]

He won the general election in November with 62.7% of the vote, defeating Cristina McNeil[11] (Democrat), W. Scott Howard[13] (Libertarian), and Marvin "Pro-Life" Richardson (Constitution).[14]

Fulcher ran for and won reelection on November 3, 2020, with 67.8% of the vote, defeating Rudy Soto (Democrat) and Joe Evans (Libertarian).

In December 2020, Fulcher was one of 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives who signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election, in which Joe Biden prevailed[15] over incumbent Donald Trump. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case on the basis that Texas lacked standing under Article III of the Constitution to challenge the results of the election held by another state.[16][17][18]

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued a statement that called signing the amicus brief an act of "election subversion." Additionally, Pelosi reprimanded Fulcher and the other House members who supported the lawsuit: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."[19][20] New Jersey Representative Bill Pascrell, citing section three of the 14th Amendment, called for Pelosi to not seat Fulcher and the other Republicans who signed the brief supporting the suit. Pascrell argued that "the text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that."[21]

• Committee on Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife(Republican Deputy Leader)
  • Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands
• Committee on Education and Labor
  • Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment
  • Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions

• Freedom Caucus[22]

On November 23, 2013, Fulcher officially announced his intention to run against incumbent governor Butch Otter in the 2014 Idaho gubernatorial election.[23] Fulcher was endorsed by Congressman Raúl Labrador.[24]

Fulcher lost against Otter in the Republican primary in May 2014, earning 43.6% of the vote.[25]

Fulcher was a Ted Cruz delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention.[26] He supported Donald Trump in the general election.[27]

Fulcher announced on August 24, 2016, that he was running for governor.[28][29]

On June 15, 2017, he announced that he was dropping out of the 2018 Idaho gubernatorial election and would instead run for Idaho's 1st congressional district in the 2018 cycle.[30]