by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports
Updated at 5:40pm with comments from Rep. Tanner.
Speaker Mike Moyle confirmed to Idaho Reports on Wednesday that he plans to name Rep. Josh Tanner, R-Eagle, as the new House co-chair of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.
“Everybody knows I’m going to put Josh as the chairman of JFAC,” Moyle, R-Star, said in a Wednesday phone interview.
Tanner has served on JFAC since 2023, his first session in the Idaho Legislature. He currently serves as House Assistant Majority Leader.
“Honestly, I haven’t made a decision at this point,” Tanner told Idaho Reports on Wednesday evening. “Am I the best fit, or can we bring in somebody else?”
Tanner said he would give up his current position as assistant leader if he accepts the House Appropriations chairmanship.
“I’m kind of an anomaly, being in leadership and on JFAC,” Tanner said in a phone interview. “It’s a lot of work in both.”
The new JFAC co-chair will take the place of Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, who announced her resignation effective January 5 to take a position with the Trump administration.
“I think if I did do JFAC, it wouldn’t be a permanent thing,” Tanner told Idaho Reports. “I want to try to educate and bring up people who could replace me.”
If Tanner does give up his leadership post, the House Republican caucus would elect a new assistant leader.
“The speaker doesn’t decide who is the assistant majority leader,” Moyle said. “That is not a speaker call. That is between him and the caucus.”
Moyle told Idaho Reports that a handful of lawmakers, including some chairmen, are vying to replace Tanner in leadership if he steps down, which could create other committee vacancies for Moyle to fill.
Two additional committee chairmen, Reps. Kevin Andrus, R-Lava Hot Springs and Lance Clow, R-Twin Falls, resigned from the Legislature in recent months. Andrus served as House Agricultural Affairs chairman, and Clow chaired the House Business Committee.
“Until we see how those leadership races are going, I probably won’t make it public. Because it could change again, depending on who wins and who loses,” Moyle said.
House Education Committee chairman Douglas Pickett, R-Oakley, confirmed to Idaho Reports that he is among those seeking the leadership position.
“Our caucus works well together, and I want to be a part of that,” said Pickett, who first ran for Assistant Majority Leader in December 2024.
“I would like to see a voice for ag,” Pickett said when asked why he wants to serve in House leadership. “That’s always been one of my things, that agriculture is represented at every level of government, and that we have support from across the state, especially as our state continues to grow and we see all the development, and we have a lot of resources and a lot of money coming into our state.”
House Ways and Means Committee chairman Jeff Ehlers, R-Meridian, also confirmed to Idaho Reports that he would run for an open leadership position.
“I bring a strong track record of getting good conservative legislation passed and across the governor’s desk into law,” Ehlers said.
Ehlers highlighted his time as co-chair of the legislature’s DOGE task force, as well as his professional background in finance as a CPA.
“I think that’s important this session, as we look to balance our budget,” Ehlers said.
Melissa Davlin contributed to this report.
Logan Finney | Producer
Logan Finney is a North Idaho native with a passion for media production and boring government meetings. He grew up skiing, hunting and hiking in the mountains of Bonner County and has maintained a lifelong interest in the state’s geography, history and politics. Logan joined the Idaho Reports team in 2020 as a legislative session intern and stayed to cover the COVID-19 pandemic. He was hired as an associate producer in 2021 and they haven’t been able to get rid of him since.