# James Ruchti

James Ruchti is a Democratic member of the Idaho Senate for district 29.

- Party: Democrat
- Seat: Idaho Senate, district 29
- Serving since: 2022-12-01
- Current term: ID 2025–26 session
- Open States ID: ocd-person/bcb4f50c-1f70-484a-90c2-65652b6a1133

Source: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/bcb4f50c-1f70-484a-90c2-65652b6a1133 (America’s Political Pulse, Polarization Research Lab), data through 2026-10-27. Data under CC BY 4.0. Cite as: Westwood, Sean J., and Yphtach Lelkes. 2024. America's Political Pulse [data set].

## Headline

Ruchti missed 9.1% of 792 roll calls, attendance in the bottom 5% of the Idaho Senate (average 97.3%).

## Ideology (CSIP)

CSIP score −0.54 (standard error 0.02), from 689 donors and 807 roll calls. Negative is left of 0, positive right of it, on one scale for every official. 66% of State Senate Democrats score lower.

## Votes (ID 2025–26 session)

792 roll calls. Attendance 90.9% (Idaho Senate 97.3%). Party unity 92.3% (87%). 19 votes against the party majority.

Key votes:

- 2026-04-02 · voted not voting · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 974 APPROPRIATIONS – IDAHO STATE POLICE – Relates to the appropriation to the Idaho State Police for fiscal year 2027. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H974/
- 2026-04-02 · voted not voting · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 972 APPROPRIATIONS – HEALTH AND WELFARE – DIVISION OF WELFARE – Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal year 2027. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H972/
- 2026-04-02 · voted not voting · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 973 APPROPRIATIONS – MILITARY DIVISION – Relates to the appropriation to the Military Division for fiscal year 2026. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H973/
- 2026-04-02 · voted not voting · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 959 TAXATION – Amends and adds to existing law to provide for an initiative petition to raise or lower the property tax budgets for fire protection… · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H959/
- 2026-04-02 · voted nay · Read third time in full – · H 896 SPECIAL PROCEEDINGS – Adds to existing law to establish provisions regarding compliance with the law. · fail · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H896/
- 2026-04-02 · voted not voting · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 975 APPROPRIATIONS – Relates to the appropriation and transfer of moneys in the state treasury for fiscal year 2027. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H975/
- 2026-04-02 · voted yea · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 978 APPROPRIATIONS – HEALTH AND WELFARE – PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES – Relates to the appropriation to the Department of Health and Welfare for fiscal year 2027. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H978/
- 2026-04-02 · voted not voting · Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote Read in full as required) – Read third time in full – · H 976 APPROPRIATIONS – Relates to the appropriation and transfer of funds for strategic initiatives and local highway districts. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H976/
- 2026-04-01 · voted nay · Read third time in full as amended – · S 1336 EDUCATION – Amends and adds to existing law to revise and establish provisions regarding civics education. · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/S1336/
- 2026-04-01 · voted yea · Read third time in full – · H 949 APPROPRIATIONS – WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL AND STEM ACTION CENTER – Relates to the appropriation to the Workforce Development Council and the STEM… · pass · https://openstates.org/id/bills/2026/H949/

## Campaign money (2026 cycle)

Itemized receipts $114.7K (State Senate Democrats median $55.5K). 94% of itemized individual money came from in state. Aggregates only; no individual donors.

## Links

- Official site: https://legislature.idaho.gov/legislators/membership/2024/id52/
- Campaign site: https://jamesforidaho.com/
- X: https://x.com/ruchtijames
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.ruchti
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamesruchti/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQiEyvKf-Dr-DfOlWT30Qhw
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-ruchti-5266562a/

Full profile, with every chart and the methods: https://americaspoliticalpulse.com/p/bcb4f50c-1f70-484a-90c2-65652b6a1133