Tripp Hutchinson

Hutchinson, whose full name is Tripp Charles Hutchinson, describes himself as an Idaho local who was born and raised in the state.[2] He has served on the Ketchum City Council since 2024 and said he did not plan to step down while campaigning.[3] In early 2026 he announced that he would run as an independent against Simpson, a bid that required 500 signatures to qualify.[3]

According to his campaign website, Hutchinson's platform focused on lowering the cost of living for working-class Idahoans, keeping Idaho rural, and opposing the consolidation of power.[2] He received 3.5% of the vote to Mike Simpson's 51.7%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[4]

The Idaho Mountain Express reported that Hutchinson was sentenced in Fifth District Court on March 31, 2026, on one misdemeanor count of petit theft under a plea agreement accepted in February, after removing posters from a case at Friedman Memorial Airport.[1][7] The court imposed 12 months of probation and 40 hours of community service, with $3,513.19 in restitution to the airport, and withheld judgment until March 31, 2027, so the guilty plea is not formally entered and the case could be dismissed if he follows the terms of probation.[1][7] He described the act as "moral civil disobedience" and said he would accept the consequences.[7]