Todd Achilles is an Army veteran and former Democratic state legislator from Boise, Idaho. Born in Oregon, he served as a tank commander in the U.S. Army from 1992 to 1995. After military service, he worked for over two decades in the technology sector, holding senior positions at T-Mobile, Hewlett-Packard (HP), and HTC. He was appointed to the Idaho House of Representatives in February 2024 to represent District 16B and was elected to the seat in November 2024. In July 2025, he resigned from the state legislature to focus full-time on his independent U.S. Senate campaign, becoming unaffiliated from the Democratic Party. He has degrees from Claremont McKenna College (B.A. in economics and international relations), University of Washington (M.B.A. in marketing and finance, and M.A.I.S. in international studies), and University of California, Berkeley (M.P.A.). Achilles is running as an independent to unseat Senator Jim Risch, positioning himself as a centrist alternative to the two-party system.
Achilles grew up on a family farm in Oregon and is the son of a Republican household. He attended Claremont McKenna College and earned advanced degrees from the University of Washington and UC Berkeley. He served as a tank commander in the U.S. Army from 1992 to 1995, deployments that shaped his views on government effectiveness. He spent over 20 years in the technology industry, including 13 years at T-Mobile (as executive director of product management) and leadership roles at HTC and HP. He holds an M.B.A. in marketing and finance, M.A.I.S. in international studies, and M.P.A. in public administration. He transitioned to politics after his technology career, initially registering as a Democrat and winning a state House seat in a special election. His decision to run for U.S. Senate as an independent reflects his frustration with both major parties' inability to address critical issues facing the country.
Fundamental belief that the two-party system is broken
Achilles repeatedly states that both Democratic and Republican parties are responsible for the same problems: 'debt is getting worse...same debt, same dysfunction, same division.' He argues both parties are failing the American people.
Voting History: Left the Democratic Party in July 2025 after just over one year in the Idaho House, citing frustration with both parties
Critical of rural hospital closures and healthcare gaps
Estimates that 60% of Idaho hospitals are rural and approximately 75,000 Idahoans lack health coverage. Claims Risch could have used his influence with Trump to protect hospitals but didn't.
Voting History: During his legislative tenure, he was critical of healthcare policy gaps affecting rural Idahoans
Strong advocate for limiting money in politics
Calls for campaign finance reform, banning congressional stock trading, and imposing term limits. Says 'if the four [independent veterans running for Senate] won, we could be the fulcrum to force term limits, force a ban on stock trading for Congress members.'
Voting History: Supported ranked choice voting initiative in Idaho (voters rejected it 70-30)
Protect public lands for future generations
Advocates protecting Idaho's public lands: 'I will fight to protect the public lands we grew up on and that we raise our kids on.' Views this as essential to Idaho's way of life.
Voting History: Opposed House Bill 93 (private school tax credits) and supports public land preservation
Advocate for living wages and eliminating non-compete agreements
Believes 'wages are just too damn low' and 'if you're working 40 hours, you should be able to afford a home and not be struggling for groceries.' Particularly focused on younger generations' economic struggles.
Voting History: During legislative service, introduced bill on AI-based rent price fixing and spoke against anti-camping legislation
Achilles served in the Idaho House of Representatives for approximately 16 months (February 2024 to June 2025). His voting record reflects fiscally conservative positions on some issues while taking progressive stances on others. He earned a reputation as one of the most bipartisan members, working across party lines despite being a Democrat.
| Bill | Title | Vote | Date | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Bill 93 | Private School Tuition Tax Credit | Nay | 2025 | Opposed Governor Little's bill providing $50 million for refundable tax credits for private school tuition and homeschooling |
| Anti-Camping Legislation | Public services restrictions | Nay | 2025 | Spoke out against legislation restricting services to homeless populations |
| AI-based Rent Price Fixing Bill | Protection against algorithmic price manipulation | Yea | 2025 | Introduced bill to address algorithmic manipulation of housing costs |
Achilles' social media tone is less partisan and divisive than typical political candidates. He emphasizes listening, finding common ground, and practical problem-solving. Posts focus on constituent concerns rather than attacking opponents. Tone aligns with his brand as a centrist alternative to partisan politics, though some Republicans counter that his voting record and rhetoric are more progressive than his 'independent' positioning suggests.
Campaign announcements and event notices promoting his 'Shake Up the System' listening tour across Idaho
Uses social media to build statewide presence and promote town hall meetings in rural and urban areas
View post →Achilles is 'clearly out of step with the great majority of Idahoans' and represents 'radical ideology'
Moon criticized Achilles as a vocal critic of the Republican Presidential Caucus, a major backer of ranked choice voting that voters rejected 70-30, and 'one of the most left-wing Democrats in the statehouse for the past two years'
Achilles could hurt Democratic turnout by positioning as a centrist alternative
Roth expressed concern that Achilles criticizing both parties could promote apathy among voters and hurt a Democratic Party already fighting uphill in Idaho