Editing Mike Simpson (section)

=== Elections ===
==== 1998 ====
Simpson entered the 1998 campaign for the U.S. House seat vacated by [[Mike Crapo]], who was running for [[United States Senate]]. He defeated former [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] congressman [[Richard H. Stallings]], who held the seat from 1985 to 1993, in the general election with 52% of the vote. He has never faced another contest that close; Stallings was the last Democrat to win even 40% of the vote.

Simpson did not face serious opposition in 2000, 2002, or 2004. In 2006, Simpson defeated former Democratic [[Idaho House of Representatives|state representative]] [[Jim D. Hansen]], son of former Republican congressman [[Orval H. Hansen]], with 61% of the vote.

====2008====
{{See also|2008 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
Simpson defeated two primary challengers with 85.2% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=2008 Primary Results statewide|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2008/Primary/tot_stwd.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416030919/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2008/Primary/tot_stwd.htm|archive-date=2009-04-16|access-date=2017-04-12|website=Sos.idaho.gov}}</ref> He defeated Democratic nominee [[Debbie Holmes]] with 71% of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/ENR/statewide_total.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150220191630/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/ELECT/results/ENR/statewide_total.html|url-status=dead|title=2008 results|archive-date=20 February 2015|access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref>

During the 2008 presidential primaries, Simpson was an early supporter of former [[Massachusetts Governor|Massachusetts governor]] [[Mitt Romney]] and a member of his Congressional Whip Team.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.politicalbase.com/people/mitt-romney/14237/supporters/|title=Web Page Under Construction|website=Politicalbase.com|access-date=22 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=pb|date=2007-02-06|title=Mitt Romney 2008: Whip Team for Mitt Romney|url=http://2008romney.blogspot.com/2007/02/whip-team-for-mitt-romney.html|access-date=2010-08-23|website=2008romney.blogspot.com}}</ref>

====2010====
{{See also|2010 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
In the Republican primary, Simpson defeated [[Chick Heileson]] of Iona and Russ Mathews of Idaho Falls.

Simpson defeated Democratic nominee Mike Crawford and Independent candidate Brian Schad with 68.8% of the vote.

====2012====
{{See also|2012 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
In the Republican primary, Simpson defeated [[Chick Helieson]] with 69.6% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=2012 Primary Results statewide|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2012/Primary/tot_stwd.htm|access-date=2017-04-12|website=Sos.idaho.gov}}</ref> He defeated Democratic state senator [[Nicole LeFavour]] with 65.1% of the vote in the general election.<ref name="Statewide Totals">{{cite web|title=Statewide Totals|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2014/General/statewide_totals.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141201002048/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/General/statewide_totals.html|archive-date=2014-12-01|access-date=2017-04-12|website=Sos.idaho.gov}}</ref>

====2014====
{{See also|2014 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
In the Republican primary, Simpson defeated lawyer [[Bryan Smith (Idaho politician)|Bryan Smith]] with 61.8% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statewide Totals|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2014/Primary/statewide_totals.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728081413/http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/RESULTS/2014/Primary/statewide_totals.html|archive-date=2014-07-28|access-date=2017-04-12|website=Sos.idaho.gov}}</ref> He defeated former congressman [[Richard H. Stallings]] in the general election with 61.4% of the vote.<ref name="Statewide Totals" />

==== 2016 ====
{{See also|2016 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
In the Republican primary, Simpson defeated [[perennial candidate]] Lisa Marie with 73% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statewide Totals|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2016/Primary/statewide_totals.html|access-date=2017-04-12|website=Sos.idaho.gov}}</ref> He defeated Jennifer Martinez and Anthony Tomkins in the general election with 62.9% of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statewide Totals|url=http://www.sos.idaho.gov/elect/results/2016/General/statewide_totals.html|access-date=2017-04-12|website=Sos.idaho.gov}}</ref>

==== 2018 ====
{{See also|2018 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}

==== 2020 ====
{{See also|2020 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}

==== 2022 ====
{{See also|2022 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
[[File:2022 Idaho 2nd Congressional District Republican Primary Results.svg|thumb|2022 GOP primary results by county:
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#E27F7F|Simpson}}
| {{legend|#FFB2B2|40–50%}}
| {{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}}
| {{legend|#D75D5D|60–70%}}
| {{legend|#D72F30|70–80%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#ff9955|Smith}}
| {{legend|#ffb380|40–50%}}
}}]]
In the Republican primary Simpson once again defeated his 2014 opponent Bryan Smith, this time by 54.6% to 32.7%, with three other candidates splitting the rest of the vote.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livevoterturnout.com/Idaho/LiveResults/1/en/Index_122.html|title=2022 Primary Election : OFFICIAL ELECTION RESULTS|website=Livevoterturnout.com|access-date=July 22, 2022}}</ref>

==== 2024 ====
{{See also|2024 United States House of Representatives elections in Idaho#District 2}}
[[File:2024 Idaho 2nd Congressional District Republican Primary Results.svg|thumb|2024 GOP primary results by county:
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#E27F7F|Simpson}}
| {{legend|#FFB2B2|40–50%}}
| {{legend|#E27F7F|50–60%}}
| {{legend|#D75D5D|60–70%}}
| {{legend|#D72F30|70–80%}}
}}
{{collapsible list
| title = {{legend|#ff9955|Cleveland}}
| {{legend|#ffb380|40–50%}}
}}]]
Simpson won the Republican primary with 54.7%, defeating Scott Cleveland and Sean Higgins. He outspent his two primary opponents 6–1, spending $552,233. Cleveland spent $83,725 and received 35.8% of the vote, while Higgins spent $1,021 and received 9.5% of the vote.