Vice President JD Vance sent a fundraising appeal to Idaho residents on Thursday afternoon, warning that Democratic operatives are preparing to spend heavily to unseat Sen. Jim Risch in the upcoming general election.
The letter, timestamped at 3:29 p.m., urges supporters to contribute to Risch’s reelection campaign ahead of the Nov. 3 vote. Vance argued that national Democrats view Idaho as a vulnerable target because of its conservative voting record and perceived complacency among Republican voters.
“They know that if they can flip Idaho – a state that hasn’t elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1974 – they can strike a major blow against President Trump’s agenda,” Vance wrote in the appeal.
Risch, who serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is facing an independent challenge from Todd Achilles. Achilles previously served as a Democratic state legislator and donated to Democratic candidates before launching his independent Senate bid.
Vance’s letter requested donations at specific tiers: $3,500, $2,000, $1,000, $500, $250, or $100. He pointed to recent independent candidate efforts in Montana and Nebraska as evidence of a coordinated strategy to disrupt Republican holdouts.
In 2024, Dan Osborn came within approximately seven points of Sen. Deb Fischer in Nebraska with support from a Democratic super PAC. Osborn is running again this year, according to Vance’s correspondence.
Crispin Gravatt, communications director for Achilles’ campaign, confirmed that the independent operation received Vance’s letter. Gravatt interpreted the vice president’s outreach as an admission of vulnerability.
“This is proof to us and all Idahoans that Jim Risch knows he’s in trouble and the race is competitive,” Gravatt said.
Gravatt also noted that Risch has not held a town hall during his 18-year tenure in the Senate and will not participate in debates this election cycle.
Marc Kilmer, campaign manager for Risch, described senior officials sending fundraising appeals as common practice. Vance’s office could not immediately be reached for additional comment.
Federal Election Commission data provides a snapshot of financial activity in the race. The most recent available reports cover spending and fundraising through June 30. According to those figures, Achilles’ campaign raised nearly $700,000 and spent about $500,000.
Risch’s campaign collected more than $3.3 million during the 2025 to 2026 cycle, according to the same reporting period.
The FEC requires quarterly reports on campaign fundraising and spending. The next report is due Oct. 15, with updated data expected to be available by Oct. 16.