Local statesman announces intention to not seek reelection to Pocatello City Council
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POCATELLO – A local statesman with two elected positions has announced he plans to seek reelection for one but not the other.
Rep. Rick Cheatum (R-Pocatello), who serves as a legislator in the Idaho House of Representatives and holds a seat on the Pocatello City Council, announced on Tuesday that he would not seek reelection to the council. Cheatum will be up for reelection in the legislature in November 2026. Voters will decide who takes his council seat in the upcoming election this November.
“After eight years serving on the Pocatello City Council, I’ve decided not to seek another term. This wasn’t an easy decision, but life has a way of moving us into new chapters,” Cheatum said in a news release announcing the decision.
Cheatum, who holds Council Seat 6 until January, moved to Idaho in 1977. He was born in western Kansas and raised on a farm before he got his Bachelor of Science in broadcast journalism from the University of Kansas.
Before running for city council, Cheatum worked in radio, automobile sales and credit unions, according to his biography on the Idaho Legislature website.
“Raised on a farm, I grew up with rural Idaho values — hard work, perseverance, and community. My background in broadcasting, auto sales, and credit unions gave me a broad view of our people and economy,” Cheatum said in his release.
Cheatum retired from the private sector in 2017 and ran for city council that same year. During his time on the council, he served as its president and was a council liaison to the Pocatello Airport Commission, the Bannock Transportation Planning Organization, the Pocatello Development Authority, and Historic Downtown Pocatello. He has also represented Pocatello on the Association of Idaho Cities’ Board of Directors.
In 2022, Cheatum ran to become a representative of District 28, which encompasses most of rural Bannock County and all of Power County and Franklin County. He assumed office on Dec. 1 that year.
Cheatum spoke with EastIdahoNews.com and explained the primary reason why he would not be seeking reelection to the council.
“At my age, and the desires that we have in our family to do other things, I decided that that’s enough for me. There are plenty of other people out there who would like to serve on council, and I am going to step aside and let them assume the reins. I hope the city continues at the great pace it’s on,” Cheatum said.
According to Cheatum, one of the biggest issues his successor and the rest of the council will continue to address will be the availability and cost of housing, noting that it’s an issue for all of Idaho. Cheatum cited rising interest rates, regulations, and construction costs as some of the reasons for this.
“If we’re going to have economic development and new businesses opening or coming to our community, we need a place for the people they’re going to employ to live, and that’s true everywhere,” Cheatum said.
For whoever becomes his successor, Cheatum offered the same advice that he does to any person seeking an elected position.
“Sit back and see how things run. You may think you know what’s going on, and what the issues are, or what needs to happen in our community, but unless you’ve been attending every work session at the city and you’ve been to every city council meeting, and you’ve read the minutes of planning and development, some of the other committees that the city has that get things done, you really aren’t in the know (about) exactly what’s going on,” Cheatum said.
Cheatum’s last council meeting will be on Jan. 8, when the new members are sworn into office. He also said he wanted to make this announcement now to make it clear that he would be running for reelection as a representative of District 28 in the November 2026 election.
“I live in Idaho by choice — and I’ve never doubted this is where my family belongs. Whatever comes next, the future of Idaho will always be my top priority,” Cheatum said in the release.