Bart McKay Davis (born March 7, 1955) is an American attorney and politician who has been nominated to serve as the United States attorney for the District of Idaho. He previously served as the U.S. attorney from 2017 to 2021.[1] He previously served as a Republican member of the Idaho Senate, representing District 33 from 2002 to 2017.[2] He represented District 29 from 1998 to 2002. During his time in the Idaho Senate, he served as state senate majority leader.
Born in Rapid City, South Dakota, Davis was raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Davis received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Brigham Young University in 1978 and a Juris Doctor in 1980 from the University of Idaho College of Law.
Following his graduation from law school, Davis began his legal practice in Idaho Falls. He is admitted to practice before the Idaho Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the District of Idaho, the United States District Court for the District of Arizona, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. In 1990, he was co-counsel with former solicitor general Rex Lee in Davis v. United States before the United States Supreme Court. Davis' parents were the petitioners in the case. Since 2001, Davis has represented Idaho as a commissioner on the Uniform Law Commission. He is a past chairman of the Council of State Governments.
In 1998, six-term incumbent Senator John Hansen did not seek reelection to the Idaho Senate. Davis ran for the open seat and was elected. He served as Majority Caucus Chair from 2000 to 2002, and from 2002 to 2017 has served as Senate Majority Leader.
In June 2017, President Donald Trump appointed him to become the next United States Attorney in the United States District Court for the District of Idaho.[3] The Senate Judiciary Committee on September 7, 2017, approved his recommendation by a unanimous voice vote.[4] He was confirmed by United States Senate by voice vote on September 14, 2017.
On February 8, 2021, he and 55 other Trump-era attorneys were asked to resign.[5] On February 11, 2021, Davis submitted his resignation, effective February 28.[6]
On April 1, 2025, his nomination was sent to the United States Senate.[7] His nomination is pending before the Senate Judiciary Committee.[8]
Senator Pro-Tem Chuck Winder appointed Davis to Idaho's Independent Redistricting Commission.[9] Davis served as co-chair of the commission.[10]
He married Marion Woffinden Davis in 1976 and together they have six children.
| Year | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Candidate | Votes | Pct | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 primary[11] | Bart Davis | 2,120 | 57.4% | Brenda Bergener Heaton | 1,573 | 42.6% | |||||||
| 1998 general[12] | Bart Davis | 5,148 | 56.0% | Edith Stanger | 4,044 | 44.0% | |||||||
| 2000 primary[13] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 3,122 | 100% | ||||||||||
| 2000 general[14] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 8,343 | 73.8% | Kenneth Walton | 2,959 | 26.2% | Rue Stears | 1 | 0.0% |
| Year | Candidate | Votes | Pct | Candidate | Votes | Pct | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 primary[15] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 3,140 | 100% | ||||||
| 2002 general[16] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 7,004 | 59.2% | Ellie Hampton | 4,831 | 40.8% | |||
| 2004 primary[17] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 1,794 | 69.8% | Kenneth Walton | 778 | 30.2% | |||
| 2004 general[18] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 12,380 | 100% | ||||||
| 2006 primary[19] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 1,950 | 70.6% | Kenneth Walton | 811 | 29.4% | |||
| 2006 general[20] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 6,985 | 60.0% | Neil Williams | 4,655 | 40.0% | |||
| 2008 primary[21] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 1,495 | 74.7% | Kenneth Walton | 507 | 25.3% | |||
| 2008 general[22] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 9,456 | 64.8% | Neil Williams | 5,136 | 35.2% | |||
| 2010 primary[23] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 3,173 | 100% | ||||||
| 2010 general[24] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 6,764 | 66.5% | Neil Williams | 3,411 | 33.5% | |||
| 2012 primary[25] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 2,719 | 74.7% | Brian Schad | 921 | 25.3% | |||
| 2012 general[26] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 13,809 | 100% | ||||||
| 2014 primary[27] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 3,635 | 100% | ||||||
| 2014 general[28] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 8,365 | 100% | ||||||
| 2016 primary[29] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 2,392 | 100.0% | ||||||
| 2016 general[30] | Bart Davis (incumbent) | 11,848 | 70.6% | Jim Francis (W/I) | 1,575 | 11.7% |
