title: Phil Hart (politician)
text: # Phil Hart (politician)
  
  Phil Hart is an American politician and businessman, serving in the Idaho Senate since 2022. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Idaho House of Representatives for Legislative District 3B from 2004 to 2012.
  
  Hart is notable for having stopped filing both federal and state income tax returns in 1996, while he unsuccessfully pressed a federal lawsuit challenging the federal income tax as unconstitutional. After the case was rejected, he began filing returns again, but he continued to fight an order to pay more than $53,000 in back state income taxes.
  
  ## Education
  
  Hart earned his bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Utah and his MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
  
  ## Elections
  
  2018
  
  Hart was defeated by incumbent Paul Shepherd in the Republican primary taking 41.3% of the vote.
  
  2012
  
  Redistricted to 2B, Hart lost the four-way May 15, 2012, Republican primary to Ed Morse, getting only 31.2% of the vote.
  
  2010
  
  Hart was unopposed for the Republican Primary.
  
  Hart won the general election with 80.1% of the vote against write-in candidate Howard Griffiths.
  
  2008
  
  Hart won the Republican primary with 2,714 votes against David Rawls
  
  Hart was unopposed for the general election votes.
  
  2006
  
  Hart won the Republican primary with 57% of the vote, again against Wayne R. Meyer.
  
  Hart was unopposed for the general election.
  
  2004
  
  Hart challenged Wayne R. Meyer in the May 25, 2004, Republican primary, winning with 60.25% of the vote.
  
  Hart won the general election by defeating Wayne R. Meyer again this time as a write-in candidate, with 91% of the vote.
  
  2002
  
  When Republican Representative Kris Ellis was re-districted to District 4, Hart ran as the Constitution Party nominee, but lost the November 5, 2002, general election to Republican Wayne R. Meyer only getting 31.7% of the vote.
  
  