Background
Durst was born at Saint Luke"s Hospital in Boise, Idaho in 1980. He grew up in southeast Boise attending its public schools and was a third generation graduate of Boise High School.
Durst was born at Saint Luke"s Hospital in Boise, Idaho in 1980. He grew up in southeast Boise attending its public schools and was a third generation graduate of Boise High School.
After graduating from PLU, Branden attended graduate school at Kent State University and Claremont Graduate University where he studied public policy analysis and international political economy, respectively.
Durst represented Idaho"s 18th Legislative District (south and southeast Boise) in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2006 to 2010. Durst was elected to the Idaho Senate in 2012 after an unsuccessful 2010 effort. During his childhood and youth Durst was actively involved in many activities including club soccer, baseball, wrestling, Distributive Education Clubs of America, Young Life, and assorted church activities.
While attending PLU, Durst was hired by the Washington State Attorney General" General’ s Office, Consumer Protection Division.
He also served as a policy intern for the American Counseling Association in Alexandria, Virginia. Academically, he earned a bachelor or arts degree in political science and a minor in communication.
He returned to Boise, and subsequently enrolled at Boise State University (BSU) where he earned a Master of Public Administration degree. While enrolled at BSU, Durst earned an academic scholarship from the Department of Public Policy and Administration and a research assistantship from the Department of Economics.
He is currently employed by Opinion Research Corporation - Northwest as a Business Development Coordinator.
Durst"s interests include BSU athletics, playing soccer and ultimate frisbee, fishing, staying current with national and global events, and the occasional game of frisbee golf. Durst has also served as adjunct faculty in the political science department at the College of Western Idaho. Agricultural Affairs
Commerce and Human Resources
Education
2006
Durst first ran for the Idaho Legislature in 2006 when he challenged then six-term incumbent Debbie Field.
Field had also taken on the responsibility of serving as campaign manager for the gubernatorial campaign of C. L. "Butch" Otter.
2008
In 2008, Durst had become one of the top targets of the Idaho Republican Party. This prompted five-term legislator Julie Ellsworth to challenge Durst.
Ellsworth, who had lost in 2006 to Democrat Phylis King. Durst defeated Ellsworth by a 51/49 margin.
2010
In 2010, Durst ran for the open seat in the Idaho Senate in his southeast Boise district vacated by Kate Kelly, but lost to Republican Mitch Toryanski by 103 votes.
Fellow Democrat Janie Ward-Engelking ran for Durst"s House seat, but lost by a nine-vote margin to Ellsworth. 2012
In January 2012 Durst announced his intention to run against Toryanski again. He defeated Toryanski in the 2012 rematch by a 53-46 margin.
On November 20, 2013, Durst submitted his resignation from the Idaho Senate effective December 1, 2013, to Government.
Butch Otter. Earlier in 2013 it was reported Durst was splitting his time between Boise and the Seattle area, where his family had relocated. He was succeeded by Ward-Engelking.
Until his December 2013 resignation he was the youngest member of the Idaho Senate. In the Idaho Senate Durst served as a member of the following committees:
Durst was also a member of the joint Economic Outlook and Revenue Assessment Committee (EORAC).
Married Jamie Durst; children: Nicholas, Broden, Carter.