Jim Risch

James Elroy Risch ( RISH; born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009. A member of the Republican Party, he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors Dirk Kempthorne and Butch Otter, and briefly as governor between their terms. Raised in Milwaukee, Risch moved to Idaho in the early 1960s. After graduating from the University of Idaho, he received a B.S. degree in forestry in 1965 and earned a J.D. in 1968. Afterward, he taught criminal law at Boise State University, and in 1970 was elected as Ada County prosecuting attorney. He was elected to the Idaho Senate in 1974 and was a member until 1988. In 1995, he was appointed to the state Senate, where he served until 2002. Risch ran for lieutenant governor of Idaho in 2002, defeating incumbent Jack Riggs in the primary. After incumbent governor Dirk Kempthorne resigned to become the United States secretary of the interior in May 2006, Risch served out the rest of Kempthorne's term. He then served as lieutenant governor under Butch Otter from 2007 to 2009. Risch was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 and reelected in 2014 and 2020. He is seeking a fourth term in 2026.