Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office February 3, 2021
Preceded by
Bob Menendez
Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – February 3, 2021
Preceded by
Bob Corker
Succeeded by
Bob Menendez
Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by
David Vitter
Succeeded by
Marco Rubio
31st Governor of Idaho
In office May 26, 2006 – January 1, 2007
Lieutenant
Mark Ricks
Preceded by
Dirk Kempthorne
Succeeded by
Butch Otter
39th and 41st Lieutenant Governor of Idaho
In office January 1, 2007 – January 3, 2009
Governor
Butch Otter
Preceded by
Mark Ricks
Succeeded by
Brad Little
In office January 3, 2003 – May 26, 2006
Governor
Dirk Kempthorne
Preceded by
Jack Riggs
Succeeded by
Mark Ricks
Majority leader of the Idaho Senate
In office December 1, 1996 – November 30, 2002
Preceded by
Bruce Newcomb
Succeeded by
Bart Davis
36th President pro tempore of the Idaho Senate
In office December 1, 1982 – November 30, 1988
Preceded by
Reed Budge
Succeeded by
Mike Crapo
Member of the Idaho Senate from the 18th district
In office January 28, 1995 – December 1, 2002
Preceded by
Roger Madsen
Succeeded by
Sheila Sorensen
Member of the Idaho Senate from the 21st district
In office December 1, 1974 – December 1, 1988
Succeeded by
Mike Burkett
Personal details
Born
James Elroy Risch
(1943-05-03) May 3, 1943 (age 80) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political party
Republican
Spouse
Vicki Risch
(m. 1968)
Children
3
Education
University of Idaho (BS, JD)
Signature
Website
Senate website
Jim Risch's voice
Jim Risch outlines responsibilities of Deputy Secretary of State Recorded February 16, 2023
James Elroy Risch (/ˈrɪʃ/RISH; born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since 2009.[1] A member of the Republican Party, he served as lieutenant governor of Idaho under governors Dirk Kempthorne and Butch Otter. He also served from May 2006 to January 2007 as the 31st governor of Idaho.
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. In 1974, he was elected to the Idaho Senate, where he represented the 21st legislative district from 1974 to 1988. In 1995, Governor Phil Batt appointed Risch to represent the 18th legislative district in the state Senate; he held the position until 2002.
Risch ran for lieutenant governor of Idaho in 2002, defeating incumbent Jack Riggs in the primary. He served under Governor Dirk Kempthorne from 2003 to 2006. After Kempthorne resigned to become the United States Secretary of the Interior in May 2006, Risch was sworn in as governor. He chose not to run for a full term as governor in the 2006 gubernatorial election and instead ran for reelection as lieutenant governor. After winning the nomination, he served under Governor Butch Otter from 2007 to 2009.
Risch ran for the U.S. Senate seat held by the retiring Larry Craig in the 2008 election. He won the election, defeating Democratic nominee Larry LaRocco. Risch was reelected in 2014 and 2020.
^"2008 statewide totals". Archived from the original on February 20, 2015.
James Elroy Risch (/ˈrɪʃ/ RISH; born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the junior United States senator from Idaho since...
office of lieutenant governor after the previous lieutenant governor, JimRisch, resigned to become a United States Senator. After Otter declined to run...
Incumbent Republican Senator JimRisch ran for re-election to a second term in office. In primary elections held on May 20, 2014, Risch was renominated and the...
1984, where he served until 1992. In 1988, Senate President pro tempore JimRisch unexpectedly lost reelection to the Idaho Senate, and Crapo was elected...
decided to retire instead of seeking a fourth term. Fellow Republican JimRisch won the open seat. Incumbent Larry Craig announced his intent to resign...
Vicki Risch is the former first lady of Idaho and the wife of U.S. senator JimRisch, who served as governor of Idaho in 2006. She became first lady on...
Republican nominee. One-term incumbent Republican JimRisch had been elected with 58% of the vote in 2008. Risch sought a second term. Boise attorney Nels Mitchell...
Leadership Chair Ben Cardin (D) Since September 27, 2023 Ranking member JimRisch (R) Since February 3, 2021 Structure Seats 21 members Political parties...
Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican senator JimRisch won reelection to a third term in office, defeating Democratic nominee...
January 7, after the storming of the U.S. Capitol. Two-term republican JimRisch successfully ran for a third term in 2020, defeating Democrat Paulette...
current U.S. Senators are Republicans Mike Crapo (serving since 1999) and JimRisch (serving since 2009). William Borah was Idaho's longest-serving senator...
Governor JimRisch was the Republican candidate; U.S. Army veteran and former congressman Larry LaRocco was the Democratic candidate. Risch and LaRocco...
governorship in 2006 and the U.S. Senate in 2008; he was defeated by JimRisch in the general election both times. LaRocco was born in Van Nuys, a neighborhood...
Idaho Governor to accept the position the same day. Lieutenant Governor JimRisch succeeded Kempthorne as Idaho Governor, filling out the remaining months...
Mitch McConnell, U.S. Senator from Kentucky and Senate Majority Leader JimRisch, U.S. Senator from Idaho Richard Shelby, U.S. Senator from Alabama U.S...
administration's team would be in place on day one. Some, including House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC), initially suggested that the House might transmit the article...
(2023–present) Pete Ricketts, U.S. Senator from Nebraska (2023–present) JimRisch, U.S. Senator from Idaho (2009–present) Marco Rubio, U.S. Senator from...
Manchin III Roy Moore Elon Musk John Oliver Mehmet Oz Pitbull Jamie Raskin JimRisch Franklin D. Roosevelt Paul Ryan Bruce Schroeder Nate Silver Phil Simms...
(MA 5) Caucus Chairman: Pete Aguilar (CA 33) Assistant Democratic Leader: Jim Clyburn (SC 6), until February 14, 2024 Joe Neguse (CO 2), since March 20...
Arizona (from October 17, 2023) Marco Rubio, Florida, Vice Chairman JimRisch, Idaho Susan Collins, Maine Tom Cotton, Arkansas John Cornyn, Texas Jerry...
Several Idaho Republicans, including current Senators Mike Crapo and JimRisch, have won reelection to the Senate, but only Frank Church has won reelection...
Governor Brian Kemp, who will be term-limited in 2026. Three-term Republican JimRisch was re-elected in 2020 with 62.6% of the vote. Incumbent five-term Democrat...
in 2020 for the United States Senate, losing to incumbent Republican JimRisch. Paulette Jordan was born into a ranching and farming family in northern...
Committee In office February 3, 2021 – September 22, 2023 Preceded by JimRisch Succeeded by Ben Cardin In office February 1, 2013 – January 3, 2015 Preceded...
2006. Incumbent Governor JimRisch succeeded Dirk Kempthorne, who resigned May 26 to become Secretary of the Interior. Risch served as governor until...
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