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James E. RischREPRepublican United States Senator
81
Years of Age
31
Years of Experience
IDResidence (state)

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. 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.

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0 / 30
Education5 - 5 of 3
University of Idaho College of Law
JD
1968
University of Idaho
BS Forestry
1965
University of Wisconsin
Attended
Past Positions1 - 8 of 8
Senator
United States Senate
2008 - Current
Former Governor
State of Idaho
2006 - 2008
Former President Pro Tempore
Idaho State Senate
1982 - 1989
Chair
Bush Presidential Campaign, Idaho
1988
Former Majority Leader
Idaho State Senate
1976 - 1982
Former Professor of Law
Boise State University
1972 - 1975
Former Prosecuting Attorney
Ada County
1970 - 1974
Senior Partner
Risch, Goss, Insinger, and Gustavel
Other Experience1 - 25 of 25
Former President
Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association
Member
American Angus Association
Member
Idaho Cattleman's Association
Member
Boise Valley Angus Association
Member
College of Law Advisory Committee, University of Idaho
Member
American Bar Association
Member
Xi Sigma Pi Law Review
Member
National Rifle Association
Director
National District Attorney's Association
General Council Member
Idaho Republican Party
Member
National Cattleman's Association
Member
American Judicature Society
Member
Ducks Unlimited
Member
Idaho Bar Association
Member
Idaho Angus Association
Member
Law Review, University of Idaho
Member
Boise Bar Association
Member
College of Law Advisory Committee, University of Idaho
Member
Phi Delta Theta
Former Chair
Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, United States Senate
Former Chair
Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate
Former Member
Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy and Environmental Policy, United States Senate
Former Member
Europe and Regional Security Cooperation Subcommittee, United States Senate
Former Member
East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy Subcommittee, United States Senate
Former Member
State Department and USAID Management, International Operations, and Bilateral International Development Subcommittee, United States Senate