Jim Risch

Jim Risch
Official portrait, 2009
United States Senator fromIdaho
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009 Serving withMike Crapo
Preceded by	Larry Craig
Ranking Member of theSenate Foreign Relations Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office February 3, 2021
Preceded by	Bob Menendez
Chair of theSenate Foreign Relations Committee
In office January 3, 2019 – February 3, 2021
Preceded by	Bob Corker
Succeeded by	Bob Menendez
Chair of theSenate Small Business Committee
In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
Preceded by	David Vitter
Succeeded by	Marco Rubio
31stGovernor of Idaho
In office May 26, 2006 – January 1, 2007
Lieutenant	Mark Ricks
Preceded by	Dirk Kempthorne
Succeeded by	Butch Otter
39th and 41stLieutenant 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 theIdaho Senate
In office December 1, 1996 – November 30, 2002
Preceded by	Bruce Newcomb
Succeeded by	Bart Davis
36thPresident pro tempore of the Idaho Senate
In office December 1, 1982 – November 30, 1988
Preceded by	Reed Budge
Succeeded by	Mike Crapo
Member of theIdaho Senate from the18thdistrict
In office January 28, 1995 – December 1, 2002
Preceded by	Roger Madsen
Succeeded by	Sheila Sorensen
Member of theIdaho Senate from the21stdistrict
In office December 1, 1974 – December 1, 1988
Succeeded by	Mike Burkett
Personal details
Born	James Elroy Risch (1943-05-03)May 3, 1943 Milwaukee,Wisconsin,U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Vicki Risch ​ (m.1968)​
Children	3
Education	University of Idaho(BS,JD)
Signature
Website	Senate website

James Elroy Risch(/ˈrɪʃ/RISH;born May 3, 1943) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as thejuniorUnited States senatorfromIdahosince 2009.A member of theRepublican Party,he served aslieutenant governor of Idahounder governorsDirk KempthorneandButch Otter.He also served from May 2006 to January 2007 as the 31stgovernor of Idaho.

Raised inMilwaukee,Risch moved to Idaho in the early 1960s. After graduating from theUniversity of Idaho,he received aB.S.degree inforestryin 1965 and earned aJ.D.in 1968. Afterward, he taught criminal law atBoise State University,and in 1970 was elected asAda Countyprosecuting attorney. In 1974, he was elected to theIdaho Senate,where he represented the21st legislative districtfrom 1974 to 1988. In 1995, GovernorPhil Battappointed Risch to represent the18th legislative districtin the state Senate; he held the position until 2002.

Risch ran for lieutenant governor of Idaho in 2002, defeating incumbentJack Riggsin the primary. He served under GovernorDirk Kempthornefrom 2003 to 2006. After Kempthorne resigned to become theUnited States Secretary of the Interiorin May 2006, Risch was sworn in as governor. He chose not to run for a full term as governor in the2006 gubernatorial electionand instead ran for reelection as lieutenant governor. After winning the nomination, he served under GovernorButch Otterfrom 2007 to 2009.

Risch ran for the U.S. Senate seat held by the retiringLarry Craigin the2008 election.He won the election, defeatingDemocraticnomineeLarry LaRocco.Risch was reelected in2014and2020.

Early life and education

Born inMilwaukee, Wisconsin,Risch is the son of Helen B. (née Levi) and Elroy A. Risch, alinemanforWisconsin Bell.His father is of German descent and his mother is of Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry.Risch attended theUniversity of Wisconsin–Milwaukeefrom 1961 to 1963 and then transferred to theUniversity of IdahoinMoscow,where he was a member of thePhi Delta Thetafraternity.He obtained aB.S.degree inforestryin 1965,and continued his education at the university'sCollege of Law.He served on the Law Review and the College of Law Advisory Committeebefore receiving aJ.D.degree in 1968.

Risch entered politics in 1970 inBoiseat age 27, winning election asAda CountyProsecuting Attorney. While serving in this capacity, he taughtundergraduateclasses incriminal justiceatBoise State Collegeand served as the president of the state's prosecuting attorneys' association. Concurrent with his service in the Idaho Senate, Risch became a millionaire as one of Idaho's most successful trial lawyers.

State politics

Idaho Senate

Risch was first elected to theIdaho Senatefrom Ada County in 1974. He entered the state senate leadership in 1976, serving as majority leader and later aspresident pro tempore.

In a dramatic upset, Risch was defeated for reelection in 1988 byDemocraticpolitical newcomer and Boise attorneyMike Burkett.As of mid-2006, it remains Idaho's most expensive legislative contest.

In the second political defeat of his career, Risch lost the 1994 primary election for a state Senate seat toRoger Madsen.Later that year Risch chaired Governor-electPhil Batt's transition team, and after Batt took office he appointed Risch to the seat vacated by Madsen, who had been named as the director of the Department of Labor, then known as the Department of Employment.In 1996, Risch was elected Senate Majority Leader after defeating fellow Boise RepublicanSheila Sorensen.

39th lieutenant governor (2003–2006)

In January 2001, Risch had his eye on the lieutenant governor's seat vacated byButch Otter,who resigned after being elected toCongress,but GovernorDirk Kempthorneappointed state SenatorJack RiggsofCoeur d'Aleneto the post instead. The next year, Risch defeated Riggs in the Republican primary and won the general election, spending $360,000 of his own money on the campaign.

31st governor of Idaho (2006–2007)

On May 26, 2006, Risch becamegovernor of Idahowhen Kempthorne resigned to becomeU.S. secretary of the interior.Risch appointedMark Ricksto serve as his lieutenant governor.

Upon taking office, Risch eliminated Idaho's bureau office inWashington D.C.and replaced it with offices inIdaho FallsandCoeur d'Alene.In August 2006, he called a special session of theIdaho Legislatureto consider his proposedproperty taxreform bill, theProperty Tax Relief Act of 2006.In December, he issued anexecutive orderthat mandated state agencies to verify whether new employees are legal citizens.

Risch was initially expected to enter the 2006 Republican gubernatorial primary to succeed Kempthorne, who was completing his second term at this time of his federal appointment. But U.S. RepresentativeButch Otterhad already announced his candidacy to replace Kempthorne and gained a significant head start in campaigning and fundraising. In November 2005, Risch announced his intention to seek election again as lieutenant governor. He served out the remaining seven months of Kempthorne's term, which ended in January 2007.

41st lieutenant governor (2007–2009)

Risch was unopposed for the 2006 Republican nomination for lieutenant governor and defeated formerDemocraticU.S. representativeLarry LaRoccoin the general election. Risch's term as governor ended in January 2007 and he returned to the role of lieutenant governor. He resigned as lieutenant governor to take his seat in the Senate on January 3, 2009. Otter named state SenatorBrad LittleofEmmettas Risch's successor.

U.S. Senate

Elections

2008

Main article:2008 United States Senate election in Idaho

On August 31, 2007, theAssociated Pressreported that GovernorOttermight appoint Risch to the United States Senate to succeed the embattledLarry Craig.On September 1, theIdaho Statesmanreported that Otter's spokesman denied Risch had been selected and that Otter had "made no decision and he is not leaning toward anybody."On October 9, Risch announced that he would run for the Senate seat.In May 2008, Risch was nominated as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.In the general election he defeated formerDemocraticCongressmanLarry LaRoccowith 58% of the vote.

2014

Main article:2014 United States Senate election in Idaho

Risch won the Republican primary with 79.9% of the voteand defeated attorneyNels Mitchellin the general election with 65.3% of the vote.

2020

Main article:2020 United States Senate election in Idaho

Risch was unopposed in the 2020 Republican primary.He defeated Democratic nomineePaulette Jordanin the general election with 62% of the vote.

Tenure

Risch withIvanka Trump,Lauren GibbsandShauna Rohbockat the2018 Winter Olympicsin Pyeongchang, South Korea

2000s

Risch was one of four freshmen Republican senators in the111th Congressof 2009, withMike JohannsofNebraska,George LeMieuxofFloridaandScott BrownofMassachusetts.Republican Senator Mike Crapo of Idaho called Risch "results-oriented".

2010s

In 2017, Risch was one of 22 senators to sign a letterto PresidentDonald Trumpurging him to withdraw the United States from theParis Agreement.

On August 11, 2017, in an interview onPBS Newshour,Risch endorsed Trump's threateningNorth Koreawith military destruction in the event that country launched missiles atGuam.

On March 22, 2018, the day before a potentialfederal government shutdown,Risch threatened to block a government spending bill because it included changing the name of theWhite Clouds Wildernessprotected area to honor a deceased political rival, former Idaho GovernorCecil Andrus.Risch ultimately acquiesced.

In January 2019, Risch joinedMarco Rubio,Cory Gardner,and Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnellin introducing legislation that would impose sanctions on the government ofPresident of SyriaBashar al-Assadand bolster American cooperation with Israel and Jordan.

2020s

On January 21, 2020, during the first day of opening arguments inTrump's Senate impeachment trial,Risch was the first senator to fall asleep.Courtroom sketchartist Art Lien memorialized his nap.

In 2020, while Chairman of theSenate Foreign Relations Committee,Risch decided not to press Secretary of StateMike Pompeoto testify at the annual budget hearing. Pompeo had just successfully sought to have State Department inspector generalSteve Linickfired; at the time, Linick had been conducting a watchdog investigation into the Trump administration's decision to sell arms toSaudi Arabiawithout congressional approval.For his tenure as chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during the 116th Congress, the nonpartisanLugar Center's Congressional Oversight Hearing Index gave Risch an "F" grade.

Risch was participating in the certification of the2021 United States Electoral College vote countwhen Trump supportersstormed the United States Capitol.He called the attack "unpatriotic and un-American in the extreme" and suggested it was spurred by "deep distrust in the integrity and veracity of our elections."

In 2021, Risch blocked the confirmation of Holocaust historianDeborah Lipstadtto the position ofspecial envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

Committee assignments

• Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
  • Subcommittee on Energy
  • Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests
  • Subcommittee on Water and Power
• Committee on Foreign Relations(Ranking Member)
  • As Ranking Member of the Full Committee, Risch is entitled to sit as anex officiomember on all subcommittees.
• Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Select Committee on Ethics
• Select Committee on Intelligence

Caucuses

• Senate Republican Conference
• Congressional Coalition on Adoption

Foreign policy positions

Saudi Arabia

In 2019, Risch sought to quell dissent among Republican senators over what they perceived as the Trump administration's weak response to the killing of Saudi journalist and U.S. permanent residentJamal Khashoggi,and its refusal to send Congress a report on the administration's determination of who killed Khashoggi. He told his fellow Republican senators andPoliticothat the Trump administration was in compliance with theMagnitsky Act,but the administration had said that it refused to comply with the Act.

Israel Anti-Boycott Act

In March 2018, Risch co-sponsored theIsrael Anti-Boycott Act(s. 720), which would bar federal contractors from encouraging or participating in boycotts againstIsraelandIsraeli settlementsin theWest Bank.

Turkey sanctions

Risch was a co-sponsor of the Promoting American National Security and Preventing the Resurgence of ISIS Act of 2019 (S.2641–116th),which was intended to punishTurkeyand protectallieslike theKurds,who had suffered fromrecent Turkish military operations in Syria,including by resettling them in the U.S. The measure had broad support in Congress, which was concerned about the purchase of the RussianS-400missile system Turkey was testing.

Ethiopia

On October 18, 2022, Risch criticized theBiden administrationfor hesitating to imposesanctionson the government ofEthiopia,where many atrocities andwar crimeswere committed in theTigray War.He tweeted that Biden "must stop avoiding the use of sanctions in fear of offending and prioritize #humanrights".

NATO

In July 2024, Risch sponsored a report that advocated strengtheningNATOand enhancing its planning for potential interference from thePeople's Republic of China.

Political positions

Risch with Hong Kong activists who have become prominent figures in the2019–2020 Hong Kong protests

Risch is considered politically conservative. The American Conservative Union's Center for Legislative Accountability gives him a lifetime conservative score of 91.54.The liberal Americans for Democratic Action gave him an ideology score of zero in 2019.

Abortion

Risch isanti-abortion.He believes thatRoe v. Wadewas wrongly decided.In 2013, he co-sponsored the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act, which would have made it illegal for a minor to cross state lines for an abortion.Risch supported the June 2022overturning ofRoe v. Wadeand applauded the Supreme Court for recognizing "that states have an interest in protecting life at all stages of development by giving Americans the power to decide this matter at the state-level through their elected representatives."

Guns

TheNRA Political Victory Fund(NRA-PVF) endorsed Risch and gave him an A+ grade for his voting record on gun issues.

In 2013, along with 12 other Republican senators, Risch threatened tofilibusterany bills Democrats introduced that Republicans perceived as a threat to gun rights, including expanded background checks. In an interview withNational Public Radio,he said that Americans' right to keep and bear arms includes "a right to purchase one [a gun], to sell one, to trade in one, and you really have to have a robust market if indeed you're going to have a constitutional right." He also said that additional background checks would mean that gun dealers would "have to deal with the federal bureaucracy, which is very, very difficult to deal with."

In response to theOrlando nightclub shooting,Risch and Crapo said the shooting was not a reason to call for gun control legislation.

In 2016, Risch voted against the Feinstein Amendment, which would have blocked the sale of guns to people on the terrorist watch list, and DemocratChris Murphy's proposal to expand background checks for sales at gun shows and online. Risch voted for both Republican-backed bills,John Cornyn's proposal to create a 72-hour delay for anyone on the terrorist watchlist buying a gun andCharles GrassleyandTed Cruz's proposal to alert authorities if a someone on the list tries to buy a firearm.

Criminal justice

Risch opposed theFIRST STEP Act,a bipartisancriminal justice reformbill. The bill passed 87–12 on December 18, 2018.

Health care

Risch supports repealing and replacing theAffordable Care Act(ACA), also known as Obamacare.He voted against the ACA in 2010.

On May 21, 2020, Risch introduced S. 3829, the Global Health Security and Diplomacy Act, but it did not receive a vote. In opening the confirmation hearings for SecretaryAntony Blinken,Risch emphasized it as a legislative and foreign policy priority, given the "catastrophic failure at every level" of global health security infrastructure. The bill's supporters claim it would "improve coordination among the relevant Federal departments and agencies implementing United States foreign assistance for global health security, and more effectively enable partner countries to strengthen and sustain resilient health systems and supply chains with the resources, capacity, and personnel required to prevent, detect, mitigate, and respond to infectious disease threats before they become pandemics, and for other purposes."

2021 storming of the United States Capitol

On May 28, 2021, Risch abstained from voting on the creation of an independent commission to investigate the2021 United States Capitol attack.

Veteran Affairs

On August 2, 2022, Risch was one of only 11 senators to vote against the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, a bill to expand VA health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.

Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023

Risch was among the 31 Senate Republicans who voted against final passage of theFiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

Personal life

Risch isRoman Catholic.

Electoral history

Idaho State Senate

Idaho State Senate District 18election, 1996

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	2,299	76.43
	Republican	Emil Loya, Jr.	709	23.57
Total votes			3,008	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	9,543	67.53
	Democratic	Sharon Ullman	4,589	32.47
Total votes			14,132	100.00
	Republicanhold

Idaho State Senate District 18election, 1998

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	2,656	67.43
	Republican	Sharon Ullman	1,283	32.57
Total votes			3,939	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	8,742	76.02
	Libertarian	Daniel Adams	2,758	23.98
Total votes			11,500	100.00
	Republicanhold

Idaho State Senate District 18election, 2000

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	3,222	50.40
	Republican	Jack Noble	3,171	49.60
Total votes			6,393	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	12,917	80.32
	Libertarian	Daniel Adams	3,165	19.68
Total votes			16,082	100.00
	Republicanhold

Idaho Lieutenant Governor

Idaho Lieutenant Governorelection, 2002

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch	49,607	34.62
	Republican	Jack Riggs	39,689	27.69
	Republican	Celia Gould	22,134	15.44
	Republican	Larry Eastland	22,079	15.41
	Republican	Jim Pratt	5,638	3.93
	Republican	Darrell Babbitt	4,161	2.90
Total votes			143,308	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch	226,017	56.22
	Democratic	Bruce M. Perry	160,438	39.91
	Libertarian	Michael J. Kempf	15,562	3.87
Total votes			402,017	100.00
	Republicanhold

Idaho Lieutenant Governorelection, 2006

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	119,401	100.00
Total votes			119,401	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	259,648	58.29
	Democratic	Larry LaRocco	175,312	39.36
	Constitution	William Charles Wellisch	10,460	2.35
Total votes			445,420	100.00
	Republicanhold

U.S. Senator

U.S. Senate election in Idaho, 2008

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch	80,743	65.34
	Republican	Scott Syme	16,660	13.48
	Republican	Richard Phenneger	6,532	5.29
	Republican	Neal Thompson	5,375	4.35
	Republican	Fred Adams	4,987	4.04
	Republican	Bill Hunter	4,280	3.46
	Republican	Brian Hefner	2,915	2.36
	Republican	Hal James Styles, Jr.	2,082	1.68
Total votes			123,574	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch	371,744	57.65
	Democratic	Larry LaRocco	219,903	34.11
	Independent	Rex Rammell	34,510	5.35
	Libertarian	Kent Marmon	9,958	1.54
	Independent	Pro-Life	8,662	1.34
Total votes			644,777	100.00
	Republicanhold

U.S. Senate election in Idaho, 2014

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	119,209	79.93
	Republican	Jeremy "T" Anderson	29,939	20.07
Total votes			149,148	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	285,596	65.33
	Democratic	Nels Mitchell	151,574	34.67
Total votes			437,170	100.00
	Republicanhold

U.S. Senate election in Idaho, 2020

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	200,184	100.00
Total votes			200,184	100.00
General election
	Republican	Jim Risch (incumbent)	538,446	62.62
	Democratic	Paulette Jordan	285,864	33.25
	Independent	Natalie M. Fleming	25,329	2.95
	Constitution	Ray J. Writz	10,188	1.18
Total votes			859,827	100.00
	Republicanhold

External links

• Senator Jim Rischofficial U.S. Senate website
• Jim Risch for Senate
• Jim RischatCurlie
• AppearancesonC-SPAN
• Biographyat theBiographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Financial information (federal office)at theFederal Election Commission
• Legislation sponsoredat theLibrary of Congress
• ProfileatVote Smart

Elections

• National Business Aviation Association: Election 2014, Sen. Jim Risch
• Risch revels in upcoming term as kingThe Idaho StatesmanMarch 18, 2006
• Risch becomes Idaho's 31st governorThe Idaho StatesmanMay 26, 2006