Jim Risch

Risch was born on May 3, 1943, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and graduated from St. Johns Cathedral High School there. At the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho, he earned a B.S. in forestry in 1965 and a J.D. in 1968, and served on the Law Review and the College of Law Advisory Committee.⁠[1][2]

Risch’s public service began as Ada County Prosecuting Attorney, a post to which he was elected twice and held from 1970 to 1974; in 1973 he was president of the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association.⁠[2][1]

Risch served in the Idaho State Senate from 1974 to 1988 and again from 1995 to 2003. His colleagues elected him Republican Majority Leader (1976–1982 and 1997–2002) and President Pro Tempore (1983–1988), and he was Assistant Majority Leader in 1996.⁠[1][2]

Risch was twice elected lieutenant governor of Idaho, serving from 2003 to 2006 and from 2007 to 2009. He has said that as lieutenant governor he worked to cut red tape and lower taxes and supported small businesses and economic development.⁠[1][2]

From 2006 to 2007 Risch served as Idaho’s 31st governor. He has said that as governor he enacted tax reform that cut property taxes by 20%, secured $100 million for public schools, led efforts to manage the state’s roadless areas and funded expanded nursing programs.⁠[1][2]

On November 4, 2008, Risch was elected to the U.S. Senate, and he has been re-elected to each succeeding term. He is Idaho’s 28th U.S. Senator.⁠[1][2]

In the Senate Risch serves on the Energy and Natural Resources, Foreign Relations, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Intelligence and Ethics committees, and he chairs the Foreign Relations Committee; in October 2022 he was the committee’s ranking member.⁠[2][1]

Risch has said his priorities in the Senate include protecting the Second Amendment, advocating energy independence, opposing federal overreach, and defending Idaho agriculture and natural resources.⁠[2]

On May 19, 2026, Risch won the Republican U.S. Senate primary with nearly 67% of the vote (156,199 ballots), defeating Josh Roy (about 14.2%), Joe Evans (about 14.1%) and Denny LaVé (4.4%); the Associated Press called the race at 9:34 p.m. Risch, 83, was in his 18th year in the Senate and seeking a fourth six-year term.⁠[3]

After the primary he said, “Our work ahead is critical, and I will never stop fighting to protect Idaho’s way of life,” listing priorities including public lands, border security, veterans, energy and costs for families.⁠[3]

After the primary his general-election opponents were Democrat David Roth, Libertarian Matt Loesby and independents Todd Achilles and Natalie Fleming. Roth withdrew in July 2026, after which Risch’s main opponent was independent Todd Achilles, a former one-term Democratic state lawmaker.⁠[3][4][5]

Just before midnight on November 3, 2026, the Associated Press called Idaho’s U.S. Senate race for Risch, and Achilles conceded. With an estimated 78% of the vote counted, preliminary results showed Risch at 54.83%, Achilles at 35.38%, Natalie Fleming at 6.94% and Matt Loesby at 2.85%. The new term runs through 2032.⁠[6][5]

Risch was endorsed by President Donald Trump and raised nearly $4 million during the cycle. He declared victory at the Idaho Republican Party’s election-night event in Meridian, saying, “Idaho is still Idaho. It’s nights like this when you really, really appreciate living here in Idaho.”⁠[5]

Outside public office Risch is a rancher and small business owner and a former senior partner of the law firm Risch Goss Insinger Gustavel. He and his wife, Vicki, live on their ranch outside Boise.⁠[2]

Office of Senator James Risch: Official website: https://www.risch.senate.gov/ (opens in a new window).⁠[1]

X: Public account: https://x.com/SenatorRisch (opens in a new window).⁠[2]

YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Public channel: https://www.youtube.com/SenatorJamesRisch (opens in a new window).⁠[2]