James E. Risch
RepublicanU.S. Senator, ID| Age | 83 (b. 1943-05-03) |
| Gender | Male |
| In office since | 2009-01-06 (~17 yrs) |
| Race / ethnicity | White |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Education | Attended University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1961-1963); B.S. in forestry, University of Idaho (1965); J.D., University of Idaho College of Law (1968) |
| Prior occupation | Attorney/trial lawyer; Ada County Prosecuting Attorney; criminal justice instructor at Boise State University; rancher |
| Military service | No |
| Birthplace | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Marital status | Married — Vicki Risch |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence | Boise, Idaho |
Pending research: languages · notable relatives · openly lgbtq.
Career & politics
| First elected | 2008 |
| Previous offices | Ada County Prosecuting Attorney (1970-1974) · Idaho State Senate (1974-1988; 1995-2002) · Idaho Senate President Pro Tempore (1982-1988) · Idaho Senate Majority Leader (1996-2002) · Lieutenant Governor of Idaho (2003-2006; 2007-2009) · Governor of Idaho (May 26, 2006 - January 1, 2007) |
| Committees | Foreign Relations (Chair, since January 3, 2025) · Energy and Natural Resources · Small Business and Entrepreneurship · Select Committee on Ethics · Select Committee on Intelligence |
| Leadership | Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee (since 2025) |
| Ideology | Among the most conservative members of the Senate. American Conservative Union lifetime score approximately 91.5-92; Americans for Democratic Action gave him a 0 in 2019. GovTrack 2024 report card ranked him 5th most politically right among senators serving 10+ years. |
| Signature legislation | Securing Energy Infrastructure Act (enacted 2019 as part of the NDAA) · International Nuclear Energy Act of 2025 · Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025 · Western Hemisphere Partnership Act of 2023 |
Financial
Net worth: disclosed $19,180,000–$88,300,000 (2023) · estimate
| Farm and ranch land in Ada County and Canyon County, Idaho (approximately 240 acres) | real_estate · $11,000,000–$55,000,000 · 2023 |
| ProShares UltraPro QQQ (TQQQ) | fund · $50,000–$100,000 · 2023 |
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) | fund · $50,000–$100,000 · 2023 |
Top donors: General Atomics ($35,100)
Scandals & crimes ledger
resolved — FEC settlement: Jim Risch campaign committee fined for excessive contributions business
The Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee (a campaign committee/legal entity, not Senator Risch personally) entered a negotiated settlement with the Federal Election Commission under its Alternative Dispute Resolution program. During the 2020 election cycle the committee received approximately $58,000 in excessive individual contributions, which arose when donors submitted single checks (e.g., $6,600) intended to cover both primary and general election limits. The committee failed to timely send required redesignation notification letters to donors within the 60-day window, leaving the contributions technically excessive. The committee agreed to pay a $4,325 civil penalty; the matter closed in August 2023. This is a formal action against the campaign committee as a business/legal entity.
resolved — FEC ADR Settlement: Campaign Failure to Timely Return Excessive Contributions
The Jim Risch for U.S. Senate Committee received approximately $58,000 in excessive contributions from individual donors during the 2020 election cycle and failed to notify those donors in writing within the required 60-day period to resolve the excess amounts (by refund or redesignation), as required under 52 U.S.C. §30116(a) and 11 CFR 110.1(b). The FEC Audit Division referred the matter to the ADR Office; the case opened March 14, 2023, and closed August 9, 2023, with the FEC voting 5-0 to approve the negotiated settlement. Risch's campaign characterized the violation as technical and non-intentional.