Jim Risch
A blunt-speaking Idaho Republican who rose from county prosecutor to become a powerful voice on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Born 1943 (age 83)·American lawyer and politician·Birthday: May 3·The Silent Generation
Biography
Jim Risch's political career is a study in Idaho steadiness. A lawyer by training, he cut his teeth as a county prosecutor and state senator, developing a direct, no-nonsense style that resonated with his constituents. His path to Washington was via the governor's mansion, where he served a brief but eventful seven months as chief executive, during which he confronted a major wildfire crisis. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008, he has focused on issues of land management, states' rights, and foreign policy. As a senior member and former chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, he has shaped Republican perspectives on Russia, the Middle East, and international treaties, often advocating for a restrained but firm American presence abroad.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Jim was born in 1943, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1943
#1 Movie
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Best Picture
Casablanca
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1943Born
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1948Started school
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1956Became a teenager
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1959Could drive
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1961Could vote
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Turned 21
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1973Turned 30
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 40
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 50
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 60
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 70
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 80
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 83 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the 31st Governor of Idaho, managing the state's response to a severe wildfire season in 2006.
- Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2008 and has served as both Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
- Authored and helped pass the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Act, protecting over 750,000 acres in Idaho.
- Previously served as President Pro Tempore of the Idaho Senate and as Lieutenant Governor for over a decade.
Did You Know?
He is a licensed pilot and often flies himself around Idaho.
His seven-month gubernatorial term in 2006 is the shortest in Idaho history, as he filled the remainder of Dirk Kempthorne's term.
He and his wife, Vicki, own a cattle ranch and a resort on Priest Lake in northern Idaho.
He was the first Republican to announce support for the Iran nuclear deal framework in 2015, though he later opposed the final agreement.
“The Constitution is not a living document; it means what it says.”
