Jim Risch Net Worth 2025

Jim Risch net worth

Net Worth	$21 million
Occupation	American lawyer and politician
Date of Birth	May 3, 1943
Political party	Republican Party
state	Idaho

Jim Risch net worth 2025: James Elroy Risch is an American lawyer and politician who has a net worth of $21 million. He is one of the wealthiest politicians in America. Prior to his career in politics, Risch was a prosecuting attorney and taught criminal law at Boise State University.

Early Life

Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Risch is the son of Helen B. (née Levi) and Elroy A. Risch, a lineman for Wisconsin Bell. His father is of German descent and his mother is of Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry.

Risch attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee from 1961 to 1963 and then transferred to the University of Idaho in Moscow, where he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He obtained a B.S. degree in forestry in 1965, and continued his education at the university’s College of Law. He served on the Law Review and the College of Law Advisory Committee before receiving a J.D. degree in 1968.

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Risch entered politics in 1970 in Boise at age 27, winning election as Ada County Prosecuting Attorney. While serving in this capacity, he taught undergraduate classes in criminal justice at Boise State College and 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

Risch was first elected to the Idaho Senate from Ada County in 1974. He entered the state senate leadership in 1976, serving as majority leader and later as president pro tempore.

In a dramatic upset, Risch was defeated for reelection in 1988 by Democratic political newcomer and Boise attorney Mike Burkett.

In January 2001, Risch had his eye on the lieutenant governor’s seat vacated by Butch Otter, who resigned after being elected to Congress, but Governor Dirk Kempthorne appointed state Senator Jack Riggs of Coeur d’Alene to 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.

Governor

In 2006, Risch became governor of Idaho when Kempthorne resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Risch appointed Mark Ricks to serve as his lieutenant governor. Risch served out the remaining seven months of Kempthorne’s term, which ended in January 2007.

U.S. Senate

In 2008, Risch was nominated as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. In the general election he defeated former Democratic Congressman Larry LaRocco with 58% of the vote.

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Risch won the Republican primary with 79.9% of the vote and defeated attorney Nels Mitchell in the general election with 65.3% of the vote.

Risch was unopposed in the 2020 Republican primary. He defeated Democratic nominee Paulette Jordan in the general election with 62% of the vote.