Patricia
R. McCoy
Capital Press Staff Writer
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| President
Bush announces Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, left, as
the new Secretary of the Interior in the Oval Office
on March 16 in Washington. - AP Photo/Evan Vucci |
3/24/2006
Six years in the U.S. Senate trying to
reform the Endangered Species Act, and a long history of
building successful compromises earned Idaho Gov. Dirk
Kempthorne the nomination as the next U.S. Secretary of the
Interior March 16.
President Bush made the announcement less than a week after
former Secretary Gale Norton resigned, leaving a lot of
Idahoans figuratively pinching themselves awake on St.
Patrick’s Day in the midst of a whirlwind of national
media attention.
Assuming he is confirmed by the Senate, Kempthorne will head
for Washington, D.C., in about a month. That is long enough
that this year’s state legislative session should be over
and all bills signed, but the governor will resign his
current office. Lt. Gov. Jim Risch will become Idaho’s
31st governor. Several state legislators were mentioned as
potential candidates to replace him as lieutenant governor,
including several prominent leaders who have already
announced they plan to retire and won’t seek re-election.
Among them: Speaker of the House and rancher Bruce Newcomb,
R-Burley, who will retire this year after 10 terms in the
Legislature.
Kempthorne’s nomination was announced barely 24 hours
before Idaho’s deadline to file for public office, setting
off a lot of speculation that Risch, already a candidate for
re-election as lieutenant governor, might switch and file
for governor. On March 17, he announced he was not going to
do so.
“If I entered a political campaign for governor at this
time, I think it would not serve the people of the state of
Idaho very well. I have a choice to make and that is to
conduct a very aggressive, difficult, highly contentious
campaign, or being the chief executive officer of this
state,” Risch said.
It is no secret that he wants to serve as governor some day,
Risch said, leaving open a future campaign for that office.
Kempthorne’s name was mentioned as a possible nominee for
Interior secretary within hours after Norton announced her
resignation. The chance of his being chosen was discussed
favorably on March 15 during the weekly meeting of Food
Producers of Idaho, an umbrella organization of most of
Idaho’s producer associations and various affiliates.
During that discussion, FPI Executive Secretary Rick Waitley
mentioned the possibility of writing a letter in support of
Kempthorne, but drew some chuckles by saying the
organization would not want to give the wrong impression –
that they were anxious for the governor to leave office.
That was not the case, he said.
Even so, the actual nomination by President Bush brought an
outburst of pride in a native son from across the state.
If confirmed, Kempthorne will be the second Idahoan to
resign as governor to become Secretary of the Interior. The
first was Cecil Andrus, who accepted the same cabinet post
under former President Jimmy Carter in 1977.
The confirmation process is expected to take about a month.
Being a former U.S. Senator will likely help. Congress is
traditionally supportive of one of its own.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the Public Lands
Council both immediately expressed support for Kempthorne.
“We are confident that Gov. Kempthorne will carry on
Secretary Gale Norton’s legacy in the Department of
Interior by engaging and balancing all interests to come to
positive solutions on resource issues,” said Jay Truitt,
NCBA vice president of government affairs. “Gov.
Kempthorne has been a strong leader for wildlife and
ranchers’ interest. He understands western issues, and we
have complete confidence in his ability to manage the
nation’s public lands.”
More negative comments came from environmental interests,
many of whom did not support Norton.
“Gov. Kempthorne has a huge job ahead of him as the
nation’s chief advocate for wildlife and wildlands. But
he’s got a lot of damage to undo after six years under the
Norton administration, so we are hoping he will embrace the
chance to return the Interior Department to its proper role
as steward of our nation’s natural heritage,” said
Suzanne Asha Stone, Northwestern Rockies representative,
Defenders of Wildlife.
Kempthorne, 54, was born Oct. 29, 1951, in San Diego, Calif.
He has been a resident of Idaho for 35 years. He was mayor
of Boise from 1986 to 1993, served one term in the U.S.
Senate from 1993 to 1999, then returned to Idaho to run for
governor in 1999. He will step down before finishing his
second term in that office.
The governor earned a bachelor of science degree in
political science from the University of Idaho in 1975. He
was student body president during his junior year. His past
professional experience included public affairs manager for
FMC Corp., executive vice president of the Idaho Home
Builders Association, and executive assistant to the
director of the Idaho Department of Lands.
He and his wife Patricia have two grown children and a
son-in-law. She has already announced she will continue to
reside in Idaho, and commute for the 2 1/2 years remaining
in the Bush administration.
The governor announced some months ago he would not run for
reelection. That set off wide speculation about his future
plans.
As Secretary of the Interior, Kempthorne would be able to
work for ESA reform, an issue he concentrated on
unsuccessfully while in the U.S. Senate. His successor, Sen.
Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, has taken up the same cause, stressing
reauthorization rather than reforming the controversial,
politically-polarizing law.
Two more controversial issues he would likely have to deal
with: an effort by the Bush administration to open 3.6
million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to oil and gas drilling,
over the objections of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush; and opening
Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling.
Norton stressed what she called the four C’s:
communication, cooperation and consultation in the service
for conservation. It’s an effort Kempthorne is likely to
continue. He is also known for working on compromises. Among
his successes: the Nez Perce Water Agreement, which got the
state over what many consider the final hurdle before the
massive Snake River Basin Adjudication can be completed;
state management of Idaho’s wolf population; and
furthering the Bush administration’s Healthy Forests
Initiative.
Pat McCoy is based in Boise. Her e-mail address is pmccoy@capitalpress.com.
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