BIOGUIDE R000584 · FEC S8ID00092
Jim Risch
U.S. Senator (since 2009)RINCUMBENT
- Race
- U.S. Senate · Idaho
- Result
- Jim Risch, projected winner
- Opponents
- Matt Loesby (LIB); Todd Achilles (IND); Natalie Fleming (IND)
- Research
- Basic
Party line14 votes tracked
With party = voted the same way as most Republicans who voted.
Said vs. did3 statements · 14 votes
I am strongly pro-life and always have been. I have consistently advocated for legislation that protects and promotes human life, including the unborn.
Protect legal access to abortion
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. Senate
2026-11-03
| Jim Risch R | incumbent |
| Matt Loesby LIB | challenger |
| Todd Achilles IND | challenger |
| Natalie Fleming IND | challenger |
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
I am strongly pro-life and always have been. I have consistently advocated for legislation that protects and promotes human life, including the unborn.
Risch's Senate issues page says he is strongly pro-life and has advocated legislation that protects the unborn.[4]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Risch's office says he introduced the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act and the Fair Play for Girls Act and welcomed the Supreme Court ruling upholding Idaho's law barring transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports.
Documented position[5]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Cosponsored S. 128, the SAVE Act (119th Congress), which would require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
Documented position[6]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
No statement on this issue in our sources.
No statement on this issue in our sources.
No statement on this issue in our sources.
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESOne Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-07-01), which reduced federal Medicaid spending and added Medicaid work requirements.[8]
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESOne Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-07-01), which phased out Inflation Reduction Act clean-energy tax credits.[8]
No statement on this issue in our sources.
- YESOne Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1, 2025-07-01), which made the 2017 individual tax rates, including the 37% top rate, permanent.[8]
Biography
Jim Risch is the Republican U.S. Senator from Idaho, first elected in 2008, and won re-election on November 3, 2026. A lawyer and rancher by background, he spent decades in Idaho politics as a county prosecutor, state senator, lieutenant governor and, briefly, governor before joining the Senate. According to his Senate website, he chairs the Foreign Relations Committee and also serves on the Energy and Natural Resources, Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Intelligence and Ethics committees.[1][2][3]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Risch was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee from 1961 to 1963 before moving to the University of Idaho.[13] He received a bachelor's degree in forestry in 1965 and a law degree in 1968 from the University of Idaho, where he served on the Law Review.[2][13] He was elected Ada County Prosecuting Attorney in 1970 and served two terms, and during that time he taught criminal justice classes at Boise State University and served as president of the Idaho Prosecuting Attorneys Association.[2][13]
Risch served in the Idaho State Senate from 1975 to 1988 and again from 1995 to 2002; his Senate website says his Republican colleagues elected him Majority Leader and President Pro Tempore. According to Wikipedia, he lost a 1988 re-election bid and returned to the chamber in 1995 by appointment.[2][13][14] He then served as Idaho's lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2006, after which he became the state's 31st governor on May 26, 2006, when Gov. Dirk Kempthorne resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.[2][13][14] According to his Senate website, his governorship included property-tax reform that cut property taxes by 20% and $100 million in additional funding for public schools.[2] He returned to the lieutenant governor's office from 2007 to 2009.[13]
Risch won the U.S. Senate seat on November 4, 2008, defeating Democrat Larry LaRocco, 57.7% to 34.1%, and took office in 2009.[13] He was re-elected in 2014, defeating Democrat Nels Mitchell, 65.3% to 34.7%, and in 2020, defeating Democrat Paulette Jordan, 62.6% to 33.2%.[13] Outside public service, he is a rancher, small business owner and former senior partner in the Risch Goss Insinger Gustavel law firm; he and his wife, Vicki, have been married for more than 50 years, have three sons and nine grandchildren, and live on a ranch outside Boise, according to his Senate website.[2] He won the November 3, 2026 general election with 56.5% of the vote to Todd Achilles's 33.5%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[3]
Recent votes
| Date | Party line | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-30 | With partyvoted yes | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — Senate passageH.R. 7148 · Bill Passed 71–29 · roll call ↗Democrats 23–24 · Republicans 48–5 |
| 2025-12-17 | With partyvoted yes | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passageS. 1071 · Motion Agreed to 77–20 · roll call ↗Democrats 28–18 · Republicans 49–2 |
| 2025-11-10 | With partyvoted yes | Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending voteH.R. 5371 · Bill Passed 60–40 · roll call ↗Democrats 8–39 · Republicans 52–1 |
| 2025-11-06 | With partyvoted no | War Powers Resolution on Venezuela — motion to dischargeS.J. Res. 90 · Motion to Discharge Rejected 49–51 · roll call ↗Democrats 47–0 · Republicans 2–51 |
| 2025-10-30 | With partyvoted no | Resolution to end the global tariff emergencyS.J. Res. 88 · Joint Resolution Passed 51–47 · roll call ↗Democrats 47–0 · Republicans 4–47 |
| 2025-07-01 | With partyvoted yes | One Big Beautiful Bill Act — Senate passageH.R. 1 · Bill Passed 50–50 · roll call ↗Democrats 0–47 · Republicans 50–3 |
| 2025-06-27 | With partyvoted no | War Powers Resolution on Iran — motion to dischargeS.J. Res. 59 · Motion to Discharge Rejected 47–53 · roll call ↗Democrats 46–1 · Republicans 1–52 |
| 2025-06-17 | With partyvoted yes | GENIUS Act — Senate passageS. 1582 · Bill Passed 68–30 · roll call ↗Democrats 18–28 · Republicans 50–2 |
Showing the 8 most recent of 14 votes.
All 14 recorded votes
| Date | Party line | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-30 | With partyvoted yes | Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 — Senate passageH.R. 7148 · Bill Passed 71–29 · roll call ↗Democrats 23–24 · Republicans 48–5The bill provides full-year discretionary appropriations for federal agencies for the remainder of fiscal year 2026, replacing the stopgap funding enacted after the fall 2025 shutdown. It sets spending levels across defense and non-defense programs through September 2026. |
| 2025-12-17 | With partyvoted yes | National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 — final passageS. 1071 · Motion Agreed to 77–20 · roll call ↗Democrats 28–18 · Republicans 49–2The fiscal year 2026 NDAA authorizes roughly $900 billion in defense spending, including a pay raise for service members and funding for shipbuilding, munitions, and missile-defense programs. This vote sent the House-Senate compromise version to the President, who signed it into law the next day. |
| 2025-11-10 | With partyvoted yes | Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026 — shutdown-ending voteH.R. 5371 · Bill Passed 60–40 · roll call ↗Democrats 8–39 · Republicans 52–1The bill reopened the federal government after a 43-day shutdown by funding most agencies through January 30, 2026, and providing full-year funding for a smaller group of agencies through September 2026. Eight members of the Democratic caucus joined nearly all Republicans to pass it. |
| 2025-11-06 | With partyvoted no | War Powers Resolution on Venezuela — motion to dischargeS.J. Res. 90 · Motion to Discharge Rejected 49–51 · roll call ↗Democrats 47–0 · Republicans 2–51S.J.Res. 90 would have directed the President to end military hostilities within or against Venezuela that Congress had not authorized, after U.S. strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the region. A motion to discharge the resolution from committee failed, blocking a vote on final passage. |
| 2025-10-30 | With partyvoted no | Resolution to end the global tariff emergencyS.J. Res. 88 · Joint Resolution Passed 51–47 · roll call ↗Democrats 47–0 · Republicans 4–47S.J.Res. 88 terminates the national emergency the President used to impose broad tariffs on imports from most countries under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Unlike an earlier April 2025 attempt, this resolution passed the Senate, though it still required House and presidential action to take effect. |
| 2025-07-01 | With partyvoted yes | One Big Beautiful Bill Act — Senate passageH.R. 1 · Bill Passed 50–50 · roll call ↗Democrats 0–47 · Republicans 50–3H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, extends and expands the 2017 tax cuts, adds new deductions for tips, overtime pay, and seniors, and increases border security and defense spending. It reduces projected Medicaid and SNAP spending and adds new work requirements; Vice President Vance cast the tie-breaking vote. |
| 2025-06-27 | With partyvoted no | War Powers Resolution on Iran — motion to dischargeS.J. Res. 59 · Motion to Discharge Rejected 47–53 · roll call ↗Democrats 46–1 · Republicans 1–52S.J.Res. 59 would have directed the President to end U.S. military hostilities against Iran that Congress had not authorized, following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities earlier that month. A motion to discharge the resolution from committee failed, preventing a vote on final passage. |
| 2025-06-17 | With partyvoted yes | GENIUS Act — Senate passageS. 1582 · Bill Passed 68–30 · roll call ↗Democrats 18–28 · Republicans 50–2The GENIUS Act creates a federal regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, requiring issuers to hold reserves backing their tokens on a one-to-one basis and comply with new disclosure and licensing rules. It was the first major piece of cryptocurrency legislation to clear Congress. |
| 2025-04-30 | With partyvoted no | Resolution to end the global tariff emergencyS.J. Res. 49 · Joint Resolution Defeated 49–49 · roll call ↗Democrats 46–0 · Republicans 3–49S.J.Res. 49 would have terminated the national emergency the President declared in April 2025 to impose broad tariffs on imports from most U.S. trading partners. The resolution failed on a tied 49-49 vote. |
| 2025-03-14 | With partyvoted yes | Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 — Senate passageH.R. 1968 · Bill Passed 54–46 · roll call ↗Democrats 2–45 · Republicans 52–1The bill funded the federal government through the remainder of fiscal year 2025, largely at prior-year spending levels, averting a shutdown. It also extended several expiring health and other program authorizations. |
| 2025-02-13 | With partyvoted yes | Confirmation of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS SecretaryPN Kennedy · Nomination Confirmed 52–48 · roll call ↗Democrats 0–47 · Republicans 52–1The Senate confirmed Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as Secretary of Health and Human Services, overseeing federal health, food-safety, and drug-regulatory agencies. Senator Mitch McConnell was the only Republican to vote against the nomination. |
| 2025-02-04 | With partyvoted yes | Confirmation of Pamela Bondi as Attorney GeneralPN Bondi · Nomination Confirmed 54–46 · roll call ↗Democrats 1–46 · Republicans 53–0The Senate confirmed Pamela Bondi, Florida's former attorney general, to serve as U.S. Attorney General, leading the Justice Department. The vote fell largely along party lines. |
| 2025-01-24 | With partyvoted yes | Confirmation of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of DefensePN Hegseth · Nomination Confirmed 50–50 · roll call ↗Democrats 0–47 · Republicans 50–3The Senate confirmed Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host and Army National Guard officer, to serve as Secretary of Defense. Vice President JD Vance cast the tie-breaking vote after three Republican senators joined all Democrats in voting against the nomination. |
| 2025-01-20 | With partyvoted yes | Laken Riley Act — Senate passageS. 5 · Bill Passed 64–35 · roll call ↗Democrats 12–35 · Republicans 52–0The Laken Riley Act requires the Department of Homeland Security to detain undocumented immigrants who are arrested, charged, or convicted for theft, burglary, or certain violent crimes. It also allows state attorneys general to sue the federal government over certain immigration enforcement decisions. |
On the record
Official actions: bills, executive acts, filings and court records.
- actionChairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.[15]
- actionServes on the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Select Committee on Ethics, and the Select Committee on Intelligence.[15]
- actionAs Governor of Idaho (2006-2007), cut property taxes by 20% and secured $100 million in additional funding for Idaho's public schools, according to his official Senate biography.[15]
In their own words
Priorities
- Lists protecting the Second Amendment, advocating for energy independence, blocking federal overreach, and defending Idaho agriculture and natural resources among his priorities in the Senate.[15]
Campaign money$3.4M raised · 69% from individuals · FEC through 2026-06-30
Totals this cycle
Bars share one scale (raised = full). Cash on hand can include money carried over from earlier cycles.
Who gave
- Individuals $2.1M
- PACs & committees $897K
- Party $62K
Largest committee contributions
- NRSC Party$62K
- NORPAC PAC$18K
- Dakota PAC PAC$15K
- American Bankers Association PAC (Bankpac) PAC$10K
- The Boeing Company PAC PAC$10K
- Wild and Wonderful PAC PAC$10K
- Heartland Values PAC PAC$10K
- General Atomics Political Action Committee PAC$10K
- American Chemistry Council PAC PAC$10K
- Common Sense for America PAC PAC$10K
Direct contributions only; outside spending is not included. Individual donors are itemized in the FEC’s receipts. All itemized receipts ↗ FEC filing ↗
Profile: /people/james-e-risch
Where they stood out
Voted with most of their party on all 817 party-divided votes on file.
Their votes on the most contested roll calls
The votes in their chamber that came out closest and most divided by party, among those they voted on. How we rank
- Yes
With most of their party · Passed 49–47 · Yes 47–No 47 · Democrats 0–45, Republicans 47–0
Feb 12, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Confirmed 48–46 · Yes 46–No 46 · Democrats 0–44, Republicans 46–0
Jun 4, 2025Official record ↗
- No
With most of their party · Rejected 46–49 · Yes 46–No 46 · Democrats 44–0, Republicans 0–46
Jan 15, 2025Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Confirmed 48–47 · Yes 48–No 47 · Democrats 0–45, Republicans 48–0
Jul 23, 2026Official record ↗
- Yes
With most of their party · Confirmed 50–47 · Yes 48–No 47 · Democrats 0–45, Republicans 48–0
Feb 5, 2026Official record ↗
Compare all 4 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.United States Senate election in Idaho, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.About Jim · Office of Sen. Jim Risch Official record
- 3.Idaho U.S. Senate election results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 4.Putting Families First — Sen. Jim Risch · Office of Sen. Jim Risch Official record
- 5.Risch Applauds Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Idaho Women's Sports Case · Office of Sen. Jim Risch Official record
- 6.S. 128, the SAVE Act (SAVE Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
- 7.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — Senate passage · U.S. Senate · 2025-01-20 Official record
- 8.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — Senate passage · U.S. Senate · 2025-07-01 Official record
- 9.Roll call: Resolution to end the global tariff emergency · U.S. Senate · 2025-04-30 Official record
- 10.Roll call: Resolution to end the global tariff emergency · U.S. Senate · 2025-10-30 Official record
- 11.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Iran — motion to discharge · U.S. Senate · 2025-06-27 Official record
- 12.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela — motion to discharge · U.S. Senate · 2025-11-06 Official record
- 13.Jim Risch · Ballotpedia Reference
- 14.Jim Risch · Wikipedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 15.About Jim · Office of Sen. Jim Risch Official record