Dirk Kempthorne (born October 29, 1951 in San Diego, California), became governor of Idaho in 1999. A Republican, he previously represented his state in the United States Senate. On March 16, 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Kempthorne to succeed Gale Norton as the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. He awaits Senate confirmation. Before his Senate career, Kempthorne was mayor of Boise for seven years. Over the course of his long career in public service, Kempthorne has established a reputation, even among his opponents, as a consensus-building leader and competent manager with a strong understanding of policy.
Kempthorne is notable for his conservative views, particularly on economic issues.
