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Crowd assembles to meet new governor

About 40 people were on hand Friday (May. 26) at the ITD Division of Aeronautics hangar at the Boise Airport to welcome Idaho’s new governor, Jim Risch. He was sworn in as Idaho’s 31st governor today during a low-key ceremony on the steps of the Idaho Capitol.

He succeeds Dirk Kempthorne who was sworn in as Secretary of the Interior in Washington, D.C. on May 26.

Risch and his wife Vicki had just landed at the St. Anthony airport when news of Kempthorne’s confirmation arrived. The two reboarded the state’s twin-engine plane and returned to Boise for interviews with the news media and to be with family and friends.

Grandchildren Jake, 2, and Jessie, 3, were the first to formally greet Gov. Risch and the new first lady only moments before a live television interview.

Gov. Risch will hold the state’s top executive position for the next seven months. He is seeking re-election as the state’s lieutenant governor in November’s election.