politics
Former Idaho Governor and U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne Dies at 74
Dirk Kempthorne, who served as Idaho governor, U.S. senator and Interior secretary, died Friday evening in Boise at age 74 after a colon cancer diagnosis last year. His family highlighted his devotion to loved ones and public service. Idaho Gov. Brad Little praised his lasting contributions to the state.
winnipegfreepress.comAudio version
Tap play to generate a narrated version.
Developing·Limited corroboration so far. This page will refresh as more sources emerge.
Former Idaho Gov. and U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne died at age 74 on Friday evening in Boise, Idaho, his family announced in a written statement on Saturday, April 25, 2026. Kempthorne had been diagnosed with colon cancer last year.
The family did not specify a cause of death in their statement. Kempthorne won a U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Steve Symms. Rather than run for reelection in 1998, he entered an open election for governor that year and received more than two-thirds of the vote against his Democratic opponent.
President George W. Bush appointed him Interior secretary in 2006. He held the position until the end of Bush's presidency in 2009.
As Interior Secretary, Kempthorne lived on a houseboat docked in the Potomac River. Under his responsibility, the polar bear was listed as a threatened species in 2008. “As Governor, Dirk left an enduring mark on our state," the state's governor said in a written statement.
Kempthorne is survived by his wife, as well as their children Heather and Jeff and their families.
“Beyond his public service, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose greatest joy came from time spent with family and the people he met along the way,” his family said.
