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Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and U.S. Interior secretary, dies at 74
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Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and U.S. Interior secretary, dies at 74

The Seattle Times·The Associated Press The Associated Press·about 1 month ago
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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Former Idaho Gov. and U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne has died at age 74, his family said in a written statement Saturday. Kempthorne died Friday evening in Boise, the statement said. No cause was given, but he had been diagnosed with colon cancer last year. “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. “He had a rare gift for truly seeing others — remembering names, stories, and the small details that made each person feel known and valued.” Kempthorne, a Republican, was elected mayor of Boise at age 34 and served seven years before winning the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Sen. Steve Symms. Rather than run for reelection in 1998, he entered an open election for governor, trouncing his Democratic opponent by garnering more than two-thirds of the vote. President George W.…

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