Person in history
Dirk Kempthorne
Dirk Kempthorne, American businessman and politician, 49th United States Secretary of the Interior (born 1951)
Life at a glance
- Died
- 2026 · April 24
- Known as
- politician, assistant, and business executive. Citizenship: United States
Their story
Who they were
Dirk Arthur Kempthorne was an American politician from the state of Idaho. A Republican, he served as a United States senator from Idaho from 1993 to 1999 and as the 30th governor of Idaho from 1999 to 2006. Kempthorne also served as the 49th U.S. secretary of the interior from 2006 to 2009 under President George W. Bush.
Early life
Educated at: University of Idaho, San Bernardino Valley College, and San Gorgonio High School.
Path and career
Political career Mayor of Boise Kempthorne's first major political victory came at age thirty-four, when he was elected mayor of Boise in 1985. As mayor, Kempthorne became very popular and was unopposed for reelection in 1989. [ citation needed ] U.S. Senate Kempthorne during his tenure in the United States Senate In 1992, U.S. Senator Steve Symms decided not to seek a third term [ 1 ] and Kempthorne pursued the Republican nomination for the seat. [ 2 ] In the general election ,
Why this date
Dirk Kempthorne appears on our April 24 calendar for 2026 as a death entry.
Sources
Cite this page
“Dirk Kempthorne”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/dirk-kempthorne, accessed October 27, 2026.
Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.
Questions about Dirk Kempthorne
When did Dirk Kempthorne die?
April 24 2026.
Who else was born on this day?
The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.
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