Patricia Kempthorne

Who is Patricia Kempthorne?

Patricia Kempthorne was the First Lady of Idaho and the wife of Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. Mrs. Kempthorne was Idaho's first lady from 1999 until 2006. As first lady she was active in issues affecting children and families in Idaho and took the lead in assisting state government with children's policy. She is a former First Lady of Boise, Idaho.

In March 2006, President George W. Bush nominated Governor Kempthorne to be the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. After his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on May 26, 2006, Mrs. Kempthorne ceased to be the state's first lady. She was scheduled to give up the role in January 2007, as her husband was not seeking reelection to a third term. She was replaced by Vicki Risch, the wife of Governor Jim Risch, who succeeded Kempthorne.