Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Mourning the passing of an Idaho statesman

I was saddened to find in today's paper the obituary of former State Senator Richard "Dick" High. Though we'd only spoken a few times, Mr. High (as he was known in his Imperial Plaza building) impressed me as a kind, thoughtful, and optimistic man and one who placed the public interest over partisanship. And the encouragement and counsel that he gave me when I first ran in 2004 meant a great deal to me.

As a Republican state senator from Twin Falls, Mr. High became the co-chair of the powerful JFAC committee. His seven-term tenure was marked by strong support for Idaho's public schools and the modernization of Idaho government. He was a leader at a time when our state's Legislature was less polarized, more moderate, and generally more collegial.

Read his obit to learn more about the kind of life that inspires people like me to take up public service.

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