Mcclure of Idaho Author:William L. Smallwood On February 2, 1966, the Republican candidate for Idaho's 1st Congressional District seat died in a north Idaho plane crash. At the time, no one would have predicted that the tragedy would trigger a career that would make a young Payette County attorney one of the state's best known political figures of the 20th century. Jim McClure's politi... more »cal record is nothing short of astounding. First elected to the Idaho Senate in 1961, he picked up the Republican standard from the fallen John Matmiller and upset the Democrat favorite in the 1966 congressional election. After serving three terms in the House of Representatives, McClure moved to the United States Senate in 1973, where he served 18 years before voluntarily retiring in 1991 at the age of 66. The Idaho native worked with six presidents. A dedicated conservative, McClure nevertheless gained the respect of colleagues on both sides of the political aisle at the state and national levels for his ability to find practical solutions to complex issues.« less