Lessons from Lincoln: Idaho historian reflects on leadership and America’s 250th

Despite losing a bid for Idaho governor with less than one percentage point and failing twice to represent Idaho in Congress, David Leroy says he doesn’t have any “political work left undone.”The 78-year-old Boise man is a longtime Idaho attorney with an extensive political career in the state. It began in the 1970s as Ada County prosecutor, followed by a term as Idaho Attorney General. He was elected to the position in 1978 at age 31 — the youngest attorney general in the nation at that time.Four years later, he was elected Lieutenant Governor on the Republican ticket. He served under Gov. John Evans, a Democrat from Malad.He lost the gubernatorial race against Cecil Andrus in 1986 by only eight-tenths of a percent.After serving as the U.S. Nuclear Waste Negotiator under President George H.W. Bush, he became a candidate for Idaho’s first Congressional District in 1994. He finished second in the Republican primary behind Helen Chenoweth.He ran for the same Congressional seat in 2017 and lost to Russ Fulcher, who currently serves as one of Idaho’s U.S. Representatives.Leroy is also a historian and the founder of the Idaho Lincoln Institute. America’s 16th president signed the bill that created the Idaho territory on March 4, 1863. The mission of Leroy’s nonprofit is to promote Lincoln’s ideals and “help chart a new course to orient and enliven the Idaho electorate as a rallying point for the rest of the Nation.”This week on “It’s Worth Mentioning,” Leroy looks back on his political career and some memorable experiences. He shares what it was like being the nation’s youngest attorney general and leading the state with a governor from a different party.He also discusses his narrow election loss in the 1986 gubernatorial race and what missed opportunities he would’ve liked to have.He kicks off the show paying tribute to former state legislator and fellow history-lover, Linden Bateman, R-Idaho Falls, who passed away last month at age 85. Leroy was serving as attorney general when Bateman was in office.RELATED LINK: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2026/01/former-state-legislator-known-across-idaho-as-mr-history-passes-at-age-85/Leroy also discusses his political hero, Abraham Lincoln, and his surprising connections to Idaho, which extend far beyond the legislation he signed that led to its creation.RELATED LINK: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/03/historian-says-lincoln-won-civil-war-with-the-idea-of-idaho-and-early-governor-might-have-prevented-assassination/If you’re an Idaho history buff or political junkie, this is an episode you don’t want to miss!Watch previous episodes here. If you have a tip or a guest idea, email [email protected].