Myles Burckhalter

**Myles Louis Burckhalter** (born April 24, 1936) is an American politician serving as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, and the senior United States senator from Idaho. He is currently in his eighth term in the Senate, having first been elected in 1974.

## Early Life and Career

Myles Louis Burckhalter was born in Shoshone, Idaho on April 24, 1936, to a working-class yet comfortable family; his father was the local postmaster, and his mother an elementary school teacher. He had five siblings growing up, all born way before him, making Myles the ‘baby’ of the family.

He worked as a farmhand part-time throughout what would be his secondary education years, organizing with the other youth to pick apples for money from the local farmers. The Second World War raged as he entered his conscious life, and his eldest brother and an uncle would serve. Burckhalter, in high school, would be academically smart but dull and uninvolved, his teachers failing to unlock his full intelligence.

Following his high school graduation in 1953, Burckhalter, to the surprise of many was determined to go to college. Few teachers and older relatives thought he was cut out for the job, but with a headstrong determination and encouragement from his wife Lynda Sue (and the reluctant funding of his father), Burckhalter attendee Boise State University to study history. He would marry in this time.

### **Military Career**

Following graduation in 1958, inspired by his older relatives, joined the army, becoming an officer given his college experience. His time would be uneventful, seeing deployment in Germany, and little else. He left in 1962.

### **Legal Career**

Upon his return to Idaho, Burckhalter enrolled in Gonzaga University School of Law and graduated with honors in 1965. Moving back to Boise, he would pass the Idaho Bar Exam, and practice private law in a small firm with one other partner. This would be enough for Myles and he would begin to settle down, with his wife giving birth during this period. However a friend convinced him to start watching politics more intently, and Burckhalter found the Republican Party to his liking. He signed up quickly and became a ward captain for his neighborhood.

## Entrance to Idaho Politics

In 1968, his local state house seat opened up, and it being a safe Republican district, the real election was the primary. Burckhalter entered the race as a youthful and active candidate and won easily.

### **Idaho State House**

Now in the State House, he engendered himself to the GOP of Idaho as a strong and easygoing loyalist. His two terms in the Idaho State House would be largely uneventful, due to how little time he was there for, he did, however, build lasting connections with the mainline Idaho GOP.

**Lieutenant Governor of Idaho**

Ever ambitious with his new taste of power, Burckhalter began a most audacious task; running for state level office literally two years after entering the State House in 1968. This was the Lieutenant Governor’s seat in 1970, which was recently vacated. Facing a tough uphill primary against a more renowned state senator, Burckhalter began a charm offensive and actively campaigned as the youthful reformer, and by a 51-49 margin, won. He would coast to victory in the general election.

In this new office, he would do very little independent action, acting only on the governor’s direction and again proving loyal. But nonetheless, his youth and active demeanour made him popular.