Steve Symms facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Symms
Symms, c. 1980s
United States Senator from Idaho
In office January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1993
Preceded by	Frank Church
Succeeded by	Dirk Kempthorne
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Idaho's 1st district
In office January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1981
Preceded by	Jim McClure
Succeeded by	Larry Craig
Personal details
Born	Steven Douglas Symms (1938-04-23)April 23, 1938 Nampa, Idaho, U.S.
Died	August 8, 2024(2024-08-08) (aged 86)
Political party	Republican
Spouses	Frances Stockdale ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1990)​ Loretta E. Mathes ​ ​ (m. 1992; died 2023)​
Children	4
Education	University of Idaho (BA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1960–1963
Rank	First Lieutenant

Steven Douglas Symms (April 23, 1938 – August 8, 2024) was an American politician and lobbyist who served as a four-term congressman (1973–1981) and two-term U.S. Senator (1981–1993), representing Idaho. He later became a partner at Parry, Romani, DeConcini & Symms, a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.

Early life and education

Symms was born in Nampa, Idaho, on April 23, 1938. He attended public schools in Canyon County and graduated from Caldwell High School in 1956. He studied horticulture at the University of Idaho in Moscow, where he was a reserve center on the football team and was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He graduated in 1960 with a B.S. in agriculture, then served in the United States Marine Corps for three years, after which he worked as a private pilot and apple farmer. From 1969 to 1972, he was co-editor of the college newspaper, The Idaho Compass.

Career

Congress

In 1972, Symms ran for Congress, highlighting his career as an apple farmer by using the slogan "Take a bite out of big government!" He was elected to the open seat in the United States House of Representatives at age 34 and was re-elected three times. He ran for the United States Senate in 1980. Aided by national funding, he unseated four-term incumbent Democrat Frank Church, winning by less than one percent. Symms was re-elected in 1986, defeating Democratic Governor John V. Evans in another hard-fought and close election.

Symms was one of several Republican senators who, in 1981, called into the White House to express discontent over the nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court; the opposition hinged over the issue of O'Connor's presumed unwillingness to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In 1985, Symms was one of 4 Republican Senators who voted against a resolution condemning apartheid. The four "no" votes came from four Republican senators: Symms, Jesse Helms, Barry Goldwater, and Chic Hecht.

Symms was also one of the six senators who voted against the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990.

Symms chose not to seek a third term in 1992 and was succeeded by the Republican mayor of Boise, Dirk Kempthorne, a future two-term Idaho governor and United States Secretary of the Interior.

Later career

After leaving the U.S. Senate in 1993, Symms founded Symms, Lehn Associates, Inc., a consulting firm. In January 1999, he partnered with John Haddow and formed Symms & Haddow Associates, a lobbying firm. In January 2001, the firm joined forces with Romano Romani and former Senator Dennis DeConcini of Parry, Romani & DeConcini to form Parry, Romani, DeConcini & Symms.

Personal life

Prior to his senior year at the University of Idaho, Symms married Frances E. "Fran" Stockdale of Helena, Montana, in August 1959. They had four children, a son and three daughters. Following his re-election in 1986, the couple separated, and their divorce was finalized in 1990. Symms married Loretta Mathes Fuller in 1992, a former aide and later the Deputy Sergeant of Arms of the U.S. Senate.

Symms was a cousin of former Oregon congressman Denny Smith.

Symms died on August 8, 2024, at the age of 86.

Elections