REBROADCAST | David Leroy connects Abraham Lincoln, Idaho history and his own political journey
About this episode
David Leroy reflects on his political journey and connections to Abraham Lincoln and Idaho history.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This episode originally aired on Feb. 22, 2026. 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 who’s had an extensive political career in Idaho. It began in the 1970s. Leroy is also a historian and 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. He shares what it was like being the nation’s youngest attorney general, and leading the state with a governor who was 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. RELATED | Former state legislator known across Idaho as ‘Mr. History’ passes at age 85 He kicks off the show…
People in this episode
Host: Rett Nelson
Guest: David Leroy
Topics covered
- Idaho history
- political career
- Abraham Lincoln
- historical connections
- elections
- political ideals
Keywords
- David Leroy
- Abraham Lincoln
- Idaho history
- political career
- gubernatorial race
- Idaho Lincoln Institute
- Linden Bateman
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Idaho Lincoln Institute
Places: Idaho, Boise
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