Senator James Ruchti Contact information

James Ruchti is an American attorney and politician. A Democrat, he has served as a member of the Idaho Senate from the 29th district since 2022. He served in the Idaho House of Representatives from 2020 to 2022, having previously served from 2006 to 2010.

Ruchti was born and raised in Pocatello, Idaho. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Military Academy in 1993 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Idaho College of Law in 2001.

Ruchti served in the United States Army, retiring with the rank of captain. From 1993 to 1998, he was an officer with the Military Intelligence Corps. Ruchti is a personal injury attorney in Pocatello.

From 2006 to 2010, he served as a member of the Idaho House of Representatives from the 29th district. He was elected to the seat again in November 2020. He assumed office on December 1, 2020, succeeding Elaine Smith. Ruchti has written op-ed columns on Idaho politics for the Post Register. In 2022, he chose to run for Idaho Senate instead of reelection to the House of Representatives, and endorsed Democrat Nate Roberts to succeed him. He won the November election.

James and his wife, Wendy, have been married since 1993. They spent the first few years of their marriage in Germany while James served in the military. When he wasn’t out in the field or deployed, they managed to travel all over Europe in their Nissan Pulsar with their brand-new baby, Spencer, along for the ride in his car seat. Upon returning to the States, they had another son, Drew, and their family was complete. After leaving the military, James and Wendy went back to school at the University of Idaho, where James obtained his law degree and Wendy earned her Ph.D. in education. She has taught public school, been a school coach for a national education non-profit, and is now a professor at the College of Education at ISU.

While growing up, Spencer and Drew had a rock band, Seven Feet Below. James and Wendy served as groupies and stage crew for the band – the best (and worst paying) jobs they ever had. Spencer and Drew are now college graduates, themselves, and are off doing great things in life. Now that James and Wendy are empty-nesters, they spend their time doing CrossFit and enjoying the great outdoors; that is, when they aren’t counting the days down until they get to go adventuring with their boys again!