Phil Batt

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Phil Batt
Image:Philbatt.jpg
29th Governor of Idaho
In office January 1995 – January 1999
Lieutenant(s)	C. L. "Butch" Otter
Preceded by	Cecil D. Andrus
Succeeded by	Dirk Kempthorne
Born	March 4, 1927 Wilder, Idaho
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Jacque Fallis Batt
Profession	farmer
Religion	Baptist

Philip Eugene Batt (born March 4, 1927 in Wilder, Idaho) was the governor of the U.S. state of Idaho from 1995 until 1999.

Batt was a former onion and hops farmer from Wilder, Idaho. Before becoming governor, he had been a Republican Party politician in Idaho for 30 years, serving in the state House of Representatives from 1965 to 1967, the state Senate from 1967 to 1979, and as lieutenant governor from 1979 until 1983. He ran for governor in 1982 and was defeated in a close race by the Democratic incumbent, John V. Evans. Future Senator and Governor Dirk Kempthorne was his campaign manager. After rebuilding the Idaho Republican Party into near-total dominance as party chairman in the early 1990s, Batt re-entered electoral politics. In 1994 Batt won the Republican gubernatorial primary with 48% of the vote, and defeated the Democratic candidate, attorney general Larry EchoHawk in the general election 52% to 44%. Despite polls putting his popularity at around 80%, he chose to serve only one term.

Among Batt's more notable accomplishments as Governor were pushing through worker's compensation for agricultural workers and negotiating a pact limiting nuclear waste storage in Idaho. During his term, Idaho's cabinet had a higher percentage of women than any other state. He has self-published two books since leaving office, a memoir titled The Compleat Phil Batt: A Kaleidoscope, in 1999, and a compilation of humorous stories, Life as a Geezer, in 2002.

Preceded by William J. Murphy	Lieutenant Governor of Idaho January 1, 1979–January 3, 1983	Succeeded by David H. Leroy
Preceded by Allan Larsen	Republican Party nominee, Governor of Idaho 1982 (lost)	Succeeded by David H. Leroy
Preceded by Roger Fairchild	Republican Party nominee, Governor of Idaho 1994 (won)	Succeeded by Dirk Kempthorne
Preceded by Cecil D. Andrus	Governor of Idaho January 5, 1995–January 4, 1999	Succeeded by Dirk Kempthorne

Governors of Idaho
Shoup • Willey • McConnell • Steunenberg • Hunt • Morrison • Gooding • Brady • Hawley • Haines • Alexander • Davis • Moore • Baldridge • Ross • B. Clark • Bottolfsen • C. Clark • Bottolfsen • Gossett • Williams • Robins • Jordan • Smylie • Samuelson • Andrus • Evans • Andrus • Batt • Kempthorne • Risch • Otter