Steve Symms

Former U.S. Senator, class of 1956

What is Steve Symms known for?

Steven Douglas Symms, born on April 23, 1938 in Nampa, Idaho, is a well-known American politician and lobbyist. He graduated from Caldwell High School in 1956 and went on to study horticulture at the University of Idaho, where he also played as a reserve center on the football team and was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity.

After earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 1960, Symms served in the United States Marine Corps from 1960 to 1963. He then established himself as a private pilot and apple farmer, even co-editing the college newspaper, The Idaho Compass, between 1969 and 1972.

Symms launched his political career in 1972 with a successful move into Congress, utilizing the catchy campaign slogan, "Take a bite out of big government!" He served as a four-term congressman from 1973 to 1981, and then as a two-term U.S. Senator from 1981 to 1993, representing Idaho.

His political path wasn't without controversies. In 1981, he was among several Republican senators who expressed discontent over the nomination of Sandra Day O'Connor to the Supreme Court, primarily over the issue of O'Connor's perceived reluctance to overturn Roe v. Wade. Moreover, during the 1988 U.S. presidential election, he claimed in a radio interview that a photograph existed from the 1960s showing Kitty Dukakis, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, burning an American flag to protest the Vietnam War. However, he later admitted he couldn't prove this claim.

Post retirement from political life, Symms continued his work as a partner at Parry, Romani, DeConcini & Symms, a lobbying firm in Washington, D.C.

Find out more about Caldwell High School here.