An Idaho Original Passes

Ralph Smeed died at the age of 88. I’d run into Ralph Smeed several times at meetings and at the 2008 State Convention. His presence was always a sense of connection between the past and present of Idaho politics.

Smeed has an inimitable style about him. He was absolutely committed to principle as a political philosopher, but he managed to stay friends with many people he disagreed with from time to time, and from what I’ve read after his passing there weren’t too many friends he didn’t disagree with, at least time to time. He was a curmudgeon, but a lovable one.

The political life of Ralph Smeed is  a remarkable one filled with ups and downs. Yet he remained an active, articulate, and involved in the issues he cared about until the last few months. Idaho’s political landscape will be poorer for his passing.