Pete T. Cenarrusa

Pete Thomas Cenarrusa (December 16, 1917 – September 29, 2013) was a Republican politician from Idaho. He served continuously for over half a century in elective office, first as a member of the Idaho Legislature and then as Secretary of State.

Career

Born in Carey, Idaho, Cenarrusa graduated from the territorial school in Bellevue and attended the University of Idaho in Moscow, where he was a member of the Vandals'boxing team and the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in agriculture in 1940 and taught math and science and coached in Carey,Cambridge, and Glenns Ferry. During World War II, Cenarrusa was an aviator in theMarine Corps.

Cenarrusa was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives from Blaine County in 1950. He served in that capacity for 16 years, including six as speaker of the house.

In May 1967, Cenarrusa was appointed Secretary of State by Governor Don Samuelsonto fill a vacancy caused by the death of Edson H. Deal. Cenarussa was elected to a full term in 1970. He was reelected seven times (1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998). Cenarrusa did not run for reelection in 2002, instead supporting his longtime chief deputy, Ben Ysursa. Upon leaving office Cenarrusa was the longest-servingsecretary of state in the United States. Cenarrusa is also the longest-serving elected public official in Idaho history, having held elective office for a total of 52 years.

A state office building was named for him in 1998.

Basque activism

The son of Basque immigrants from Bizkaia and a native speaker of the Basque language, Cenarrusa has been a longtime proponent of increased autonomy in theBasque Country, particularly in Spain.  In the 1970s he worked with the DemocraticU.S. Senator from Idaho, Frank Church, in an effort to curtail foreign aid to the Franco regime. Cenarrusa has also appealed for clemency for Basque political prisoners in Spain.

In 2003, Pete and Freda Cenarrusa organized the Cenarrusa Foundation for Basque Culture (originally the Cenarrusa Center for Basque Studies), which promotes the culture and history of the Basques by providing resources for performances, presentations and programs and to organizations throughout Idaho and Oregon.

Cenarussa was instrumental in the founding of the Basque Studies Program at Boise State University in 2006. He spoke Basque fluently.