Idaho's delegation will work 'to pull the wagon together'

Just as the dynamic in national politics shifted dramatically on Tuesday, power in Idaho was realigned.

GOP Sen. Mike Crapo is now at the center of the equation, relying on seniority, friendship with Sen.-elect Jim Risch, years of partnership with GOP Rep. Mike Simpson and a warm beginning with new Democratic Rep. Walt Minnick.

Crapo emerged Wednesday speaking of bipartisanship in words that could well have belonged to President-elect Barack Obama. From the White House to Idaho's modest four-man delegation, success depends on consensus solutions to problems of historic depth and scope.

"Our delegation is going to be focused on good government and on making sure we eliminate from the political scene to the best of our ability the kind of harsh, bitter, personal and partisan politics that have taken such a dominant focus in our national climate these days," said Crapo.

The country is at a "phenomenally historic crossroads," Crapo said, facing economic crisis, two wars and a critical need to tackle energy, health care, tax reform and infrastructure - all tough issues demanding compromise.

Despite a turnover of half the congressional delegation, Crapo said Idaho is well-positioned. "I don't think Idaho's going to lose a significant amount of clout in the Senate. And in the House, I think we're going to be just as strong."

The obvious context for Crapo's conciliatory words was the election of a Democratic president and the first Democratic member of Congress from Idaho since 1992.

Crapo left unmentioned a subtext that will ease the transition to a different brand of politics. Crapo is replacing retiring Sen. Larry Craig as Idaho's senior lawmaker. Where Craig is noisy and partisan, Crapo is subdued and magnanimous. In his first public appearance after the election that ended Craig's 28-year career, Crapo subtly signaled a break from Craig's often divisive tone.

A CHANGE IN DYNAMICS

Former GOP Sen. Jim McClure, who spent 24 years in Congress, including a decade as senior senator, said Crapo's even-handedness will alter the exercise of power in Idaho.

"I don't think he'll take up quite the same role as Larry did," McClure said. "Larry was inclined to shout rather than talk - that's not quite right, but Larry's positions are apt to be publicly stated and restated and argued. Mike doesn't operate that way. And Mike is not going to change."

Crapo is a "work horse" not a "show horse," said Gary Moncrief, a Boise State political scientist, putting Crapo in a class of diligent lawmakers "who actually do the grinding committee and legislative work."

"He is now the senior member of the Idaho delegation and out of Craig's shadow," Moncrief said.

McClure said there may be jealousies and jockeying in the four Idaho offices on Capitol Hill. But he said any maneuvering will be among staff, angling for power for themselves and their bosses, not among the men representing Idaho.

"This is not going to be a full-contact sport or a competitive sport," said Risch, who won Craig's seat.

That may be hard to believe coming from Risch, who made his reputation in the Legislature as a tough guy who consolidated power onto himself. But he says that won't be how he operates in Washington: "I'm just not in the frame of mind to stiff-arm people and try to get them out of the way. We're going to do our very best to pull the wagon together."

Both Risch and Simpson said that any hard feelings from the 1990s - when they clashed while in state legislative leadership - are long past. Both also say they've put aside any rivalry over who might run for governor in some future election.

"When I first came to the Legislature, Jim was a 'My way or the highway' sort of guy," Simpson said. "Jim has changed over the years and that's made him a better statesman. I've changed, too. I was pretty fire-breathing. We've both matured."

Risch's relationship with Crapo will smooth the transition. Their friendship dates to 1984, when Risch began mentoring Crapo in the Legislature. When Risch was defeated in 1988, his pupil succeeded him as leader of the Senate. From there, Crapo was elected to the U.S. House in 1992; he rose to the Senate in 1998.

BIPARTISAN LEANINGS

Former Democratic Gov. Cecil Andrus, governor when Crapo took over the state Senate, said the new congressional delegation is well-suited to Obama's bipartisan theme.

"It will be different because the personalities are different," said Andrus. "Larry Craig was very partisan. He's being replaced by Jim Risch, who does have partisan credentials. But I think that Jim will join Mike Crapo and Mike Simpson in understanding the facts of life. Walt Minnick is their avenue to the majority party and to the White House. It's to Idaho's advantage, and, therefore, to their advantage to work together."

Crapo, Risch and Simpson swiftly reached out to Minnick after he beat GOP Rep. Bill Sali, congratulating him on Wednesday even as Sali delayed conceding.

McClure said Simpson's solid relationships with Democrats - especially the fiscally conservative Democrats in the Blue Dog Caucus that Minnick will join - make for a promising combination.

"Mike doesn't just let bipartisanship happen, he works at it," McClure said. "And I think that's going to continue. Maybe I shouldn't say this, but he probably will work better with Minnick that he could with Sali."

Simpson has a contentious history with Sali, and though he supported Sali's re-election, he quickly embraced Minnick. "Walt brings some things to this team that frankly could be very advantageous," Simpson said. "He has access to the Democratic Party and they're obviously going to be in the majority."

'WE NEED EACH OTHER'

Congress' Democratic leaders have a stake in seeing Minnick succeed and will listen when he advocates a Western view on natural resource issues, Simpson said. "You never know until someone starts voting, but Walt's not an eastern liberal Democrat. He's a fairly conservative Democrat."

Simpson thinks Minnick can help stiffen the resolve of the Blue Dogs in shifting the liberal cant under Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "I jokingly call them 'Nancy's lap dogs,'" Simpson said. "I'm hoping Walt will have some influence in moderating some of the extreme positions of the Democratic caucus. Frankly, that's the only way an Obama administration is going to be successful."

Minnick is also a fan of Simpson, calling him "the new political heavyweight" because of his growing seniority, respect in both parties, and membership on the bacon-making Appropriations Committee. Simpson has a chance of becoming the top Republican on one of 12 Appropriations subcommittees, an enormously powerful position in doling out federal money.

Minnick also praised Crapo and Risch and offered his help on their natural resource initiatives, including protection for the Owyhee Canyonlands, the Clearwater forest region and salmon recovery.

Minnick said he won't be Simpson's acolyte, "but I can do him a lot of good. If any of us are going to get anything done, we need each other."

Risch said "the jury's still out" on whether Minnick will be the conservative Democrat that he said he was in 2008, or the more liberal candidate who challenged Craig in 1996.

But Minnick said he's committed to centrism. "I understand this is a Republican state. The fact that I got elected by a narrow margin isn't going to change that."

GOP Gov. Butch Otter is particularly close to Simpson, having spent six years with him in Congress. Voters are tired of partisan bickering, Otter said, and Simpson and Crapo struck exactly the right tone in speaking of healing and solving problems.

"We've got problems," Otter said, "that are bigger than either party or either party's success or failure."

Dan Popkey: 377-6438