Idaho U.S. Sen. Jim Risch has been low-key on committee he could lead

Idaho U.S. Sen. Jim Risch is poised to take the gavel of the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

A USA Today report looks at the differences between Risch and his GOP predecessor, Sen. Bob Corker, who just retired.

It is unclear when Corker’s replacement will be announced.

“A self-made millionaire, former trial lawyer and current cattle rancher, Risch is a low-key legislator where Corker was high-profile media star. Risch seems to shun public confrontations, where Corker appeared to relish them,” reports USA Today on Jan. 8.

The report notes Risch’s service on the committee so far has been rather unremarkable.

“I don’t know how he’s going to be,” Corker said of Risch in a USA Today interview last month, as the Senate was in the midst of a contentious debate over the Saudi crown prince’s role in the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

But Corker said Risch was preparing for the post in a sober way – hiring top-notch staff and seeking out advice. “He told me … ‘I really want you to know that I’m really taking this seriously. I know what a step it is.’”

Risch is not quoted in the article.

His spokeswoman, Suzanne Wrasse told USA Today that Risch wanted to wait until he is officially selected as chairman before speaking to the press about his priorities and outlook. That largely mirrors what he has said about the post in the past.

He was, however, featured in a March 2018 interview with Politico’s Susan Glasser and her podcast to talk about his strategy for working with President Donald Trump and the prospects of the chairmanship.

“You’ve got somebody right now who tells you what’s on his mind at any moment, at any time,” Risch said of Trump during Glasser’s interview. “So it is what it is and I guess everybody will deal with it as they deem appropriate. Maybe it falls in the category of ‘be careful what you wish for,’ but you’ve got somebody who tells you what’s on his mind clearly and precisely, and using the technology that most people use today to communicate.”

This story was originally published January 8, 2019 at 12:24 PM.