Idaho’s Sen. Mike Crapo faces a challenge from Democrat David Roth. Here’s our pick

Idaho’s senior senator, Mike Crapo, has been in elected office for nearly four decades, three of which were spent in Washington, D.C.

It shows. And it’s time for a change.

In his latest term in office, Crapo has steadfastly refused to compromise with the Democratic majority, even when doing so would obviously help his constituents (the sole exception being his vote in favor of the infrastructure bill, which was the right decision).

This was the case with both his vote against legislation to provide benefits to veterans exposed to toxic burn pits and his vote against legislation to promote semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. — legislation which immediately preceded Micron’s announcement that it would build a large manufacturing plant in the Treasure Valley.

These are the kinds of votes you cast when you are more attached to the fate of your political party than that of folks back home.

Crapo has long warned about the dangers of the federal debt and deficit — during times of Democratic control. But during the Trump administration, that commitment to fiscal responsibility evaporated as the deficit exploded during a good economic period. And Crapo’s deference to Trump has never wavered.

This year, Crapo’s Democratic challenger is David Roth, an Idaho Falls man whose previous political experience consists mainly of heading the Bonneville County Democratic Party and launching an unsuccessful local legislative race.

It should be stated clearly: Roth is not an ideal candidate for U.S. Senate.

He’s never held elected office, and jumping right to the Senate is a big leap — as he acknowledged in a recent Idaho Public Television debate, where he admitted the Democratic Party’s bench isn’t deep enough. While there are some areas of policy he understands deeply, there are others he would have to learn on the job.

Roth’s commitment to ensuring that women are restored their right to bodily autonomy, and that gay Idahoans retain the right to marry, are both admirable.

And Roth still has something that Crapo long ago left behind: a deep connection to Idaho and the lives of its everyday citizens.

Crapo rarely seems to be present in Idaho.

His decision long ago to hop on the banking committee — a committee essentially irrelevant to Idaho — rather than moving toward a role in appropriating federal funds — something that’s of vital importance to Idaho — signaled his career trajectory. He has settled in to become a creature of Washington. The banking committee chairmanship, followed by his ascent on the tax-focused finance committee, secured him an endless stream of campaign donations from the financial industry.

Over the last couple of years, Crapo got about 10 times as much campaign cash each from Virginia, Texas and Washington, D.C., as he did from Idaho, according to Federal Election Commission filings. He also got more from New York, California, Georgia, New Jersey, Minnesota and Illinois than he did from the Gem State.

Crapo, with his utterly safe seat and disconnection from the state he serves, has become the living, breathing embodiment of the case for federal term limits.

By contrast, Roth serves in local community organizations that serve the needy in the Idaho Falls area, including Habitat for Humanity and the local soup kitchen. Though his political experience may be wanting, his connection to everyday people here is strong. And, given the alternative, that’s enough to win our endorsement.