Why is Bryan Smith whining about term limits and Idaho Senators? What is this primarily about?

 

On August 18, 2021 at his Bryan Smith for Idaho web site Mr. Smith posted an article titled Senators Risch and Crapo: The Case for Term Limits. On August 19, 2021 it appeared in the Rexburg Standard Journal. Then on August 22, 2021 it appeared both at the Gem State Patriot News and the Idaho Dispatch. Finally, on August 25, 2021 it appeared in the Post Register.

 

The newspaper articles identify him merely as the fourth vice chair for the Bonneville County Republican Central Committee. But he also is on the Board of Directors for the Idaho Freedom Foundation (as their Vice Chair).

 

The article opens by lamenting that both of Idaho’s Senators, Mike Crapo and James Risch, voted for Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. It continues with claims that both now are far less conservative than they once were. To support that, Bryan provides a table from 2012 to 2020 with scores for them on the Freedom Index compiled by New American (the John Birch Society). In 2012 both scored 95%, while in 2020 Crapo scored 30% and Risch scored 35%. I went to the web page for that index, and was surprised to find the listings there began with 2011 rather than 2012. In 2011 Crapo scored just 65%, and Risch scored 63%. Also, after Smith’s article was published the latest 2021 Freedom Index scores were posted, with both Crapo and Risch back up at 90%!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The graphs shown above reveal that neither Senator really is consistently less conservative than they once were. Mr. Smith may have omitted the 2011 numbers to mislead us.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about another rating? The American Conservative Union (who runs the CPAC meeting) has one. As shown above, their ratings for both Crapo and Risch are consistently high.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What about both ratings for our Representatives in the House? As shown above in a detailed table, Mike Simpson is less conservative than the Senators, while Russ Fulcher (and Raul Labrador before him) is quite conservative.

 

Is this article really about just one Senator? Our junior Senator, James Risch, was elected in 2008, 2014, and 2020. His term won’t be up until 2026. It’s probably not him.

 

Our senior Senator, Mike Crapo, was elected in 1998, 2004, 2010, 2016. His term will be up in 2022. On March 13, 2021 there was an article by Randy Staspilus at the Lewiston Tribune titled Commentary: Crapo can’t count on GOP loyalty in next year’s primary election. On August 13, 2021 there is an article by Wendell Husebo at Breitbart titled Three Senate Republicans who voted for $1.2 trillion “infrastructure” hoax have Republican primary opponents in 2022. Jeremy Gilbert challenged Crapo in the Republican primary, and term limits is one of Gilbert’s issues. He proposes a 12-year limit for both the Senate and House.  

 

Back in 2014 Bryan Smith challenged Mike Simpson in the Republican primary and lost. On May 28, 2014 I had blogged about that election in a post titled Being likable, Ronald Reagan and Bryan Smith.