One of Congressman Raul Labrador’s best friends in high school was a filmmaker and a musician with big dreams. Yet, it was Labrador who recently was part of a feature article in Rolling Stone Magazine. Go figure. But the article had nothing to do with Labrador’s musical talents (he has none).  He was part of a profile on the conservative Freedom Caucus, which played a major role in ousting Ohio’s John Boehner from the speakership and keeping California Rep. Kevin McCarthy from seeking the position. The speaker’s job went to Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, but he had to go through the Freedom Caucus (and Labrador, specifically) to get it. During a town hall meeting in Meridian last week, Labrador said the group gave Ryan notice that he has 14 months to produce, or face getting replaced. Labrador is no rock star, but his political stock is rising rapidly – and he doesn’t appear to be a one-hit wonder/Chuck Malloy, Idaho Politics Weekly. More here.

Question: Are you surprised that Congressman Raul Labrador has become a political power in the U.S. House?