Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo weighed in today on the selection process for Idaho’s next federal judge and the prospects for getting nominee Judge David Nye confirmed this year. He said he doesn’t expect the current standoff between the Senate and the White House over hearings on President Obama’s U.S. Supreme Court nomination, Merrick Garland, to affect the Idaho judge’s confirmation, as the two are “on separate tracks – I don’t believe that either the president or the Senate will try to link those two.” He added, “The White House is strongly in support of their nomination, and Sen. Risch and I are strongly in support on the president’s nomination. There hasn’t been that consensus developed yet on the Supreme Court” nomination/Betsy Russell, Eye on Boise. More here.