Malloy: Crapo has finally arrived

Sen. Mike Crapo finally has arrived.

Actually, Crapo has been “there,” in the U.S. Senate, for almost 20 years. But his “arrival” came this year when he was elevated to a committee chairmanship, an assignment that many senators covet, but don’t always get.

Chairmanships don’t come cheaply. Senators must have longevity, the ability to work through the system and supreme knowledge of issues facing the committee. Along the way, senators at the top need to die or resign – or party control needs to change hands before a chairmanship becomes vacant.

The stars lined up right for Crapo, starting with Republicans keeping control of the Senate in last year’s elections. Then, Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama took another committee chairmanship, making room for Crapo to take over as chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs/ Chuck Malloy , Idaho Politics Weekly. More here.