U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, defended his lengthy record and role as an accomplished foil to Democratic President Joe Biden during a public debate Monday, as two political foes painted him as an uncompromising, career politician whose continued time in office prevents the state and nation from addressing some of their most pressing issues.
In a spirited but respectful 90-minute forum, the candidates for Idaho’s only Senate seat up for election in November exchanged occasional light jabs, while making their own cases directly to voters why they’re best suited to represent the state in Washington, D.C.
The challengers, Democrat David Roth and independent candidate Scott Cleveland, tried to pin Crapo to frequent national impasse — contributing to failed efforts to push the U.S. back on the right path. Crapo, the longtime incumbent, countered by emphasizing his successes, with a focus on blocking “runaway spending” by the Democrats who control Congress, and the need to restore Republican governance.
