It's OK to be optimistic about Fulcher

Congressman-elect Russ Fulcher will be sworn in Thursday, and from that moment through the next two years at minimum, he’s going to be pulled in ten thousand different directions.

But he vows that his focus won’t waver.

It’ll be zeroed in on you.

During an invigorating editorial board meeting at The Press recently, Fulcher made it clear that his constituents, the citizens of Congressional District 1, will come first. And he wasted no time in backing up those big words.

Fulcher brought with him Tim Kastning, a relative newcomer to Republican power politics who will head up Fulcher’s Coeur d’Alene constituent services office. The representative-in-waiting said the local office will have two or maybe even three staffers.

That’s refreshing. Under his predecessor, Rep. Raul Labrador, there was a broad perception across the northern part of the state that constituent services were all funneled through Boise. Fulcher wants to make sure your questions are answered and your concerns are heard — by North Idahoans.

Understanding that as a freshman in the House’s minority party he’s not likely to blaze many legislative trails, the 56-year-old Idaho native said he’s committed to learning and collaborating. Again unlike his predecessor, who was a stalwart in the hard-edged Liberty Caucus, Fulcher said he’s not inclined to join any of the House’s many caucuses because that can close doors that would best be left open. Caucus membership can require blind loyalty, he said, and “I just won’t do it.”

Instead, the former Micron executive who traveled to 47 countries over 24 years will work hard on what he called “monster issues … where the hearts and minds of Idaho people are.” Namely they are health care, resources and immigration.

As an indicator of his approach to solving big problems, Fulcher said he ardently supports border protection but that a wall doesn’t necessarily have to be comprised of bricks and mortar.

He also said he expects impeachment talk is “gonna come up; it’s going to come up on Day 1, probably.” Fulcher said he’ll resist impeachment proceedings and steer his energy toward more positive actions.

While Fulcher is an unapologetic Republican, his background as a state legislator and his approach to this new challenge suggest he’ll not let ideology stand in the way of doing what’s best for Idaho and the nation. Even when he’s unwilling to reach across the aisle on an issue, you can bet he’ll be respectful in his disagreement. That temperament lays the groundwork for possible cooperation on future important issues, an element that Congress is sorely lacking and Americans suffer as a result.

With his humble, intelligent, local-centric approach, this freshman might be more effective than even he realizes.