About Mike
Mike Crapo is an unwavering conservative who proudly represents the people of Idaho in the U.S. Senate. As a conservative leader, Mike has spent his career fighting to lower taxes, eliminate wasteful government spending, stop federal government overreach, reform entitlement programs to ensure their solvency and bring free market principles to health care.
A passionate advocate for state’s rights, Mike is committed to protecting our Idaho values and way of life against liberal democrat policies and Washington D.C. special interests. His commonsense, collaborative approach to problem-solving has allowed him to deliver results and achieve lasting solutions to the issues of greatest concern to Idahoans and our nation.
Mike was born and raised in southern Idaho and graduated from Idaho Falls High School. In 1973, Mike graduated summa cum laude from Brigham Young University with a B.A. in political science. In 1977, he received his Juris Doctorate cum laude from Harvard Law School. Following graduation from law school, he served a one-year clerkship with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to his service in Congress, Mike was a partner in the Idaho Falls-based law firm of Holden, Kidwell, Hahn & Crapo.
Mike served in the Idaho State Senate from 1984 to 1992, and spent his final four years in the Idaho Legislature as Senate President Pro Tempore. Before being elected to the United States Senate in 1998, Mike also served three terms as the 2nd District Representative for Idaho in the U.S. House of Representatives (1993 – 1998).
Throughout his career, Mike has been at the forefront of the fight for the conservative policies and values that affect Idahoans and to protect our Idaho way of life. As the lead Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, Mike oversees tax reform, health care and trade issues. He seeks to reform the tax code to encourage private sector investments that will strengthen the economy and reduce the national debt.
Mike knows that a robust private sector – not more government spending – creates real economic opportunity for the families and small businesses in Idaho and our nation. He has fought to reduce excessive and wasteful government spending and has co-sponsored the Balanced Budget Amendment every year he has been in Congress. In the 117th congress, Mike has spearheaded Republican opposition to prevent the reckless tax and spending spree, also known as the Build Back Better Act.
As the highest-ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, Mike Crapo has been a leader in Congress in working to provide a tax code that is more simple, fair, and less costly to working families. He voted for the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that simplified the tax code by increasing the standard deduction, expanding family tax credits, and reducing tax rates for businesses and individuals. He has an A rating from the National Taxpayers Union.
Mike Crapo opposed Obama’s heath care plan and fought for its repeal and replacement. He has co-sponsored and advocated for legislation to fully repeal Obamacare. More recently, Mike has also opposed harmful federal COVID-19 mandates. He co-sponsored the Congressional Review Act, S.J. Res. 29, a joint congressional resolution of disapproval to formally nullify the U.S Department of Labor’s vaccine mandate for private businesses. As a two-time cancer survivor, Mike knows that patients, families and doctors need to be free of excessive government interference so they can have power over their personal healthcare choices.
Mike has always been a fierce advocate for Idaho’s interests in Washington D.C. He has opposed the attempts by Democrats to federalize U.S elections and voted to keep the senate filibuster, preserving the protection of Idaho’s autonomy from federal overreach. He has fought to maintain funding for the Idaho National Laboratory, which contributes over $3.5 billion to the state’s economy and is responsible for thousands of jobs in Idaho.
A committed conservative, Mike has an A+ rating with the National Rifle Association and an A rating with the Gun Owners of America for his record of protecting our Second Amendment rights. He has earned a 100% rating with the National Right to Life Committee and has been endorsed by Idaho Chooses Life. Mike continues to fight against the attempts to put President Biden’s open border policies into statute and limit his executive overreach.
Members of the Senate are responsible for introducing and voting on federal legislation, representing their state, and providing a check on executive power. Key powers include confirming presidential appointments, ratifying treaties, serving on committees, shaping the federal budget, and conducting impeachment trials. Each senator serves a six-year term and represents their entire state.