Raul Labrador, A Rising Republican/Conservative Star?

Another newby that came up in the Tea Party image in 2010. Much like Sen. Rubio, Labrador believes in the Constitution.

Excerpt: Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), less than two years in office, quickly made a national mark by shining a bright light on the deeply troubling case of Operation Fast and Furious, the gun-running scandal that led to the murder of Border Agent Brian Terry in Arizona in December 2009.

The lawyer from Eagle, Idaho, who has called for the resignation of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, has a message for the moderators at the Feb. 22 debate: Address the scandal and start a national discussion about the issue. “I would ask [the presidential candidates] what would they do to remedy the damage of ‘Fast and Furious’ and regain the confidence of the American people,” Labrador said in an interview with HUMAN EVENTS.

Labrador, who has tweeted before all recent debates for the networks to address ‘Fast and Furious’, wants the issue to be discussed nationally. Of the 18 presidential debates to date, Operation Fast and Furious was discussed only once.

He blames media coddling of President Barack Obama. “The mass media don’t want there to be any scandals in the Obama administration,” Labrador said. “If this were a Republican administration, this would be on the top of the news every single night until there were answers or until … heads rolled.” Labrador said that the Obama administration should never have participated in Operation Fast and Furious, but the apparent cover-up may be a greater scandal than the actual operation.

Labrador, an Eagle Scout, is an example of what can happen when preparation meets opportunity on the national stage, and a greater role for him may be as an ambassador to the public for conservatism that Republicans sorely need, which would be fitting because the last two such figures—Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp—directly influenced Labrador. Reagan won over Labrador’s mother, a Democrat, and Labrador was influenced by Kemp’s ability to articulate a conservative message that brought more people into the Republican coalition.

“You should never, ever, ever give up on your beliefs and compromise on your principles,” Labrador said. “But you should find a way to speak in a way that appeals to moderates and independents.”

In a party that has been looking for heirs to wear the Reagan-Kemp mantle, Labrador is one to watch.

Read full Human Events article here.