One thing became apparent during the recent federal debt ceiling debate between Congress and the White House: Louisiana District 6 Rep. Garret Graves has emerged as a top negotiator in those budget talks.
LSU political science professor Robert Hogan says he is somewhat surprised to see Rep. Graves (R-Baton Rouge) in the middle of such critical negotiations given his congressional background.
“Given he isn’t someone who is part of the leadership team, or holds a major leadership role as a chair of a major budgetary or financial committee,” Hogan said.
Rep. Graves has been involved in discussions on raising the federal debt ceiling and whether to cut spending as the GOP wants or to fund some White House and Democratic Party priorities. Hogan says Rep. Graves has qualities that make his presence welcome at the negotiating table.
Hogan also says Rep. Graves has the trust of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
“Garret Graves has been a big supporter of McCarthy,” Hogan said. “A lot of politics comes down to trust; people you can believe in and you think will do right when the stakes are very high.”
Hogan characterizes Rep. Graves as legitimately conservative but moderate enough to make more progressive members of Congress feel comfortable.
“He’s someone who’s been aligned very closely with Trump and Trump voters,” Hogan said. “He also doesn’t have a lot of the ‘baggage’ and doesn’t say a lot of the sometimes outrageous statements that members of the Republican Party have said.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Graves continues to negotiate, as a new deadline of June 5 looms for resolving the issues of spending and raising the debt ceiling.
