Boehner promises Arkansas GOP candidate a seat on Agriculture Committee

Republicans plan to give Arkansas House candidate Rick Crawford (R) a plum committee assignment if he beats Democrat Chad Causey.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (Ohio) on Tuesday pledged to help secure Crawford an assignment on the House Agriculture Committee, according to a statement released by the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC).

"Rick Crawford has my full support for a seat on the House Agriculture Committee," Boehner said. "I look forward to working with him, the Republican leadership and the members of the Steering Committee to place him on the committee at the earliest possible opportunity."

The assignment makes sense, as the economy of Arkansas's 1st district is overwhelmingly agriculture-based. But it's still an interesting pledge to flaunt, because until recently the NRCC had been hitting Causey for being a Washington "insider."

Causey used to work for Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.), who's retiring.

"Chad Causey is a Washington insider beholden to special-interest lobbyists and the Obama-Pelosi status quo," the NRCC said in a recent release.

So if Crawford wins and takes the committee assignment, does he become a Washington insider beholden to the Boehner-McConnell status quo?