Frank meet with Congressman Donald Blythe ( Reed Birney ) , a committed progressive liberal who have long pushed for education reform , with whom the Walker administration want to work on a bill . Frank dismiss his proposal as too ambitious and ask him to rewrite it . Frank secretly pass a copy of Blythe ’ s proposal to Zoe . He then meet with Senator Catherine Durant ( Jayne Atkinson ) and suggest that she ought to consider seeking the nomination for Secretary of State . He also privately confront Congressman Russo about his arrest and checkered history of substance abuse and soliciting prostitutes , and demand Russo ’ s loyalty in exchange for making the incident disappear .