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New Congress Members Acclimate in DC 11/11 06:14
More than 100 newly elected members of Congress are arriving in Washington
this week for the start of freshmen orientation -- the crush of new Democrats,
many bringing a new sense of urgency after the party's sweep of the midterm
elections, and the slim new class of freshmen Republicans.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Rep.-elect LaKesha Womack, a community organizer who
stunned her own Democratic Party by defeating a well-known North Carolina
Republican on her shoestring $56,000 campaign budget, said she's excited to
arrive in Washington and show what's possible.
Rep.-elect Brian Poindexter said his win over incumbent GOP Rep. Max Miller
ensures Ohio remains a very competitive swing state.
And Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot in New Jersey who said
she's spent her whole life "trying to find the biggest, hardest problem to
throw myself at," was ready to give Congress a try. "There's always the
unknown."
They were among more than 100 newly elected members of Congress arriving in
Washington this week for the start of freshmen orientation -- the crush of new
Democrats, many bringing a new sense of urgency after the party's sweep of the
midterm elections, and the slim new class of freshmen Republicans.
"People were just looking for somebody who's going to listen to them," said
Womack, who said she won by simply showing up and talking with voters.
"I'm a single mom and so I know what it's like to have to live on a budget
and figure out how am I going to feed my family," she said. "And that's what
people want to fight for them in Washington right now."
New-member orientation creates an unusual mash-up on Capitol Hill, as the
newcomers are arriving and the exiting lawmakers begin to clear out, all in
preparation for the peaceful transfer of power on Jan. 3, when lawmakers are
sworn in and the new Congress begins.
This week's orientation includes training sessions and ritzy receptions for
the newcomers, and for the defeated or those retiring it's the start of
figuring out what's next. Briefing rooms are filled with information about
office setup, payroll and benefits, and there's a room to take official
portraits.
It's also the time for the House and Senate to hold internal party elections
for their new leaders, ahead of a public vote in January for the speaker of the
House.
"I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can and being the best
representative I can be for my district," said Poindexter as he arrived at the
nearby Navy Yard hotel where lawmakers converged.
Selfies, besties and tough votes ahead
The Capitol was a changed place as the members-elect started meeting up with
their colleagues and getting to know their way around the place.
Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan was swarmed by young people in the
Capitol basement, taking pictures with the progressive star who is also the
first Muslim in the Senate.
Texas Sen.-elect James Talarico paid a visit to the outgoing Texas
Republican Sen. John Cornyn, who lost his own primary for reelection. President
Donald Trump backed Cornyn's rival, Ken Paxton, who was defeated.
"I'm so grateful for his advice and his guidance as I try to fill his big
shoes," Talarico said of Cornyn as he walked through the Senate between
orientation events. He said he wants to meet with Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of
Texas as well.
And Sen.-elect Juliana Stratton of Illinois snapped a photo with new
Democratic senators-elect including Talarico, El-Sayed, Annie Andrews, Roy
Cooper, Peggy Flanagan, Josh Turek and others.
"First Freshmen Senator selfie! Couldn't ask for a better team," she posted
as the caption.
Among them was former Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown, who defeated Republican Sen.
Jon Husted, a Trump-backed favorite, for a comeback. Brown was in the Senate
for 18 years before he lost two years ago to GOP Sen. Bernie Moreno, but he
still joined his freshmen colleagues for their orientation.
"I've actually learned some things," said Brown, who was celebrating his
74th birthday on Monday. "I've gotten to know my colleagues."
Leadership elections test the new members
One of the first decisions the incoming lawmakers will make happens even
before they're sworn into office, as they huddle with their parties in private
meetings to choose House and Senate leadership.
Congressional offices are being bombarded with phone calls and social media
messages pushing Democrats to dump their current choices -- House Democratic
Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer -- in favor
of a fresh start.
Jeffries scoffed when questioned Monday if he had support-- the typically
low-key leader flashing confidence he would have the votes. He is on track to
make history as the nation's first Black American to become speaker of the
House.
Progressive lawmakers, in particular, are agitating for change reflective of
voters' sweeping turnout for Democrats, especially in the Senate. Sens. Bernie
Sanders of Vermont and Elissa Slotkin of Michigan announced they would not
support Schumer.
Sen.-elect Chris Pappas, D-N.H. -- who was darting back and forth between
his day job as an outgoing member of the House and his new one as an incoming
senator -- said their class is "a new generation of leadership that wants to do
things differently and shake up Washington."
He said he wants to meet with Schumer and will later decide who he will
support, if anyone challenges him.
Republicans chose their new leaders after House Speaker Mike Johnson decided
to step aside following the party's election defeat. Ohio Rep. Jim Jordon won
the race against the No. 2 Republican Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana to become
the minority leader, continuing a rivalry stretching to 2023, before Johnson
rose to power.
Senate Republicans tapped Sen. John Thune of South Dakota to stay on as
leader, despite those agitating for a change.
A diverse new class arrives
As the week began, the House Chaplain Margaret Kibben opened Monday's
session with a prayer, "some of us enjoying victories and others enduring
disheartening defeats."
On the Democratic side, the new Congress will see many milestones --
Flanagan will be the first Native American female U.S. senator, Pappas the
first gay male senator, and more.
Rep. Suzan DelBene, the House Democrats' campaign chief, called the party's
candidates "all very unique."
"We had firefighters, ministers, mayors, veterans, teachers, farmers,
prosecutors, union leaders, law enforcement, doctors, journalists and even a
Grammy award-winning musician," she said earlier.
"They understand that their job title is representative, not rubber stamp."
Johnson, the outgoing speaker, hosted a reception in the Capitol's stately
Statuary Hall for the House Republicans, whose shrinking numbers left the party
lopsided, their minority made up of mostly white men.
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