Learning Curve: New Players in Congress

Every two years, the period between the November elections and when the new parliament begins. This is often the busiest time to cover Congress.

Reporters are trying to figure out who won the election and who lost. The existing Congress is back. By trying to prevent a government shutdown. and often violates other important laws. There are often leadership elections. For example, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., defeated Sens. John Cornyn, R-Tex., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., to succeed the minority leader. of Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as the top GOP leader in the Senate, Thune begins as majority leader on Friday afternoon. We still don’t know how much House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will struggle to return to the Speaker’s suite. It took former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., 15 rounds before he Grab the speaker’s gavel in 2023.

Time management is an issue for me with so much going on. The new Congress begins at noon on January 3, so I took the time between the election and the start of the new Congress to learn, study, and memorize as many faces and biographies as I could of the incoming lawmakers. possible

It takes a long time It was a challenge to tell some of the newbies apart. Even if the name and pronunciation are correct.

VICTORIA SPARTZ REPRESENTATIVE CALLS SPEAKER ‘GUARANTEE’ JOHNSON ‘WON’T SELL US OUT IN THE SWAMP’

It was quite a learning curve.

This process intensifies during the holidays. It’s the final step in launching things on January 3rd.

Some are easier to learn than others. Sens. Andy Kim, D-N.J., and Adam Schiff, D-Calif., were household names in the House before joining the Senate. They actually became senators. Other new senators They’re famous because they’re running against each other. Think Sens.-elect Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., and Dave McCormick, R-Penn. Sen.-elect Jim Justice, R-W.V., isn’t. Facing challenging competition to join the Senate But Justice cut national fame before he won. Just like his canine companion, Baby Dog.

But the real adventure is learning all the new council members.

BURBANK, CA – MARCH 4: Democratic Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) speaks during the Get Out The Vote conference at IATSE Local 80 on March 4, 2024 in Burbank, California. Schiff continues campaigning ahead of the Super Tuesday primary election on March 5. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The house is a huge place with 435 people. Some new faces stand out in the house. But many are vague. And it’s especially difficult to learn something if you don’t have competition or little is known about it.

The council started with 62 new members and non-voting delegates on Friday. My mission is to learn them all.

My daily exercise routine is a great opportunity for this. In the end The pace of the Congress is like a treadmill. But for my purposes The first year of study was more like an elliptical. I looked at the list of faces and names over and over. As my legs stir every morning I circulated the names of all council members at least twice. Then I carry the list to a stationary bicycle and study further there.

Some names are more prominent than others. For example, Rep.-elect Nick Begich III, R-Alaska, was well-known before the election. He defeated Sen. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, in a close race in the fall. This, moreover, his last name is steeped in American political history. But most of it has to do with the Democrats. His uncle is former Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska. His grandfather, the late Sen. Nick Begich, D-Alaska, died in a 1972 plane crash with Leader Hale Boggs. The majority in the House of Representatives has passed away. Boggs is the father of the late ABC and NPR journalist Cokie Roberts.

Trump gave Johnson his “full and complete endorsement” ahead of his speaker battle.

I try to meet as many members of my freshman class as possible. But as I wrote before. Bandwidth is limited All the freshmen descended on the Parliament building during this fun time after the election for orientation. There aren’t enough minutes in the day.

But I was having drinks with a good friend at The Monocle, a legendary Capitol Hill watering hole, a few weeks ago when I saw former Sen. Begich walk in — but couldn’t get over the greeting. A few minutes later The elected members of parliament also walked past. I grabbed his arm, introduced myself, and handed him my business card.

Trust me: It’s easier to remember your freshman class if you meet the members in person. And I prided myself on being able to pick out Begich’s representative from a crowd – based on my studies.

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) walks with officials on the east front of the U.S. Capitol on June 5, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Both houses of Congress have had a short week. Members will travel to France to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) (Kent Nishimura)

I spent a little time talking with Reps.-elect Julie Fedorchak, R.N.D., and Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, so I’m confident in knowing those members.

People have left Congress and have returned. Such is the case with former Sens. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., and Cleo Fields, D-La. Stutzman served in Congress a few years ago and is returning. Fields served in the home nearly three decades ago in the 1990s, when he was in his thirties.

I mentioned the attendees a little earlier.

Del.-elect Kimberlyn King-Hinds of the R-Northern Mariana Islands. Coming to Washington as a freshman in just a few days. She succeeded Retiring Del. Kilili Sablan, D-Northern Mariana Islands. I haven’t met King-Hinds yet, but several photos that have passed show her wearing a tropical floral headpiece. I don’t know if King-Hinds wears that all the time. But such a costume will make it easier to recognize King-Hinds.

For example, the iconic cowboy hat worn by Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., makes her stand out.

Germany accuses Elon Musk tried to interfere in a national election.

Then there’s the pronunciation. Not every name is as easy as Rep.-elect Tim Moore, R.N.C., or Rep.-elect Gabe Evans, R-Colo. Try Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va. Pronounced su-bruh-mahn- Yum The last name of Rep.-elect Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., is pronounced HAMM-uh-day, and the aforementioned Julie Fedorchak said her last name is fedd-ORR-check

I enlisted Fox News Radio reporter Ryan Schmelz to answer questions about the backgrounds of some first-year students. Including matching photos with names. I had no trouble guessing correctly when Schmelz showed me a photo of Rep. Sarah Elfreth, D-Md. She successfully retired Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md.

But I was struck when Schmelz pointed to a picture of Rep.-elect Maxine Dexter, D-Ore. I immediately knew the elected congresswoman’s name was “Maxine.” I was sure she was a Democrat and Hailed from Oregon I even know who she succeeds: retired Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Orr., but I don’t get the last name. I wanted to say “Dieter,” but I knew it wasn’t right.

Statues of the Democratic Mule and Republican Elephant in front of the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. (Vision of America/International Image Group via Getty Images)

So Schmelz left me speechless there.

But that is the learning process. Even though I didn’t know Dexter at the time. But you can bet I won’t forget you now.

and waiting to meet you I have known her ancestors for many years.

But really, you can’t really learn members from reading books. You learn them from seeing them in the hall. Talk to them in the speaker lobby. Interact with them in interviews. See how they did at trial. You look at how they handle themselves on the floor.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

And the best way to learn?

Observe how to vote and conduct yourself as a member of Congress.