Learning curve: new players in Congress

Once every two years, the period between the November election and the start of a new Congress is often the busiest time to cover Congress.

Reporters are trying to figure out who won the election and who lost. The existing Congress would be reinstated, trying to prevent a government shutdown and often considering other major legislation. Leadership elections are held frequently. For example, Sen. John Thune (R-Texas) defeated Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), defeating outgoing Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Fla.). He succeeded the Republican Party of Kentucky as the top candidate. Senate Republican leader. Thune will be sworn in as majority leader Friday afternoon. It remains to be seen how difficult House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) will face returning to the speaker’s office. It took former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) 15 rounds to claim the speaker’s gavel in 2023.

Time management is an issue for me because there is so much going on. The new Congress begins at noon on January 3rd. That’s why I spend the time between the election and the start of the new Congress learning, researching, and memorizing as many of the faces and backgrounds of the incoming members as possible.

It takes time. It’s hard to tell the newcomers apart. Remember the name and pronunciation correctly.

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It’s quite a learning curve.

This process intensifies during the holidays. This is the final preparation for the release on January 3rd.

Some people learn more easily than others. Sens. Andy Kim (D-Calif.) and Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) were household names in the House of Representatives before they became senators. In fact, they are already senators. Other new senators have garnered attention because they ran in competitive races. Consider Sens.-elect Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., and Dave McCormick, R-Pennsylvania. Sen.-elect Jim Justice (R-R.) did not face a tough battle in the Senate race. But before his victory, Justice’s national profile waned – as did his constant canine companion, Baby Dog.

But the real adventure is learning all the new congressmen.

The house is a huge place. 435 people. Several newcomers stand out in the House of Representatives. But much is unclear. And some of them are especially difficult to learn if you haven’t encountered any competitive racing or are relatively unknown.

The House begins Friday with 62 new members and non-voting delegates. My mission is to learn them all.

My daily training is a good opportunity for that. After all, the pace of Congress is like a treadmill. But for my purposes, learning for a freshman class is more like an elliptical. Every morning, with shaking legs, I go through the list of faces and names over and over again. I rotate every member of Congress at least twice. Then I take the list to the stationary bike and study it further there.

Some names stand out more than others. For example, Rep. Nick Begich III (R-Alaska) was well known before the election. He defeated Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) in a close race this fall. Additionally, his last name is deeply intertwined with American political history, most of which is associated with the Democratic Party. His uncle is former Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska. His grandfather, the late Rep. Nick Begich (D-Alaska), was killed in a 1972 plane crash with the late House Majority Leader Hale Boggs (D). Mr. Boggs is the father of the late ABC and NPR journalist Corky Roberts.

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I try to meet as many members of the freshman class as possible. However, as I mentioned before, bandwidth is limited. In this strange time after the election, all the new students descend on the Capitol for orientation. There aren’t enough hours in a day.

But a few weeks ago I was having drinks with a good friend at the legendary Capitol Hill watering hole, Monocle. I saw former Senator Begich come in, but I couldn’t bring myself to say hello. After a while, the next member of Congress passed by. I grabbed his arm, introduced myself, and gave him my business card.

Please believe me. It’s easier to remember new classes when you meet members in person. And based on my research, I was proud to be able to spot Congressman-elect Begich in the crowd.

Sen. Joe Manchin (I-WV) walks with staff along the East Front of the U.S. Capitol on June 5, 2024 in Washington, DC. Both chambers have one week less left in session as lawmakers travel to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy. (Photo provided by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images) (Kent Nishimura)

I took some time to chat with incoming Congressmen Julie Fedorchak (R-Ohio) and Dave Taylor (R-Ohio). So I’m sure I know the members very well.

Then there are those who left Congress and came back. So are former Representatives Marlin Stutzman, Republican of Indiana, and Cleo Fields, Republican of Louisiana. Mr. Stutzman served on the council several years ago and is back again. Mr. Fields served in the House of Representatives nearly 30 years ago in the 1990s when he was in his 30s.

I mentioned representatives earlier.

Kimberly King Hines, a Republican from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and a Democratic representative from the Northern Mariana Islands, will be coming to Washington as a freshman in a few days. She succeeds retiring Rep. Kiriri Sablan, D-N.M. I haven’t met King Hines yet. However, several photos that have surfaced show her wearing a headgear with a tropical floral print. I don’t know if that’s what King Hind always wears. But King Hines would be easier to recognize in such attire.

For example, the distinctive cowboy hat worn by Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson makes her stand out.

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Next is pronunciation. Not every name is as easy as incoming Rep. Tim Moore (RN.C.) or Rep.-elect Gabe Evans (R-Colo.). Try Representative-elect Suhas Subrahmanyam, a Democrat from Virginia. It’s pronounced “Sue-bul-maan.” Arizona Republican Rep.-elect Abe Hamade’s last name is pronounced “ham-u-day.” And the aforementioned Julie Fedorchak says her last name is fedd-ORR-check.

I asked Fox News Radio reporter Ryan Schmeltz to question some of the freshmen’s backgrounds and match photos to names. When Mr. Schmeltz showed me a photo of Congresswoman-elect Sarah Elfreth (D-Md.), I had no trouble guessing correctly. She will succeed retiring Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.).

But when Mr. Schmeltz pointed to a photo of incoming Oregon congresswoman Maxine Dexter, I tripped. I soon learned that the elected congresswoman’s name was “Maxine.” I was pretty sure she was a Democrat and from Oregon. I even knew who she was replacing: retiring Congressman Earl Blumenauer, D-N.C. But I didn’t know her last name. I wanted to say “Dieter.” But I knew that wasn’t right.

Democratic mule and Republican elephant statues in front of the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC (Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

So Schmerz puzzled me there.

But it’s a learning process. And even though I didn’t know Dexter at the time, I can assure you that I will never forget her.

And I’m looking forward to meeting her. I have known her predecessor for many years.

But frankly, you can’t learn about members by reading books. Learn by watching in the hall. Chat with them in the chairman’s lobby. Interact with them in interviews. We’ll see how they perform at the hearing. Watch how they handle themselves on the floor.

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And what would be the best way to learn them?

Observe how they vote and perform as legislators.