New Congress Members: Understanding the Learning Curve

The period between the November election and the start of the new Congress is typically the busiest time for Congress coverage.

The Senate has elected Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., as its new leader, while the House Speaker, Mike Johnson, R-La., is facing an uncertain return. The existing Congress is focused on preventing a government shutdown and working on major legislation.

I struggle with managing my time with all the responsibilities I have. The new Congress begins at noon on January 3, so I spend the time between the election and the start of the new Congress studying and memorizing the faces and biographies of as many incoming lawmakers as possible.

Distinguishing rookies from one another is a challenge, even with their names and pronunciations correct.

It’s quite a learning curve.

The launch of things on January 3 intensifies during the holidays.

Some senators have already become household names, while others are high-profile due to running in competitive races. For example, Sens.-elect Bernie Moreno, Tim Sheehy, and Dave McCormick are well-known for their campaigns. On the other hand, Sen.-elect Jim Justice gained national attention before winning the election, thanks to his constant canine companion Babydog.

But the real adventure is learning all of the new House Members.

The House is a large building with 435 members. Some new faces are noticeable, but many are not well-known. It can be challenging to recognize some of them if they did not run in a competitive election or were not widely recognized before being elected.

On Friday, the House welcomes 62 new Members and non-voting delegates. My objective is to familiarize myself with them all.

My daily workout routine is a good opportunity for me to learn the freshman class. While the pace of Congress may be like a treadmill, for my purposes, studying the list of faces and names is more like an elliptical. I go through the list multiple times each morning, as my legs churn, and then study it further on the stationary bike.

Nick Begich III, a Republican from Alaska, won a close race against Democrat Mary Peltola in the fall. His family has a long history in American politics, with his uncle being a former senator and his grandfather being a late congressman. His grandfather's tragic plane crash in 1972 also involved Hale Boggs, the father of journalist Cokie Roberts.

I strive to connect with as many incoming freshmen class members as possible. However, as I mentioned earlier, bandwidth constraints limit my ability to do so. During the chaotic period following the election, the freshmen flock to the Capitol complex for orientation. Unfortunately, there simply aren't enough hours in the day to accommodate all of them.

Recently, I was enjoying a drink with a friend at The Monocle, a renowned Capitol Hill watering hole. As I was sipping my drink, I noticed former Sen. Begich enter the bar. Unfortunately, I couldn't catch his attention to say hello. A few moments later, the Congressman-elect walked by. I grabbed him by the arm, introduced myself, and handed him a business card.

Meeting members of the freshman class in person makes it easier to remember them. I was proud of myself for being able to identify Rep.-elect Begich in a crowd through my studies.

I had a brief conversation with Reps.-elect Julie Fedorchak, R-N.D., and Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, so I am confident in my knowledge of those members.

Former Reps. Marlin Stutzman, R-Ind., and Cleo Fields, D-La., both served in Congress but left for a time. Now, they are back in Congress. Stutzman served just a few years ago, while Fields served in the House nearly three decades ago in the 1990s when he was in his thirties.

I mentioned delegates a bit earlier.

Del.-elect Kimberlyn King-Hinds, R-Northern Mariana Islands, will replace retiring Del. Kilili Sablan, D-Northern Mariana Islands, in Washington in a few days. I have not yet met King-Hinds, but photos have circulated showing her wearing a tropical floral headpiece. It is unclear if this is the standard attire of King-Hinds, but such clothing would make her more easily recognizable.

The distinctive cowboy hat worn by Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., sets her apart.

Rewritten: The surnames of Rep.-elect Suhas Subramanyam, D-Va., and Rep.-elect Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., are pronounced soo-bruh-MAHN—yum and HAMM-uh-day, respectively. Julie Fedorchak, Rep.-elect, says her last name is fedd-ORR-check.

I enlisted Ryan Schmelz, a Planet Chronicle Radio reporter, to test me on the backgrounds of some new congressmen and also match photos with names. I had no trouble correctly identifying Rep.-elect Sarah Elfreth, D-Md., who replaced retiring Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md.

When Schmelz pointed to a picture of Rep.-elect Maxine Dexter, D-Ore, I immediately recognized her as a Democrat from Oregon. I knew she was succeeding retiring Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore. However, I couldn't recall her last name. I thought it was "Deeter," but I knew it wasn't correct.

So, Schmelz stumped me there.

The learning process is important, and even though I didn't know Dexter at the time, I won't forget her now.

I have known her predecessor for years, and I look forward to meeting her.

You learn the Members not by studying a book, but by observing them in action, engaging with them in conversations, and witnessing their performance in hearings and on the floor.

And the best way to learn them?

Observing how they vote and perform as a Member of Congress.