Many voters were looking for new faces and fresh ideas in Congress, and from the looks of the 2007 freshman class they’ll be getting that and more. Newcomers include a social worker from New Hampshire, a Montana farmer missing three fingers, an auto dealer from Sarasota, and a businessman who was a flop in the NFL.
These congressional upstarts will have their own brand of homegrown flair.
Sen.-elect Jon Tester of Montana sports a flattop haircut and had to borrow a tie on election night to celebrate his victory over three-term Sen. Conrad Burns. Tester lost three fingers years ago in a meat-grinding accident in his family’s butcher shop. He campaigned on ethics reform and ran ads attacking trade agreements for putting “our jobs and the viability of family farms and ranches across Montana in jeopardy.”
Former Navy secretary Jim Webb of Virginia is a decorated Vietnam veteran and best-selling novelist. His son is serving in Iraq, and Webb wore a pair of his combat boots during his campaign. In the Wall Street Journal recently Webb argued that “America’s top tier has grown infinitely richer and more removed over the past 25 years.” He added, “It should be the first order of business for the new Congress to begin addressing these divisions, and to work to bring true fairness back to economic life.”
From the NFL to the Capitol
Heath Shuler was a sad-sack quarterback for the Washington Redskins and New Orleans Saints before building a successful career in real estate. He was elected Nov. 7 to the House from North Carolina. Like Tester, he is anti-abortion and pro-gun and opposes trade agreements that he says have led to a 78 percent loss in textile industry jobs in his state.
Vern Buchanan is an auto dealer who never previously sought public office. He won one of the closest races in the nation, taking the Florida congressional seat held by Katherine Harris.
Overall, Congress will have its largest crop of women ever – 16 in the Senate and at least 71 in the House.
Rep.-elect Nancy Boyda upset incumbent and legendary track star Jim Ryun in Kansas. She previously held management positions in the pharmaceutical industry and campaigned on jobs, health care and to help family farmers. Carol Shea-Porter, a social worker from a large family in New Hampshire, said her campaign theme was “I’m running for the rest of us.” Her goal in Congress is to “serve the hardworking families” of her state.
Yvette Clarke is a daughter of Jamaican immigrants who succeeded her mother on the New York City Council. Clarke is a strong opponent of the Iraq war and wants a “humane immigration policy.”
Mary Fallin of Oklahoma was raised by Democratic parents but is a conservative Republican who defeated five primary opponents. She supports gun rights but created a program to distribute free gun locks to protect children. A former real estate broker, she became the first woman lieutenant governor in Oklahoma in 1994.
Newcomers do have experience
Traditionalists needn’t worry that colorful backgrounds will dominate the new Congress. Most of the newcomers are experienced politicians who rose from the ranks of lower office. The Colorado newbies – Ed Perlmutter and Doug Lamborn – are perfect examples as lawyers who served as committee chairs in the state Senate.
Many of the Democratic newcomers are socially conservative and economic populists, likely to influence how their party deals with issues such as abortion, taxes and gun control. Perhaps as a measure of the Democratic renaissance, in 1994 when the party last controlled Congress, gun control was a central focus of their domestic agenda. Heading into the new Congress, the issue hasn’t been mentioned.
On tough issues ranging from Iraq to the environment, we hope the newcomers in the 110th Congress will contribute realism and common sense to the great debates of our time.
