Meet the freshman class: Congress' new members include 13 women of color, the 1st Gen Z lawmaker, and some familiar faces
The 118th Congress begins on Tuesday.
There will be 82 new lawmakers – 75 in the House and seven in the Senate.
Here's a look at the incoming freshman class.
A bunch of new faces will arrive at the Capitol on Tuesday to take their oaths of office as the 118th Congress begins.
The incoming freshman class includes 82 members – 75 in the House and seven in the Senate. They're broken down into 45 Republicans and 37 Democrats.
Here is a look at the new group:
A record number of women
The 118th Congress is shaping up to be the most diverse ever.
A record 149 women will serve, making up almost 28% of the legislative body and expanding the current count by two, according to data compiled by Rutgers' Center for American Women and Politics.
Among them are 22 new House members and one new senator, Republican Katie Britt of Alabama. Britt is one of eight newly-elected GOP women. The other 15 women are Democrats.
More diversity
Thirteen House freshmen are women of color – seven Latina, five Black and one Asian American – strengthening diversity in the lower chamber.
Oregon elected its first two Latinas to Congress: Republican Lori Chavez-DeRemer and Democrat Andrea Salinas. Democrats Yadira Caraveo and Delia Ramirez will also be the first Latinas of Colorado and Illinois, respectively. Democrat Summer Lee will be the first Black woman to represent Pennsylvania.
Democrat Becca Balint will be the first woman and first openly LGBTQ person to serve from Vermont. The northeastern state was the last of all 50 to send a woman to Washington.
Other firsts
The men of the freshman class are also bringing historic firsts to Congress. George Santos of New York, who's recently faced widespread scrutiny over lying about parts of his resume, is the first openly gay non-incumbent Republican elected to Congress.
Juan Ciscomani will be the first Latino Republican from Arizona. Democrat Robert Garcia of California will be the first openly LGBTQ immigrant in Congress. Democrat Shri Thanedar will be the first Indian-American from Michigan. Markwayne Mullin, a Republican, will be the first Native American to serve in the Senate in almost two decades.
Young newcomers
And the new lawmakers skew younger than their soon-to-be colleagues. According to Insider's "Red, White, and Gray" series released last fall, which explored how American leaders are the oldest they've ever been, only 5% of members of Congress are under the age of 40. Nearly 21% of the newcomers are younger than 40.
JD Vance, an Ohio Republican, will join incumbent Sen. Mark Ossoff, a Georgia Democrat, as the only senators in their 30s.
The new Congress will also welcome its first Gen Z member, Democrat Maxwell Frost of Florida, who is 25 years old.
First-timers
For many newcomers, Tuesday's swearing-in marks the start of their political careers.
Vance, the incoming Ohio senator, was a venture capitalist widely known for his memoir about growing up in Appalachia, "Hillbilly Elegy."
Democrat Eric Sorensen, a longtime meteorologist, retired from TV shortly before announcing a run for Congress in Illinois.
Republican Mark Alford, who'll be representing Missouri, is another former TV newscaster turned politician.
Anna Paulina Luna, the first Mexican-American woman from Florida elected to Congress, is an Air Force veteran.
Some government experience
Yet a slew of new lawmakers already have some government experience and are embarking on their next journey in Washington.
Britt, the incoming Alabama senator, is replacing her former boss, retiring Sen. Richard Shelby. She previously served as his chief of staff, on his campaign, and as his press secretary.
Another former staffer joining Congress is Ciscomani of Arizona, who was a senior advisor for Gov. Doug Ducey.
A familiar face returning to the nation's capital is Ryan Zinke, who represented Montana in the House from 2015 to 2017 before becoming former President Donald Trump's interior secretary. Zinke resigned from that job in 2019 after he was embroiled in several ethics scandals. Now, he'll be a Montana representative again.
Incoming New York congressman Dan Goldman is an attorney who served as Democrats' lead counsel in Trump's first impeachment inquiry.
House to Senate
For some freshmen, Congress has been their workplace, and they're just moving offices.
Three newbies are House members turned senators: Mullin of Oklahoma, Ted Budd of North Carolina, and Peter Welch of Vermont.
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