Earlier this month Virginia voters sent three new politicians to represent them in Washington. For most, their terms won’t start until January, but they’ve been busy learning how to be a member of one of the most exclusive bodies on earth.
Elections are exhausting, but for the victors the grueling schedule doesn’t stop on Election Day. They have mere days to spend time with their families, catch up on sleep and thank big donors before being whisked to Washington to learn the ways of the town they just ran against.
Orientation for newly elected lawmakers ranges from seemingly simple things, like how to cast a vote - or even find a restroom - to the serious, like, say avoiding jail time. Don Beyer, the incoming freshman from the eight district, says Washington is strikingly different than Richmond.
“It is very different but it’s fun and interesting. And the rules are so different for example from the Virginia Senate. And even though they both cite Thomas Jefferson’s rules but still, very different process.”
Beyer, a Democrat, used to be Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. “Well one of the biggest things is that -- now I’ve not been in a real debate here yet -- but I understand that people come and vote and leave. And most individual presentations are limited to a minute, or sometimes five minutes. And so you don’t get four hundred and thirty five members in their seats listening to people who debate having to change their mind. As opposed to the Virginia Senate or the Virginia House where the debate is a huge part of how legislation moves forward.”
After David Bratt upset former Majority Leader Eric Cantor in the G-O-P primary, Cantor resigned to give Bratt a leg up over other incoming freshmen. Because it was a special election Bratt has now been sworn in - that means he’s going to orientation meetings and casting votes on the House floor.
“And so, yeah, it’s a lot to work on right out of the chute but, yeah I love it. It’s great.”
Bratt, a professor, says he’s been struck by some of the rules he’s had to learn on the fly.
“Oh I just think all of the ethics rules, it’s surprising how complex they are. They’re fairly well thought through. And so you gotta just keep… there’s all these pieces you got to keep separate, right? The official side. The campaign side. And so there’s a lot of new… it’s a whole new world. You gotta sort through all the rules and do the right thing.”
Incoming Northern Virginia Republican Congresswoman Barbara Comstock says it’s been a whirlwind to go from the campaign trail to the Capitol’s marble halls. She worked on the Hill for the man she’s replacing, Republican Congressman Frank Wolf, but she says it’s totally different to go from staffer to lawmaker.
“Well it still is all new as a member. So you have lots to learn. Listening. Learning and figuring it all out.”
Incoming freshmen now have to hire up to 18 staffers and set up their offices while learning the ropes. Comstock says it’s never ending.“It’s a lot of logistics -- setting up our district office, setting up our office here in Washington, a lot of the technical things. Picking out our office.”
Freshmen lawmakers are the new kids on the block in Congress - a body where seniority matters. They learn that in the office lottery where there 57 open offices. Comstock, along with her fellow freshmen, were all hoping to draw number one. Things don’t always turn out as one hopes though.
“Ms. Comstock, number 57.”
Comstock is taking it in stride though. “I’m last, yes. It’s great to be here. Any office is great.”
Comstock says she’s following in the footsteps of a fellow Virginia Republican.
“It’s a Virginia tradition. Robert Hurt got it back in 2010. I tell people my first job here I was working in the House annex two. And I was delighted to work there and I’ll be happy with whatever office we end up with.”
Beyer faired a little better with office number 36. But freshman Congressman Brat is sitting pretty: he won a special election so he was moved ahead of the fifty seven others in picking offices. That gives at least one new Virginia lawmaker a leg up in Washington.