A crash course in becoming a member of Congress: Veterans, doctors, farmers, firefighters, and musicians learn on the job in Washington

A new cohort of lawmakers will bring fresh air to the corridors of the Capitol this week. Over 100 new faces have been navigating the maze of buildings that make up the United States Congress since last Sunday, taking selfies at the landmark building and with their new colleagues.They are the new occupants of the offices reserved for federal legislators, who won their jobs at the ballot box on November 3 in the midterm elections. Through November 18 they will be attending classes to graduate as members of Congress.“It really is like high school — but it’s fun high school,” representative-elect Dan Koh (Democrat from Massachusetts) told the political outlet Roll Call. The back-to-school analogy has been repeated often since the lawmakers arrived in the nation’s capital on Sunday. This week and next they have a packed orientation schedule with briefings, seminars, office selection, lessons on team building, and how to navigate the labyrinthine halls at the political heart of the U.S.Many of the newcomers are part of the blue wave that swept the country, even in Republican strongholds long thought unwinnable. One of them is LaKesha Womack, newly elected representative for North Carolina’s 14th district. Since her victory she has not had time to plan her move; she still doesn’t know whether her 21-year-old son will join her in Washington. “I still have a lot of decisions to make. I’ll probably sit down with my family over the holidays to talk logistics and see what works best for us,” she told EL PAÍS by phone. Womack is one of the 28 Democrats who defeated Republican candidates in districts Donald Trump had won by double digits in 2024.There is no party-based separation during orientation, although this time Democrats are abundant. The 120th Congress will be sworn in on January 3 with a blue majority after they scored an overwhelming victory over the Republican Party in the midterms, the latter until now having controlled both chambers. In the House of Representatives, the Democratic Party is on track to win more than 250 of the 435 seats, a majority not seen in decades. Democrats also picked up at least seven Senate seats. Results in Alaska and Mississippi remain to be decided.“Almost everyone is late”Bobby Pulido, the Grammy-winning former singer who arrives in the House as the representative for Texas’s 15th district, began his political duties Wednesday by joining a press conference with other Democratic members in front of the Capitol to demand immigration reform. Pulido did not hide what bothered him most about his introduction to Washington. “What surprises me is that almost everyone is late to meetings. I’ve always been very punctual. I had a commitment before this [the press conference], they took 30 minutes to start and I had to leave, and it was pretty important. I’d love for everyone to be more punctual, because from what I see, that’s how things get done here,” he said.His colleague JoAnna Mendoza, elected from Arizona and who also attended the media event, told EL PAÍS that the orientation felt “chaotic” and she was surprised “that there are so many people, so many members-elect.” The number of new lawmakers attending orientation this year is the highest since 1933.The new freshmen at the Capitol arrive with very different backgrounds. “Our group will include veterans, doctors, lawyers, farmers, firefighters, musicians, and law enforcement officers; we also have a crisis negotiator. I believe their varied backgrounds and experiences will further strengthen our group and our country,” said House Democratic Caucus leader Pete Aguilar at a Tuesday press conference. “I look forward to seeing how each of them brings their perspective to shaping our legislative priorities and ensuring our agenda reflects the will of the American people,” he added.They’re not talking policy yet, however. “For now, they’re simply making sure we know our roles, how to set up our offices, and how to be prepared to be good representatives. It’s a lot of information to absorb at once. It’s almost like going from being a sole proprietor to running a small business with several employees,” Womack, who until now worked as a consultant for her own firm, explained. “Everyone is very excited to be here. Those already in office have welcomed us with open arms. They’ve been very helpful and we’re looking forward to working together over the next two years.”One of the things the new lawmakers will learn in the coming days is the budget available to hire their staff, for which they can employ up to 18 people. They’ll also be assigned an office from those vacated by retiring lawmakers or those who lost their races.In the House of Representatives, returning members have priority to choose among vacant offices. To allocate the remainder, a lottery is held in which each representative draws a number from a wooden box. The ceremony usually has a festive air and representatives cheer or lament the order in which they choose offices. The current drawing system is a modernized version of a tradition that began in 1908. In the Senate there is no lottery; offices are assigned by seniority.Although pre-election polling had predicted a Democratic victory, the outcome exceeded the party’s own expectations. Some of the newcomers to Washington packed hurriedly because the win caught them off guard. “I think there’s a lot of folks who didn’t expect us to,” said representative-elect Sam Forstag (Democrat from Montana) on Monday. “Nobody knew who we were this past December when I was still working at the smoke jumper base in Missoula,” he noted.Forstag is the first Democratic congressman from Montana in 30 years, succeeding Republican representative Ryan Zinke, who is retiring. He won by more than three points in a district where Trump carried a double-digit margin two years ago.Over these two weeks, the members-elect will receive an intensive course on what they can expect over the next two years. Upon arrival they already had to face new challenges, such as dealing with journalists. Many of them would have gone unnoticed just days earlier.“I googled a congressman’s salary”“I’m the mayor of a small town in a fairly large district. Nobody knew who I was,” Zack Mullock, elected from New Jersey and until now the mayor of Cape May, admitted on Sunday. “I know less than any other elected official in that building,” he told CNN outside the Capitol. “I had to Google the salary of a congressperson just two days ago,” he joked to reporters.Beyond the work, the lawmakers have already begun forging bonds with their new colleagues. “I was hanging out with Donavan McKinney (Michigan) yesterday in orientation, and I’m just really excited to meet all the amazing people. Micah Lasher (New York), we were hanging out last night. Jacqui Irwin, so we’re just trying to get to know each other,” representative-elect Brad Lander, a Democrat from New York, told Roll Call.“They’ve got a packed agenda for us all week, really helping us figure out how to get started. Build our team, set course, understand where the bathrooms are — large and small. We got a lot to learn,” Lander said.One of the midterms’ stars, senator-elect from Texas James Talarico, who beat Republican candidate Ken Paxton with 55% of the vote and helped flip a traditionally red state, shared a photo shaking hands with Senator John Cornyn. “(Cornyn) has served our state honorably, and I’m grateful for his advice and guidance. Now is the time for us to come together — Democrats and Republicans — to deliver for Texas,” he wrote on Monday on his X account. Cornyn, who has held a Senate seat since 2002, lost his party primary to Paxton.Emulating the many tourists who visit D.C.’s monuments, representatives posed for photos in front of the Capitol. Lasher, among others, posted a photo on his social accounts on Monday with the dome topped by the Statue of Freedom in the background and the caption “Excited to be here in Washington kicking off new member orientation. Let’s get to work!”Over the next two years, the new members of Congress will split their time between their usual homes and Washington. Beyond tips on the Capitol and the inner workings of Congress, the newcomers appreciate other colleagues’ recommendations. “I’ve been trying to figure out restaurants. I know Busboys and Poets is one of my favorites; someone also recommended Ben’s Chili Bowl and a couple of other spots I didn’t write down, but I’ll definitely start keeping a list,” Womack says.Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition