Republicans will have almost the same razor-thin majority in the House when the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3, but the composition will look quite different in many ways. Due to flipped seats and a wave of retirements, there will be more than 60 new House lawmakers walking the halls of Congress come next year.
In the Senate, 12 new members will be sworn in as Democrats prepare to give up control to the Republicans, four of whom are Republicans who flipped blue seats.
It took more than two weeks for the makeup of the new Congress to come into view, with three races still not yet called as of Tuesday. But members have already begun to get their bearings on Capitol Hill. The Washington Examiner interviewed more than two dozen during freshman orientation in November.
Here is a list of every new member in the House and the Senate as Republicans take unified control of Washington.
Nick Begich (AK-At Large)
Nick Begich will assume Alaska’s only House seat after defeating Democratic incumbent Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK). Begich previously ran for the seat in 2020 and 2022 but lost. However, Alaska’s ranked choice voting system yielded a result in Begich’s favor this time around. Begich comes from a long line of politicians — his grandfather represented Alaska in the House, and his uncle, Mark, was a senator for Alaska.
Abraham Hamadeh (AZ-08)
Abraham Hamadeh, 33, won the race to succeed Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ), who is retiring after holding the seat for nearly six years. Hamadeh won after surviving a crowded GOP primary earlier this year, defeating other prominent candidates such as Blake Masters, who previously ran for Senate in 2022. Hamadeh won with the endorsement of both President-elect Donald Trump and Kari Lake, who unsuccessfully ran for Senate this year.
Jeff Hurd (CO-03)
Jeff Hurd will fill the seat once held by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) before she switched districts. He defeated Democratic candidate Adam Frisch, who nearly won the district in 2022. A political newbie, Hurd has spent much of his life working as an attorney and small business owner. Although he had never run for office before, Hurd said he wanted to create better job opportunities for those in rural Colorado to ensure that children growing up in the state aren’t forced to leave to find something better.
What Hurd says: “I joke that I hadn’t even run for dog catcher before, but I decided to run for Congress because I felt like rural Colorado, which is most of my district, is being left behind. And I heard it said that our greatest export are our kids — they grow up and they leave and they don’t come back. And I thought we had an opportunity here to advance good public policy that would help create more jobs and opportunities so that families in rural Colorado could succeed and thrive.”
Jeff Crank (CO-05)
Jeff Crank will succeed Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO), who announced he would retire from the seat earlier this year. Crank, a political consultant and talk radio host, has only run for office once before in 2006 but lost in the GOP primary to Lamborn. Crank emerged from the crowded Republican primary this year, defeating Colorado GOP Chairman Dave Williams, who was endorsed by Trump. The president-elect later endorsed Crank in the general election. Crank cited his unsuccessful campaign nearly 20 years ago as being part of his decision to run again, noting Lamborn called him when he retired to encourage him to run.
What Crank says: “I think the timing was right. I look at the opportunity that the Republicans have right now, I almost am thankful that it worked out the way that it did. This is an amazing opportunity that we have with Republican control of the White House, the House, and the Senate to really advance our agenda. So just timing, I think, is the difference.”
Gabe Evans (CO-08)
Gabe Evans will take control of Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, flipping the seat into GOP control after defeating Democratic incumbent Rep. Yadira Caraveo (D-CO). Evans’s win was a major victory for House Republicans as they hold on to their historically slim majority. Evans is relatively new to the political scene, first taking office in the Colorado House of Representatives in 2022. Before that, he served in the Colorado National Guard.
Mike Haridopolos (FL-08)
Mike Haridopolos will replace the retiring Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL) after the incumbent encouraged the GOP political consultant and educator to take his place in Florida’s 8th District. Haridopolos has a political history in the Sunshine State, serving in both the state House and Senate. Haridopolos even served as the president of the state Senate for two years. Haridopolos’s win marks a political comeback for the Republican lawmaker, who says he hopes to use his knowledge and experience to deliver on the GOP agenda.
What Haridopolos says: “I think the great advice that my predecessor Bill Posey told me, and I tried to implore when I was in the state Senate, and that is to be a great listener. Too many people are trying to talk over each other. What we need to do is focus on a few things instead of trying to do a lot of things.”
Brian Jack (GA-03)
Brian Jack will begin his political career replacing Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-GA), who announced he would not seek reelection last year. Although he has not held elected office before, Jack is no stranger to the political realm. Jack previously worked in the Trump administration as the special assistant to the president and deputy White House political director before being promoted to political director after the 2018 midterm elections. Jack later joined Trump’s 2024 campaign as a key adviser.
Marlin Stutzman (IN-03)
Marlin Stutzman won the race for Indiana’s 3rd District, which became an open seat after Sen.-elect Jim Banks (R-IN) opted to run for the Senate. Stutzman’s victory will allow him to return to Congress to represent the seat he previously held from 2010 to 2017. Stutzman won the seat after narrowly surviving a competitive GOP primary earlier this year, eking out a victory over Tim Smith by just 1,307 votes.
Jefferson Shreve (IN-06)
Jefferson Shreve will succeed Rep. Greg Pence (R-IN), who is retiring from Congress after holding the seat for three terms. Shreve is a newbie to the national political stage, although he has experience serving on the Indianapolis City-County Council. Shreve was a business owner before selling his self-storage company for nearly $600 million to Extra Space Storage in 2022. Since then, Shreve has poured much of his wealth into politics and tried his hand at a mayoral bid in 2023, which he lost to incumbent Joe Hogsett.
Mark Messmer (IN-08)
Mark Messmer, who has spent more than a decade in state office, won the seat to replace the retiring Rep. Larry Buschon (R-IN) in a decisive victory. Messmer previously worked in both the Indiana state House and Senate, serving as the latter’s majority leader from 2018 to 2022.
What Messmer says: “My demeanor is much more of a workhorse, a logical thinker, and problem solver, and so I would do my best to avoid the drama and make sure that I’m not part of the drama.”
Derek Schmidt (KS-02)
Derek Schmidt will succeed outgoing Rep. Jake LaTurner (R-KS), who announced earlier this year he would not run for another term. Schmidt has decades of political experience in the Sunflower State, serving in the state Senate for 10 years before being elected as attorney general in 2011. Schmidt pointed to his experience as attorney general, noting it will give him a unique perspective to help guide his tenure in the House.
What Schmidt says: “Each of us who has the opportunity to serve in Congress brings our own experience. That’s the beauty of the place. … I think that will give me a perspective that isn’t otherwise represented in the House in terms of how state and federal law can intersect, the role of state enforcers versus federal enforcers, how we need to be working hand-in-glove in some areas, and how we need to protect state authority in many areas.”
Tom Barrett (MI-07)
Tom Barrett notched a major win for House Republicans, flipping the seat previously held by Sen.-elect Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), who opted to run for the Senate. Barrett flipped the seat into Republican control, giving the GOP a boost as it looks to hold on to its slim majority. An Army veteran, Barrett says he hopes to use that experience to secure a spot on the Armed Services and Veterans Affairs committees.
What Barrett says: “Those are issues that I care deeply about: the direction the country is taking, what we’re doing on matters of military engagement, how we’re handling our veterans, and how we’re falling short of our commitment to veterans — and we need to do a better job at that.”
Bob Onder (MO-03)
Bob Onder will become the newest member of the House from Missouri after winning his race to succeed retiring Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer. Onder has previous political service in both the Missouri state House and Senate. Onder has pointed to that experience as having helped prepare him for his House tenure.
What Onder says: “We have a chance to make history in the first 100 days. It’ll be an exciting time with President Trump in the White House, Republican control of the U.S. House, and the U.S. Senate. We’re going to make our country great again.”
Troy Downing (MT-02)
Troy Downing will succeed Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), who opted not to run for reelection. Downing has served as the state auditor for the last four years, a position he assumed after Rosendale retired to run for the House in 2020. Before that, Downing worked as a real estate developer and technology entrepreneur.
Addison McDowell (NC-06)
Addison McDowell will succeed retiring Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC), who stepped down after redistricting in the state made North Carolina’s 6th District lean Republican. McDowell, a former lobbyist for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, is a first-time candidate who had the backing of Trump. The North Carolina Republican also worked for Rep. Richard Hudson’s campaign and as a staffer for then-Rep. Ted Budd. McDowell, whose younger brother, Luke, died of fentanyl poisoning in 2016, emphasized securing the southern border during his campaign.
What McDowell says: “I definitely think that the country has spoken, and the country wants us to do what we promised them we were going to do, and I know that our entire freshman class is ready to get to work on doing everything we just promised the country we were going to do, but certainly, my little brother and his legacy drive me.”
Mark Harris (NC-08)
Mark Harris, a pastor for over 35 years, will succeed Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), who opted to run an ultimately unsuccessful campaign to be North Carolina’s attorney general. Harris will represent North Carolina’s 8th District. The North Carolina pastor previously ran for the seat in 2018 before dropping out after an absentee ballot scandal rocked the race.
What Harris says: “I tell folks all the time, one of the things that makes it unique for me as a pastor is that, honestly, a lot of issues that people see as political footballs — I’ve been in the rare position over 35 years being a pastor that I can put a name and a face with just about every crisis situation, whether it’s a job loss, whether it’s somebody that’s found out they’re pregnant and in a crisis pregnancy and counseling them through that situation.”
Pat Harrigan (NC-10)
Pat Harrigan will succeed Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), who is retiring after nearly 20 years in Congress. Harrigan’s win marks the first time he will hold elected office after an unsuccessful House bid in 2022, when he lost to Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-NC). An Army veteran, Harrigan said he was inspired to run after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and would like to join the House Armed Services Committee.
What Harrigan says: “I was really dismayed when Afghanistan fell. That was kind of my switch into politics, and I went after it full force. We’ve got to get failed leadership out of Washington, D.C., so we can start achieving winning outcomes — not just for this country, but for all freedom-loving people around the world.”
Brad Knott (NC-13)
Brad Knott will succeed Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-NC), who opted not to run for reelection after redistricting made it unlikely for him to win a second term. Knott’s victory helped Republicans flip the district back into Republican control, helping cement the party’s thin majority in the House. Before running for office, Knott served as a federal prosecutor, pitching himself as a tough-on-crime candidate during the 2024 cycle.
Timothy Moore (NC-14)
Timothy Moore defeated Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-NC), who chose not to run for reelection in the House after redistricting gave North Carolina’s 14th District a heavy Republican lean. Moore has a lengthy history serving in the North Carolina state House. He was first elected in 2003 before being elevated to the state House speaker in 2015. Moore pointed to that experience as being a “good training ground” for Congress.
What Moore says: “Having that experience coming in has been very valuable, but I’ve also found that a lot of my colleagues have been former legislators themselves. We have a couple of other folks who’ve been presiding officers. So a lot of things in common, but it certainly is a good training ground. But at the same time, it’s very different here.”
Julie Fedorchak (ND-At large)
Fedorchak, the first woman to represent North Dakota in the House, is succeeding Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND), who opted to run a successful campaign for the state’s governorship. Fedorchak has been a public service commissioner for 12 years and was the president of the National Association of Utility Commissioners.
What Fedorchak says: “North Dakota is an energy-producing state. We export tons of energy for the rest of our country — oil, gas, and electricity — and so I’m really concerned about the policies that we have in effect right now, that are kind of infringing on our energy production, our ability to really take full advantage of energy resources we have, and want to be part of correcting that policy.”
David Taylor (OH-02)
David Taylor, a businessman, is succeeding retiring Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), who stepped down to spend more time with his family. Taylor presently runs his family business, Sardinia Ready Mix, Inc., after previously working in the local prosecutor’s office.
What Taylor says: “I’m here to help, and that’s the only reason I’m here, not here to get rich. I’m not missing any meals now, as you can tell, and I’m not here to get famous. I think fame is one of the greatest curses that can befall a person. But there’s a lot of work to be done to help the people of the Second District, and that’s what I’m here to do.”
Ryan Mackenzie (PA-07)
Ryan Mackenzie defeated three-term incumbent Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) in Pennsylvania’s 7th District, a flipped seat that helped deliver Republicans their slim majority in the House. Mackenzie has a long political history in the Keystone State, serving in the Pennsylvania House since 2012.
Rob Bresnahan (PA-08)
Rob Bresnahan, the CEO and president of his family’s construction company, ousted Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) for his House seat in Pennsylvania’s 8th District, located in the northeast region of the state. The win by Bresnahan, a first-time candidate, helped Republicans keep their narrow majority in the House.
What Bresnahan says: “I’m a freshman member coming in here, but I’m pretty steadfast on my morals and my principles. Obviously, the leadership agenda needs to align with what’s best for the people of my district.”
Sheri Biggs (SC-03)
Sheri Biggs, 54, won the race to replace Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), who decided not to run again after seven terms. The nurse practitioner and Air National Guard officer defeated Democrat Bryon Best. This is Biggs’s first run for political office, and she is set to become only the second Republican woman South Carolina has sent to Congress.
Craig Goldman (TX-12)
Craig Goldman, 56, won the race to replace outgoing Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), who has served nearly three decades in Congress. Goldman, a six-term member of the Texas House, easily defeated Democrat Trey Hunt for the seat that represents Fort Worth, Texas. Goldman voted to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and was targeted in a contested primary for his role in the impeachment last year.
Brandon Gill (TX-26)
Brandon Gill will succeed Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX), who is retiring from the House after more than 20 years in office. Gill, a political newbie, has already shown an interest in leadership after being elected the freshman class president for the House GOP conference. Before he was elected, Gill worked as an investment banker and founded the conservative-leaning news website the D.C. Enquirer.
Mike Kennedy (UT-03)
Mike Kennedy, 55, succeeds Rep. John Curtis, the senator-elect for the seat of retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). Kennedy served in the Utah legislature since 2013 but took a break in 2018 to run against Romney. He’s a practicing family physician and is an attorney.
What Kennedy says: “Together we will heal America. … I’m not going [to Washington, D.C.,] to be another headline. I’m going as a healer.”
John McGuire (VA-05)
John McGuire will succeed former Freedom Caucus Chairman Bob Good (R-VA), whom McGuire bested in the GOP primary after being endorsed by Trump. McGuire will become the only GOP freshman who unseated a Republican incumbent following intraparty tensions over the presidential primary. Good had initially endorsed Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) over Trump, paving the way for McGuire to secure the president-elect’s endorsement and win the seat.
Michael Baumgartner (WA-05)
Michael Baumgartner, 48, will succeed retiring Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), the chairwoman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Baumgartner is Spokane County’s treasurer. His win allowed the GOP to keep a seat held by a high-profile and powerful member of Congress. He was elected by his peers to be the freshman class’s member on the House Republican Policy Committee.
What Baumgartner says: “I look forward to helping craft the policies needed to protect the American dream and keep our republic strong.”
Tony Wied (WI-08)
Tony Wied will succeed former Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI), who retired from Congress before his term was over to take a position at software company Palantir. Wied also won the special election to fill the final two months of Gallagher’s term, resulting in him being sworn in mid-November.
Riley Moore (WV-02)
Riley Moore, who is the freshman representative to House Republican leadership, is succeeding retiring Rep. Alex Mooney (R-WV) in West Virginia’s 2nd District. Moore, the nephew of Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), is West Virginia’s state treasurer. He previously worked as a national security adviser to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and is also a former state delegate who represented West Virginia’s 67th District.
What Moore says: “West Virginia is a state that has been crushed by globalization, unfair trade, and the opioid crisis and immigration, so there’s a lot of problems in West Virginia. That’s why I ran for Congress to try to fight for the people of my district and represent them here in this city that seems to keep on giving us the short end of the stick.”
Shomari Figures (AL-02)
Shomari Figures, 39, will succeed Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), who switched to run in Alabama’s 1st District after redistricting pushed the 2nd District into the Democrats’ hands. Figures has prior political experience after working in the Obama White House and serving as a former top aide to Attorney General Merrick Garland. He was one of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s “Red to Blue” candidates, and he is now a member of the New Democrat Coalition and looking to join the Congressional Black Caucus.
What Figures says: “I’ve worked in all three branches of federal government, here on Capitol Hill before, in the judiciary branch, and also in the executive branch and at the White House. And so, I’ve just always been inspired by the fact that we can use government to do good for people. … We’re not coming up here to be a Democrat. We’re not coming up here to just play in a broader national political game. We’re here to do the work.”
Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03)
Yassamin Ansari, 32, won the race to succeed Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), who opted to run for Senate. Ansari won her race against Republican Jeff Zink in the general election for the seat and beat out a primary opponent by fewer than 40 votes in August. The former vice mayor of Phoenix will be the youngest woman Democrat in the House and the first Iranian American to serve in the lower chamber.
Lateefah Simon (CA-12)
Lateefah Simon, 47, will succeed Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), who stepped down after 26 years representing California’s 12th District to run an unsuccessful campaign for the Senate seat left vacant by the late Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Simon, a member of the Bay Area Rapid Transit’s board of directors, also served as co-chair for Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D-CA) task force on police reform in 2020. She has a personal connection to Vice President Kamala Harris, having worked on the anti-recidivism program for young people in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office under Harris. Simon is a new member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
What Simon says: “One of the things that I learned from my old boss, Kamala D. Harris, she told me years ago, ‘When things get hard, what do we do? We put our shoulders back, we put our chin up, and we roll up our sleeves.’ We have people to deliver for. And I will say here to this day, I’ve always believed the D in Democrat is for deliver.”
Sam Liccardo (CA-16)
Sam Liccardo, 54, won the race to succeed Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), who is retiring. Liccardo, the former mayor of San Jose, defeated fellow Democratic state Assemblyman Evan Low. The race for the open Silicon Valley district was one of the most expensive Democrat-on-Democrat House races in the country. He is a new member of the New Democrat Coalition.
George Whitesides (CA-27)
George Whitesides, 50, will succeed Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA), whom he ousted in the Nov. 5 general election. Whitesides is a former CEO of Virgin Galactic, a commercial space vehicles company, and serves on the firm’s advisory board. He also worked on President Barack Obama’s transition team in 2008, going on to serve as the chief of staff for NASA. He was awarded the agency’s highest honor, a Distinguished Service Medal. Whitesides will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Luz Rivas (CA-29)
Luz Rivas, 50, will succeed Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA), who opted not to seek reelection. An engineer, Rivas has served in the California State Assembly since 2018, having previously worked as a commissioner for the Board of Public Works for the city of Los Angeles. Rivas is the first Latina to represent California’s 29th District. She is a new member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and is focused on immigration and environmental topics.
What Rivas says: “I grew up with a single mother that was undocumented until I was 15. I remember the fear as a child of, where my mom? Is she going to come home today? Is she going to be at the wrong grocery store where there’s a raid? And just that fear — no child should have to go through that.
Laura Friedman (CA-30)
Laura Friedman, 57, will succeed Sen.-elect Adam Schiff (D-CA), who successfully ran for California’s open Senate seat. Friedman served in the California State Assembly in 2016 and was a city council member and mayor of Glendale, California. The 30th District encompasses Hollywood, Thai Town, Little Armenia, and several other ethnically diverse communities. She is a new member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
What Friedman says: “We have an incredible amount of opportunity but an incredible amount of need. … It’s up to all of us to work together to deliver real solutions. So I’m committed to doing that, but I know that the only way that I’ll be able to deliver solutions that work for my diverse district is through progressive policies.”
Gil Cisneros (CA-31)
Gil Cisneros, 53, will succeed outgoing Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA), who is retiring after this term as the oldest member of the House at the age of 87. This is Cisneros’s second time serving as a congressional representative after winning in the 2018 midterm elections and losing in 2020. Prior to his 2024 win, he served as the undersecretary of defense for personnel readiness. In his administrative work, he focused on healthcare policies for women in the military. Cisneros is a new member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Dave Min (CA-47)
Dave Min, 48, will succeed Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA), who lost her bid to fill the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s U.S. Senate seat. California’s 47th District, which encompasses Orange County, was once a GOP stronghold but now is a key battleground seat. Min’s victory over Republican Scott Baugh, who narrowly lost to Porter two years ago, was one of the most-watched of the 2024 cycle. Min has been a state senator since 2020, previously serving as an assistant law professor at the University of California, Irvine.
Sarah McBride (DE-At Large)
Sarah McBride, 34, will succeed Sen.-elect Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), who won her bid to replace outgoing Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE). McBride is the first transgender member of Congress. McBride has served in the Delaware Senate for four years, citing paid family and medical leave and passing the largest investment in Delaware’s Medicaid program since the Affordable Care Act as two prided accomplishments. McBride is a new member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition.
What McBride says: “I wasn’t serving as the trans state senator. I wasn’t running to be the trans member of Congress. I was running to be Delaware’s member of Congress, working on all of the issues that matter. I didn’t run on my identity. I ran to make a difference for my state.”
Cleo Fields (LA-06)
Cleo Fields, 62, won his race to succeed Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), who retired after a new congressional map dismantled his district. Fields’s victory means Democrats will hold two congressional seats in the state for the first time in a decade. The state senator, from Baton Rouge, beat out four other candidates in a closely watched primary.
John Olszewski Jr. (MD-02)
Johnny Olszewski Jr. won his race to replace outgoing Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger. The two-term Baltimore County executive bested Republican Kim Klacik. Olszewski served in the Maryland House of Delegates before winning his first bid for county executive in 2018. He is a new member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Sarah Elfreth (MD-03)
Sarah Elfreth, 36, won her race to replace retiring Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD) after nine terms. Elfreth defeated Republican Robert J. Steinberger in the general election. In the primary, she beat former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn. She was first elected to the Maryland Senate in 2018 to represent Annapolis and southern Anne Arundel County. She is a new member of the New Democrat Coalition.
April McClain Delaney (MD-06)
April McClain Delaney, 60, will succeed Rep. David Trone (D-MD), who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate seat left vacant by outgoing Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD). Her race was one of the tightest of the 2024 cycle, with the contest being called on Nov. 9. McClain Delaney is a lawyer and previously served as an official in the Department of Commerce during the Biden administration.
Kristen McDonald Rivet (MI-08)
Kristen McDonald Rivet, 54, won the race to replace Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI), who has served the Flint-area seat since 2013. McDonald Rivet beat out Republican Paul Junge. McDonald Rivet previously served as the executive director of the Michigan Head Start Association and as an adviser to Democratic former Gov. Jennifer Granholm. She will be the first woman to represent Flint, Michigan, and the Tri-Cities in the House.
Kelly Morrison (MN-03)
Kelly Morrison, 55, will succeed Rep. Dean Phillips (D-MN), who ran an unsuccessful presidential primary challenge to President Joe Biden. Morrison, a physician, has served as a Minnesota state senator since 2023. She is a new member of the New Democrat Coalition.
What Morrison says: “We need to put partisanship aside, come together, and work with both Democrats and Republicans to get results.”
Wesley Bell (MO-1)
Wesley Bell, 50, will succeed Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), whom he ousted in the Democratic primary this summer. Bell serves as the prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, Missouri. He was one of three challengers who successfully ousted an incumbent in the 2024 primaries, with the Israel-Hamas war and Bush’s perceived lack of constituent services contributing to her loss. Bell is a new member of the New Democrat Coalition and is hoping to join the Congressional Progressive Caucus, as well.
What Bell says: “If bringing people together isn’t good enough, I don’t want the job. So I’m going to stand by my values and my principles, and I’m going to work with every group, whether they agree with me or not. We’re going to extend those olive branches and get work done for this region and for the American people.”
Maggie Goodlander (NH-02)
Maggie Goodlander, 38, won the race to replace Rep. Ann Kuster (D-NH), who served six terms in Congress. The former White House aide defeated Republican Lily Tang Williams. Goodlander has worked in the Department of Justice, served as an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserve, and clerked for the Supreme Court. She is also married to national security adviser Jake Sullivan.
Herb Conaway (NJ-03)
Herb Conaway, 61, will succeed Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), the senator-elect who will replace disgraced former Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). Conaway is a physician who has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1998. He will be the first-ever black congressman from South Jersey.
What Conaway says: “Now more than ever, we need strong leadership in Washington, and I promise to fight every day for the people of this district.”
Nellie Pou (NJ-09)
Nellie Pou, 68, will succeed the late Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell, who died in August after multiple stays in the hospital. Pou won a close race for New Jersey’s open 9th District that had been in Pascrell’s hands since 1997. Democrats selected Pou, a 28-year veteran of the state legislature, to run in the general election in Pascrell’s place. She is the first Latina to represent New Jersey in Congress and a new member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition.
What Pou says: “My time in the legislature and my years in government has certainly helped me to prepare me for this next challenge, this next step, this next effort, where I believe I am able to do the job on day one.”
LaMonica McIver (NJ-10)
Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), 38, won a full term in November to replace the late Democratic Rep. Donald Payne Jr., who died in April after suffering a cardiac episode and other health complications. She first replaced Payne in September after winning a special election. McIver is the first black woman to represent New Jersey’s 10th District and the second to represent New Jersey. She is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Laura Gillen (NY-04)
Laura Gillen, 54, will succeed Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-NY), who was ousted in the 2024 cycle for New York’s 4th District. This is Gillen’s comeback win after losing narrowly to D’Esposito in the 2022 midterm elections, when he flipped the seat red. Gillen is an attorney and previously served as the town supervisor for Hempstead, New York. She will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
George Latimer (NY-16)
George Latimer, 71, will succeed Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) after ousting him in the Democratic primary this summer. Latimer is currently the Westchester County executive, preceded by a stint in the New York Senate from 2013 to 2017. Latimer is one of three challengers to oust an incumbent in the 2024 primaries. Similar to Bush’s loss, Bowman’s opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza led to millions of dollars pouring into the race. New York’s 16th District was the most expensive primary in the 2024 cycle. Latimer will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Josh Riley (NY-19)
Josh Riley, 44, will succeed Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-NY), whom he ousted on Nov. 5. This is a rematch win for Riley, who lost to Molinaro in 2022 by just 4,500 votes. Riley’s win, which flipped New York’s 19th District blue, was one of a handful of Democratic bright spots in the 2024 cycle. Riley is a lawyer who previously served as general counsel to then-Sen. Al Franken for the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also worked as a policy analyst for the Department of Labor following his graduation from the College of William and Mary. Riley will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
John Mannion (NY-22)
John Mannion, 56, will succeed Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY), whom he ousted in the November general election. Mannion was elected to the New York Senate in 2020, previously serving as a high school biology teacher for decades in the state’s 22nd District. Williams was considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents of the 2024 cycle. Mannion will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Maxine Dexter (OR-03)
Maxine Dexter, 51, will succeed outgoing Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), who represented Oregon’s 3rd District since 1996. This was the district’s first open race in nearly three decades. Dexter made national headlines with her primary win over Susheela Jayapal, the older sister of Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Japayal (D-WA). Many progressives blamed Dexter’s win on the more than $7 million in outside spending pouring into the race. Dexter will be a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Janelle Bynum (OR-5)
Janelle Bynum, 49, will succeed Rep. Lori Chavez DeRemer (R-OR), whom she ousted in the Nov. 5 general election. She has been a member of the Oregon House since 2017, beating Chavez DeRemer in the 2016 and 2018 state House races. Her win in Oregon’s 5th District was one of a handful of seats Democrats flipped from red to blue in the 2024 cycle. Bynum, an engineer, was recruited by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) to take on Chavez DeRemer following the Democrats’ unsuccessful challenge in 2022. She will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Sylvester Turner (TX-18)
Sylvester Turner, 70, will succeed Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), who died from cancer in July after representing the Houston district for 30 years. Democrat Erica Lee Carter won a special election in November to fill out the remaining months of her mother’s term in the 118th Congress. Turner was elected to the full term for the 119th Congress starting in January. He is a former member of the Texas state legislature and served for eight years as the mayor of Houston, the fourth-largest U.S. city.
What Turner says: “Mayors are all about results. It’s not just about the rhetoric, because if you don’t deliver as a mayor, you will be out of office. That’s what I bring here … it’s all about getting things done.”
Julie Johnson (TX-32)
Julie Johnson, 58, will succeed Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX), who lost his Senate bid against Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) this cycle. Johnson is the first openly gay representative in Texas’s delegation and the first openly gay representative from the South. She has served in the Texas House since 2019. Johnson will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Eugene Vindman (VA-07)
Eugene Vindman, 49, will succeed outgoing Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), who is running for governor of Virginia in 2025. Virginia’s 7th District was considered one of the most competitive of the 2024 cycle. Vindman is a retired Army lieutenant colonel and, along with his brother Alexander Vindman, is known for being a key whistleblower that led to President-elect Donald Trump’s first impeachment. He will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10)
Suhas Subramanyam, 38, will succeed outgoing Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA), who opted not to seek reelection after receiving a diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy. Subramanyam has served in the Virginia state legislature since 2020, doing stints in both the state House and Senate under the leadership of Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA). He considers Wexton a mentor and has emphasized bipartisanship as he enters Congress. Subramanyam will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
What Subramanyam says: “I’ll work with the Trump administration. I’ll work with Republicans in Congress, whoever I need to work with to help my region. I’m going to do that.”
Emily Randall (WA-08)
Emily Randall, 39, will succeed Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-WA) after he decided not to seek reelection in Washington’s 8th District. Randall is a Washington state senator who won in 2018 when she flipped a Republican seat and helped Democrats win control of the state government. She will be a member of the New Democrat Coalition.
Jim Banks (Indiana)
Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN), 45, will succeed Sen. Mike Braun (R-IN), who was elected to be the governor of Indiana and will assume the office in January. Banks has represented Indiana’s 3rd District since 2017. Before Congress, Banks served in the Indiana Senate from 2010 to 2016.
What Banks says: “This election is about fighting for this country. America is always worth fighting for, and that’s what I’m going to do for you in the United States Senate. I don’t take it lightly.”
Tim Sheehy (Montana)
Tim Sheehy, 39, ousted Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), who served the Treasure State for three consecutive terms since 2007. Sheehy is a former Navy SEAL and wealthy businessman as the founder of aerial firefighting and surveillance company Bridger Aerospace.
What Sheehy says: “Over the next few months, hopefully they’ll get to know the real Tim Sheehy, and they’ll learn that I’ve dedicated my life to this country, as is my wife, as is our family. This role will be no different. We are going to dedicate our time and our energy to make sure we get this country back on the right track.”
Bernie Moreno (Ohio)
Bernie Moreno, 57, ousted Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), who has served three consecutive terms since 2007. The race was another key pickup opportunity for Republicans, helping deliver them a 53-seat majority. Moreno is a wealthy businessman as a onetime luxury car dealer and blockchain entrepreneur.
What Moreno says: “It’s a great honor to be here. It’s a hefty weight of responsibility to make sure you represent the people of Ohio properly, and so I take that job very seriously.”
Dave McCormick (Pennsylvania)
Dave McCormick, 59, ousted three-term Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) to flip battleground Pennsylvania and expand the GOP’s majority. The race was called days after the election for McCormick, but Casey refused to concede until an automatic recount got underway. McCormick, a wealthy businessman, is a former executive of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates.
What McCormick says: “Sen. Bob Casey dedicated his career to bettering our commonwealth. Dina and I want to extend our sincere gratitude to Sen. Casey, Terese, and their family for their decades of service, hard work, and personal sacrifice. I am so honored to represent every single citizen in Pennsylvania in the United States Senate and will fight for you every day.”
John Curtis (Utah)
Rep. John Curtis (R-UT), 64, will succeed retiring Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT). Romney, in his first term, did not seek reelection. Curtis has served in the House since 2017 and was previously the mayor of Provo, Utah, from 2010 to 2017. He’s a vocal advocate among conservatives for the GOP to address climate change.
What Curtis says: “My season of service, the hallmark, will be service and stewardship. You elected me to legislate, to advocate, and represent you. My agenda will be your agenda. My voice will lift your voice. My vote will reflect your values. And tougher, we’ll make Washington more like Utah and America more like our children and our grandchildren need it to be.”
Jim Justice (West Virginia)
Gov. Jim Justice (R-WV), 73, will succeed retiring Sen. Joe Manchin (I-VT), who caucused with the Democrats and did not seek reelection. Manchin and Justice are both former Democrats, and the red-state seat was a major flip for Republicans. Justice, a wealthy coal mining baron, has been the state’s governor since 2017 and was twice elected. Justice brings with him to the Senate his beloved English bulldog named Babydog.
What Justice says: “As a patriot and a conservative, I firmly believe in America’s greatness and am committed to putting America and West Virginia first in the U.S. Senate.”
Ruben Gallego (Arizona)
Ruben Gallego, 45, won the race to succeed Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), who is retiring after her first term. Gallego, a former Marine who served in the Iraq War, won the Senate race against Kari Lake, a Republican firebrand who previously ran for governor in 2022. Gallego has served as Arizona’s representative from the 3rd Congressional District since 2015. His win is one bright spot for Democrats, who lost control of the Senate with Republicans defeating incumbents in Ohio, Montana, and Pennsylvania for a 53-seat majority.
Adam Schiff (California)
Adam Schiff, 64, won the race to succeed the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein for a full term in the Senate. Schiff has spent the past two decades in the House and rose to national prominence when he led the first impeachment trial of President-elect Donald Trump, urging senators to remove him from office. Throughout his campaign against former Los Angeles Dodgers All-Star Steve Garvey, a Republican, Schiff centered his message on being the country’s chief Trump antagonist.
Lisa Blunt Rochester (Delaware)
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, 62, won the race to succeed Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), who is retiring at the end of his fourth term. With her win over Republican Eric Hansen, Blunt Rochester will become the first black woman to represent Delaware in the Senate. She has served four terms as Delaware’s lone representative in the House.
Angela Alsobrooks (Maryland)
Angela Alsobrooks, 53, won the race to succeed Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), who is retiring at the end of his third term. Alsobrooks emerged victorious in the race after defeating former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. She was the top elected official in Prince George’s County and now will become Maryland’s first black U.S. senator.
Elissa Slokin (Michigan)
Elissa Slotkin, 48, won the race to succeed Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who is retiring at the end of her fourth term. Slotkin defeated Republican Mike Rogers in one of the most competitive races of the 2024 cycle. Slotkin, a former intelligence officer, is a three-term congresswoman from Michigan’s 7th District.
Andy Kim (New Jersey)
Andy Kim, 42, won his race to replace ex-Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ), who resigned after his conviction on bribery charges over the summer. Kim defeated his Republican opponent, Curtis Bashaw, handily. The three-term congressman represents a largely rural and suburban district in southern and central New Jersey. He is the Senate’s first Korean American member, the chamber’s fourth youngest member, and the first senator from South Jersey since 1955. Kim is also the first Asian American senator from New Jersey.
What Kim says: “A lot of us have consistently outperformed the top of the ticket in multiple races. A lot of people here wouldn’t be here if they didn’t outperform.”
