Democrats have a majority and wave of new members from Pa. and N.J. What will they do with it?
Few of their big policy goals, if any, are likely to be realized with Trump in the
But their newfound majority still represents an opportunity to articulate their party's vision. In separate interviews,
None of the three Democratic incumbents returning from the
The new crop includes four
For those who have never held public office, their votes will begin building records that measure whether they live up to their campaign pledges.
First up, Democratic leaders have promised an ethics package including campaign finance reform that aims to reduce the influence of big money in politics, make political spending more transparent, and protect voting rights. The plan also could require presidential candidates to release their tax returns, as was long the norm but which Trump has refused to do.
"It goes to having faith in our government," said Rep.
"If I'm ranking priorities, first I'm ranking health care and infrastructure," said
He and other
Health care "was the number one issue that people talked about in terms of their daily lives," said State Rep.
"If we can take care of the multimillionaires, we certainly can take care of those who are the most vulnerable," Norcross said.
He also argued for a bill to allow people to refinance their student debt, much like homeowners do with mortgages.
Each of the seven
"Hopefully now that we've won back the House and we don't have [Speaker]
Both Dean and
In
In many cases the ideas, days after the election, were still vague — more goals or principles than legislation.
And whatever the aims of local lawmakers, the House agenda will hinge mainly on the party's senior leadership, leaving rank-and-file members with limited opportunities to shape key legislation.
Just a week after the election, the Democratic newcomers are still learning about their new jobs, building staffs, and jockeying for committee assignments. They were in
On Twitter, Houlahan called it "
If you ever take a candlelit tour of the
—
Any legislation that does pass is likely to run into hurdles in the
With
One of the key figures in the new majority could be
Given the powers of the speaker, one of the most important votes the
Evans, Boyle, and Norcross all said they would back Pelosi — citing her experience as a negotiator and her role in leading the party back to power.
Most of the newcomers, however, were more equivocal, and
"She's a very able politician, but the reality is sometimes it's good to have a different look, a change,"
He also joked that there should be a resolution mandating that lawmakers "would act like normal human beings," a nod to yearnings many voters expressed for a kinder tone in the capital.
Boyle and Evans are aiming to climb the ranks. Each said he hoped to gain a seat on the
With freshmen typically shunted to less influential committees, several of the newcomers emphasized the importance of setting up their constituent service operations. Such local connections garner few headlines but often can leave lasting impressions at home.
"My first order of business is to make sure that we have a really great team" of staffers, Houlahan said.
Several of the newcomers — including Houlahan,
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