Congress Looks (A Little) More Like America
One of the biggest stories over the past week has been the record diversity in the electorate and the role that played in helping propel the president to victory. That very diverse electorate also voted to send the most diverse Congress in history to Washington — more women, more LGBT people (including the first ever openly gay Senator), more religious diversity, more racial diversity, and more younger members. The new Congress is still older, whiter, and more male than the country as a whole, but the incoming Congress will at least look a bit more like the rest of America.
The House Democratic caucus will not be majority white male for the first time ever. Meanwhile, the Republican caucus actually grew less diverse.
ThinkProgress’ Adam Peck, Scott Keyes, and Zack Beauchamp took a look at some the faces that will be coming to Washington for the 113th Congress. Here’s what they found:
New member diversity:
Race/Ethnicity
African American
Marc Veasey (D-TX-33)
Steven Horsford (D-NV-04)
Donald Payne Jr. (D-NJ-10)
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY-08)
Latinos
Ted Cruz (R-TX-SEN)
Joaquin Castro(D-TX-20)
Tony Cardenas (D-CA-29)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM-01)
Juan Vargas (D-CA-51)
Joe Garcia (D-FL-26)
Pete Gallego (D-TX-23)
Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA-35)
Filemon Vela (D-TX-34)
Raul Ruiz (D-CA-36)
Asian American
Mazie Hirono (D-HI-SEN)
Grace Meng (D-NY-06)
Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
Ami Bera (D-CA-07)*
Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02)
Tammy Duckworth (IL-08)
Religion
First non-theist
Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ-09)
First Hindu
Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02)
Ami Bera (D-CA-07)
First Buddhist senator
Mazie Hirono (D-HI-SEN)
Gender
Women
Elizabeth Warren (D-MA-SEN)
Mazie Hirono (D-HI-SEN)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND-SEN)
Deb Fischer (R-NE-SEN)
Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ-01)
Julia Brownley (D-CA-26)
Jackie Walorski (R-IN-02)
Tammy Duckworth (D-IL-08)
Suzan DelBene (D-WA-01)
Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM-01)
Elizabeth Esty (D-CT-05)
Lois Frankel (D-FL-22)
Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02)
Dina Titus (D-NV-01)
Ann Kuster (D-NH-02)
Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH-01)
Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-CA-35)
Grace Meng (D-NY-06)
Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)
Joyce Beatty (D-OH-03)
Susan Brooks (R-IN-05)
Cheri Bustos (D-IL-17)
Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ-09)
Orientation
LGBT
Tammy Baldwin (D-WI-SEN)
Mark Pocan (D-WI-02)
Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
Sean Maloney (D-NY-18)
First bisexual
Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ-09)
First openly gay person of color
Mark Takano (D-CA-41)
Age
Born in the 1980s
Patrick Murphy (D-FL-18)
Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI-02)
Joseph Kennedy III (D-MA-04)
Eric Swalwell (D-CA-15)
*- Leading his congressional race, but it has yet to be officially called
Evening Brief: Important Stories That You May Have Missed
Support for repealing Obamacare hits all-time low.
Why NBC should fire Donald Trump. (500,000 people have also called on Macy’s to dump Trump.)
Five ways the religious right imploded in 2012.
Paul Ryan blames “urban” vote instead of unpopular policies for his loss.
The emerging pro-choice majority.
Corporations calling to “Fix the Debt” want $134 BILLION in tax breaks.
Incoming House Judiciary Committee Chairman said that Social Security and Medicare are unconstitutional.
Top Republican admits raising taxes on millionaires “won’t kill the country.”
Congressional Republicans: Obama should “compromise” and accept Romney tax plan.