US Senate’s 11 Democratic freshmen arrive at Capitol

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Monday welcomed 11 newly elected Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol, following midterm elections in which his party flipped both chambers in Congress. 

“Last week the American people put Donald Trump and the GOP on blast,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said on the Senate floor. “Americans pulverized the red wall and for good reason. Americans want a government that recognizes and responds to their needs and Democrats are ready to deliver.”  

Joining Schumer for a brief press event in his office were Sens.-elect Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Chris Pappas of New Hampshire, Roy Cooper of North Carolina, James Talarico of Texas, Juliana Stratton of Illinois, Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan, Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota, Annie Andrews of South Carolina, Josh Turek of Iowa, Adam Hamilton of Kansas and Troy Jackson of Maine. 

While Schumer is currently the Senate Democratic leader, he’ll have to run again next month to keep his leadership position. 

Several of the incoming Senate class also broke barriers. 

Pappas will be the first openly gay elected senator,  El-Sayed is the first Muslim senator and Minnesota voters made Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan the first Native American woman senator. She could be joined by Alaska Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, an Alaska Native whose Senate race is still too close to call. 

By the 120th Congress in January, Democrats will have 54 senators, potentially 56 if Peltola and Mississippi Democratic candidate Scott Colom win their races, in which votes are still being counted.

Colom could become the first Black senator from the state since the Reconstruction era if he defeats GOP incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith.