List of new members of the 109th United States Congress

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The 109th United States Congress began on January 3, 2005. There were nine new senators (two Democrats, seven Republicans) and 40 new representatives (16 Democrats, 24 Republicans) at the start of its first session. Additionally, one senator (a Democrat) and six representatives (two Democrats, four Republicans) took office on various dates in order to fill vacancies during the 109th Congress before it ended on January 3, 2007.

Senate[edit]

Took office January 3, 2005[edit]

State Image Senator Seniority Switched party Prior background Birth year
Colorado Ken Salazar (D) 9th
(100th overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R)
Attorney General of Colorado 1955
Florida Mel Martinez (R) 7th
(98th overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced Bob Graham (D)
U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Mayor of Orange County
1946
Georgia Johnny Isakson (R) 5th
(96th overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced Zell Miller (D)
U.S. House of Representatives
Georgia Senate
Georgia House of Representatives
1944
Illinois Barack Obama (D) 8th
(99th overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced Peter Fitzgerald (R)
Illinois Senate 1961
Louisiana David Vitter (R) 6th
(97th overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced John Breaux (D)
U.S. House of Representatives
Louisiana House of Representatives
1961
North Carolina Richard Burr (R) 1st
(92nd overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced John Edwards (D)
U.S. House of Representatives 1955
Oklahoma Tom Coburn (R) 3rd
(94th overall)
No
Open seat; replaced Don Nickles (R)
U.S. House of Representatives 1948
South Carolina Jim DeMint (R) 2nd
(93rd overall)
Yes
Open seat; replaced Ernest Hollings (D)
U.S. House of Representatives 1951
South Dakota John Thune (R) 4th
(95th overall)
Yes
Defeated Tom Daschle (D)
U.S. House of Representatives 1961

Took office during the 109th Congress[edit]

State Image Senator Took office Switched party Prior background Birth year
New Jersey Bob Menendez (D) January 18, 2006 No
Appointed; replaced Jon Corzine (D)
U.S. House of Representatives
New Jersey Senate
New Jersey General Assembly
1954

House of Representatives[edit]

Took office January 3, 2005[edit]

District Representative Switched party Prior background Birth year
California 3 Daniel Lungren (R) No Former Congressman 1946
California 20 Jim Costa (D) No Family farmer 1952
Colorado 3 John Salazar (D) Yes Soldier 1953
Florida 14 Connie Mack IV (R) No State Representative 1967
Florida 20 Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D) No State Representative State Senator 1966
Georgia 4 Cynthia McKinney (D) No Former Congresswoman 1955
Georgia 6 Tom Price (R) No State Senator 1954
Georgia 8 Lynn Westmoreland (R) No State Representative 1950
Georgia 12 John Barrow (D) Yes Athens City Council, Athens County Commissioner 1955
Illinois 3 Dan Lipinski (D) No Political assistant, college professor 1966
Illinois 8 Melissa Bean (D) Yes Sales executive 1962
Indiana 9 Mike Sodrel (R) Yes Guardsman, automotive executive 1945
Kentucky 4 Geoff Davis (R) Yes Ranger, manufacturing consultant 1958
Louisiana 1 Bobby Jindal (R) No Consultant 1971
Louisiana 3 Charlie Melancon (D) Yes State Representative, Small business owner 1947
Louisiana 7 Charles Boustany (R) Yes Surgeon 1956
Michigan 7 Joe Schwarz (R) No Physician 1937
Missouri 3 Russ Carnahan (D) No State Representative 1958
Missouri 5 Emanuel Cleaver (D) No Mayor of Kansas City, Minister 1944
Nebraska 1 Jeff Fortenberry (R) No Publishing executive, economist 1960
New York 27 Brian Higgins (D) Yes Buffalo Common Councilman, State Representative, Political assistant 1959
New York 29 Randy Kuhl (R) No State Representative, State Senator, attorney 1943
North Carolina 5 Virginia Foxx (R) No State Senator, college professor/administrator 1943
North Carolina 10 Patrick McHenry (R) No State Representative, realtor 1975
Oklahoma 2 Dan Boren (D) No State Representative 1973
Pennsylvania 8 Mike Fitzpatrick (R) No Member of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, Attorney 1963
Pennsylvania 13 Allyson Schwartz (D) No State Senator 1948
Pennsylvania 15 Charlie Dent (R) No State Representative State Senator 1960
South Carolina 4 Bob Inglis (R) No Former Congressman, Attorney 1959
Texas 1 Louie Gohmert (R) Yes Soldier 1953
Texas 2 Ted Poe (R) Yes Prosecutor, judge Harris County, Airmen 1948
Texas 9 Al Green (D) No Justice of the Peace Harris County, attorney 1947
Texas 10 Michael McCaul (R) Yes Federal prosecutor 1952
Texas 11 Mike Conaway (R) Yes Soldier 1948
Texas 24 Kenny Marchant (R) Yes State Representative 1951
Texas 28 Henry Cuellar (D) No State Representative, Secretary of State Texas, 1955
Virginia 2 Thelma Drake (R) No State Representative, realtor 1949
Washington 5 Cathy McMorris (R) No State Representative, orchardist 1969
Washington 8 Dave Reichert (R) No Sheriff King County, Airmen 1950
Wisconsin 4 Gwen Moore (D) No State Representative, State Senate, civic affairs specialist 1951

Non-voting members[edit]

District Delegate Switched party Prior background Birth year
Puerto Rico at-large Luis Fortuño (PNP/R) Yes Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce of Puerto Rico 1960

Took office during the 109th Congress[edit]

District Representative Took office Switched party Prior background Birth year
California 5 Doris Matsui (D) March 10, 2005 No White House staffer 1944
Ohio 2 Jean Schmidt (R) September 6, 2005 No State Representative 1951
California 48 John Campbell (R) December 7, 2005 No State Senator 1955
California 50 Brian Bilbray (R) June 13, 2006 No U.S. House of Representatives 1951
New Jersey 13 Albio Sires (D) November 13, 2006 No State Assemblyman 1951
Texas 22 Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) November 13, 2006 No City Councilor 1953

See also[edit]

Preceded by Freshman-class members of the 109th Congress Succeeded by