Tea Party Takes Power: Meet 10 New Lawmakers in Washington
Freshman lawmakers to sit down with ABC's Diane Sawyer.
Jan. 3, 2011— -- A new class of freshman lawmakers has arrived in Washington to assume the reigns of power, with plenty of goals for the new year. Many of the new legislators come to the Capitol backed by the support of the Tea Party.
This week, ABC's Diane Sawyer will sit down with 10 of the incoming Republicans to discuss their hopes and ambitions as they begin to govern. Ahead of Sawyer's interview, we share information on each of these new lawmakers eager to make their mark in Washington.
"Mo" Morris Brooks, AL-05
Represents the northern border of Alabama, as well as Huntsville.
An attorney, Brooks has been involved in local politics since the early 1980s.
Brooks has said he does not consider himself to be either a Tea Party Republican or part of the traditional GOP establishment.
While Brooks' campaign was highly critical of Nancy Pelosi, he told a newspaper that when he meets her in D.C., he'll say, "Hi, I look forward to working with you."
Dr. Paul Gosar, AZ-01
Represents the northern and eastern parts of Arizona, including Flagstaff.
Gosar will be one of two dentists in Congress.
Gosar told a newspaper he will sleep in his Capitol Hill office while his his family will continue to live in Arizona.
Gosar has worn a lapel pin with an image of a shovel because, he says, "When you're surrounded by a pile of crap, the only way you can dig out is one shovel at a time."
Michael Grimm, NY-13
Represents Staten Island and part of Brooklyn.
A former undercover FBI agent, he helped to investigate organized crime and Wall Street corruption. He'll now serve on the House Financial Services Committee.
Grimm is New York City's only Republican Congressman
Grimm joined the Marines when he was 19 years old and is a Gulf War veteran.
Frank Guinta, NH-01
Represents the eastern part of New Hampshire, including Manchester.
Mayor of Manchester before running for Congress, Guinta started in politics back in 2001 in the New Hampshire House.
Guinta has said his goals in Congress are attacking the federal deficit with freezes on spending and hiring.
Vicky Hartzler, MO-04
Represents the Kansas City suburbs as well as Jefferson City.
Hartzler, owner of a farm equipment company, will serve on the House Agriculture Committee and the Armed Services Committee.
A former family and consumer science teacher, she was a state representative from 1995 to 2000
Hartzler authored the book, "Running God's Way: Step by Step to a Successful Political Campaign."
Tim Huelskamp, KS-01
Represents rural western Kansas.
A farmer who grew up corn, cattle and wheat farming, Huelskamp served as a state senator with a strongly conservative record from 1997 to 2011.
Huelskamp says he became a Republican after President Jimmy Carter refused to sell grain to the Soviet Union, which hurt farm families.
Huelskamp has four adopted children, two of whom are from Haiti.
Mike Lee, senator-elect from Utah
The 2010 campaign was Lee's first run for elected office.
As a teenager, Lee was a Senate page. He later clerked for Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.
Served as assistant U.S. attorney from 2002 to 2005.
At 39, Lee is currently the youngest U.S. senator.
Rand Paul, senator-elect from Kentucky
An opthalmologist, Paul attended medical school at Duke University.
One of five children of Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, the former presidential candidate.
Paul has declared his opposition to the United States' participation in the United Nations and the WTO.
Paul has said that the health care overhaul passed last year is unconstitutional. He opposes cap-and-trade legislation and the Patriot Act, and he is skeptical of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan.
Marlin Stutzman, IN-03
Represents northeast Indiana, including Fort Wayne.
Stutzman was sworn in on Nov. 16, as he was also elected in a special election to replace Rep. Mark Souder, who resigned in a scandal surrounding an extra-marital affair.
Now 34 years old, Stutzman was elected to the Indiana State House of Representatives in 2002 when he was only 26.
Scott Tipton, CO-03
Represents the rural Western Slope district
Tipton was elected with Tea Party backing, but only after he defeated a Tea Party and Sarah Palin-supported opponent in the primary.
A self-made multimillionaire, Tipton founded a pottery company with his brother.
When he was 19, Tipton was the youngest delegate to the 1976 GOP Convention, after working for Ronald Reagan's campaign that year.