When the 114th Congress convenes Tuesday, five Georgians will take the oath of office for the first time, four in the House and one in the Senate.
With Republicans now controlling the Senate, Congress is entirely in GOP hands. Georgia has followed suit, as the delegation is the most Republican it has ever been — 75 percent of its members.
Party leaders will drive how much compromise and confrontation will occur with President Barack Obama, but Georgia’s fresh faces will arrive with a burst of energy and their own notions of how things should run.
Only California and Michigan boast bigger freshman classes, and it’s Georgia’s largest group of newcomers since 2003.
All five — U.S. Sen. David Perdue and U.S. Reps. Rick Allen, Buddy Carter, Jody Hice and Barry Loudermilk — are white male Republicans, but they come from varied corners of the state and have vastly different career and political experience.
Here are a few things to know about Georgia’s newest members of Congress:
U.S. Sen. David Perdue
Age: 65
Residence: Sea Island
Profession: Corporate CEO and consultant
Political experience: None
How he won: The previously unknown cousin of former Gov. Sonny Perdue ran as “the outsider” against a deep field of current and former Republican officeholders, prevailing in a trying primary runoff, then bested Democrat Michelle Nunn in the general election. Perdue won with 52.9 percent of the vote, tying Nunn relentlessly to Obama and casting his business experience as essential to be an economic Mr. Fix-It.
Committees: Agriculture, Foreign Relations, Judiciary, Budget and Aging
Biggest question: How will the CEO used to calling the shots come to terms with being one of 100 in an institution riven with gridlock and dysfunction?
U.S. Rep. Rick Allen (12th District)
Age: 63
Residence: Evans
Profession: Construction business owner
Political experience: Unsuccessful run for Congress in 2012
How he won: Allen used a big financial advantage and missteps by foes to avoid a runoff in a five-way Republican primary. In a hard-fought general election, Allen clung to the statewide ticket and stuck to his conservative guns to win 54.8 percent of the vote and unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. John Barrow — a moderate who was unable to survive one more time in his Republican-leaning district.
Committees: Agriculture, Education and the Workforce
Biggest question: Will Allen frequently cross the aisle like his predecessor or toe the Republican line in the closest thing Georgia has to a swing district?
U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter (1st District)
Age: 57
Residence: Pooler
Profession: Pharmacist
Political experience: Georgia state Senate, 2010-14; state House, 2005-10; mayor of Pooler, 1996-2005
How he won: A well-known and well-financed political commodity in Chatham County, Carter was the candidate to beat from the start and prevailed in a heated primary runoff against tea party-aligned Bob Johnson. Carter cruised to general election victory against Democrat Brian Reese with 60.9 percent of the vote.
Committees: Homeland Security, Education and the Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform
Biggest question: Will Carter seek to climb the ladder in the House like his 11-term predecessor, U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, who was a top appropriator when he left the seat?
U.S. Rep. Jody Hice (10th District)
Age: 54
Residence: Monroe
Profession: Minister and radio host
Political experience: Unsuccessful run for Congress in 2010
How he won: Hice used an outspoken strongly conservative style to tap into the grass-roots networks of his predecessor, former U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, and he prevailed in a seven-candidate primary and then a runoff against Mike Collins, a son of former U.S. Rep. Mac Collins. He coasted to general election victory against Democrat Ken Dious with 66.5 percent of the vote.
Committees: Natural Resources, Oversight and Government Reform
Biggest question: Given Hice’s attention-grabbing past statements and writings about gays and Muslims, among other topics, will he become a prominent voice for cultural conservatives and a headache for leadership, as Broun was?
U.S. Rep. Barry Loudermilk (11th District)
Age: 51
Residence: Cassville
Profession: Small business owner, historian
Political experience: Georgia state Senate, 2011-13; state House, 2005-11
How he won: Loudermilk soaked up tea party and grass-roots support in a six-candidate Republican primary, then earned 66 percent of the vote in a primary runoff against former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, capitalizing on Barr’s departures from Republican orthodoxy — and the party itself. No Democrats ran in the GOP-dominated district.
Committees: Homeland Security; Science, Space and Technology
Biggest question: Will Loudermilk join the band of conservative disruptors who often vote against House Republican leadership, urged on by outside groups such as FreedomWorks and the Club for Growth that backed Loudermilk in his campaign?
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