Walsh joins 'freshman orientation' in D.C.

SPRINGFIELD The suburbs sent three Republicans to Washington D.C. this week for freshman orientation on Capitol Hill including one whose election is still up in the air.

New Reps. Randy Hultgren of Winfield and Robert Dold of Kenilworth are attending sessions this week about how to run their offices, how to follow Congressional ethics rules, how to hire staff and other nitty-gritty details.

Joining them is Joe Walsh of McHenry, who's still waiting for final results in his race against Democratic U.S. Rep. Melissa Bean in the 8th District. Walsh holds a 347-vote lead and is waiting for final absentee vote counts this week.

“It's not unusual to invite freshman to the orientation in close races,” said Walsh campaign manager Nick Provenzano.

The bipartisan orientation, including lodging, is paid for out of the U.S. House budget and is meant to help new members handle their new jobs in Congress once they take office in January.

“We help them with the operational and administrative aspects,” said Kyle Anderson, spokesman for the Committee on House Administration that runs the program. Receptions and dinners are sprinkled throughout the week, including an open house Monday with Nancy Pelosi in what is, for now, her Capitol suite.

They'll also divvy up office space and decide which members all at the bottom of the seniority list get to sit on various committees. Dold said that'll be a “daunting task” because of the number of freshmen looking for assignments.

“Obviously, this is a far bigger freshman Republican class,” Dold said.

Dold might have a little more help than some his predecessor in the 10th District, U.S. Sen.-elect Mark Kirk, will be close by in Washington. Dold said he's talked to Kirk in order to prepare for the transition. Though Dold won't take office until January, Kirk starts his new job in the coming weeks.

Orientation week gives new members a chance to connect with the people they'll be working with for at least the next two years.

“It's also just a good opportunity to meet many of my colleagues,” said Hultgren, of the 14th District.

The two parties will split and talk among themselves for at least part of the week. Republicans in the House are preparing to take over as the majority party.

Hultgren, a state senator who'll miss this week's veto session in Springfield because of the orientation on Capital Hill, says he's looking forward to that.

“For all my years in Springfield, I've been in the minority,” Hultgren said. “So it'll be an interesting experience.”