By any standards and in every way, it is the most diverse House in history. The House Black Caucus and Hispanic Caucus welcomed more members than ever before. The first Muslim women were sworn in. And after several centuries of congresses, the first Native American women became voting Members.
Many of the new Members are young, as evidenced in part by the number of children joining their parents on the floor (including a four month old boy.) The children surrounded Nancy Pelosi when she took the dais and the Speaker's gavel, and pledged that this Congress would legislate with them foremost in mind.
As several analysts noted, this is also a more cohesive Democratic caucus than existed during the Obama administration. There are still strong divisions, and struggles between older established members and younger and newer members. But the House Progressive caucus now encompasses nearly half the Democratic members.
It was a joyous day for new members, with an unexpected electric speech placing Nancy Pelosi's name in nomination for Speaker, by Hakeem Jeffries, representative from New York and the new chair of the House Democratic Caucus. It may well have been the most surprising and most powerful speech since Senator Barack Obama at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
It was a day worthy of celebration.
And then there's tomorrow...
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