Virginia Sen.-elect Jim Webb is expected by many to enter Congress next year as one of the leading voices on national security and military affairs, a decorated veteran who will shake up the debate on Iraq.
But before he upends U.S. foreign policy, he’s going to have to find an office.
When Congress reconvenes Jan. 4, Webb, as a freshman senator, will be assigned a “swing suite,” or a temporary office. He’ll get a permanent office through a lottery with the other 10 new senators after the session begins.
Webb’s office selection process and extensive foreign-policy experience capture the dual nature of his entrance into the Senate. On the one hand, he is a former Navy secretary with years of military experience who will immediately be a strong voice on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. On the other, he is a political novice who will rely on a staff with extensive Hill experience to navigate the halls of Congress.
Boston University congressional historian Julian Zelizer said Webb reminds him of Sen. Hubert Humphrey, a Democrat who entered the Senate in 1948 as a nationally respected voice on civil rights. The issue divided the Democratic Party at the time.
“Very quickly, because people knew him already, he was able to make some noise,” Zelizer said of Humphrey. “Webb has a very similar opportunity. He’s a public figure; he’s not an unknown. He’s one of those senators who comes in and within the first year, because of the circumstances in Iraq, can have influence very quickly.”
Zelizer warned that Webb’s outspokenness could upset some senior members.
“Traditionally, freshmen are not people who are supposed to be heard. Senior members of the party don’t want to be displaced by freshmen,” said Zelizer. “There is the expectation that you have to pay your dues.”
George Mason political scientist Toni Travis said Webb’s entrance will likely be the opposite of his predecessor.
“Allen’s was a very low-key arrival,” she said. “We’ve set big expectations for Webb. The press is going to scrutinize constantly. They’ll be watching every step.”
