greggiroux.bsky.social
Bloomberg Government reporter analyzing elections, Congress, redistricting. TCM, trivia fan. News.bgov.com
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North Carolina didn't elect another woman to Congress until Eva Clayton in 1992, 46 years after Pratt’s win.
In the current 119th Congress, 4 women are in the NC delegation (Adams, Foushee, Foxx, Ross) 8/8
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According to House historian’s office, Pratt was “the first non-related, female congressional staffer to succeed her boss in a special election.”
history.house.gov/HistoricalHi... 7/8
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Pratt didn’t seek a full 2-year term and left Congress in January 1947, though she remained in DC and worked for federal agencies and then another member of Congress. 6/8
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Deerhake: “The flood control committee was where she would make the greatest impact for North Carolina.” 5/8
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As a House member, Pratt worked on an issue that resonates today: flood control projects in the Yadkin River Basin, including authorization of what would become the Kerr Scott Dam and Reservoir in Wilkes County in northwestern North Carolina. 4/8
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Deerhake: "Jane Pratt was not destined to become the state's first female member of the US Congress, but she was prepared." 3/8
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Pratt (1902-1981) was managing editor for a weekly NC newspaper in early/mid 1920s (rare for a woman then), then worked 22 years for 4 NC members of Congress including William O. Burgin (D), who died April 1946.
Pratt (D) won May 1946 special election to complete his term. 2/8
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The list: t.co/pLtxu2tcUX
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How House members voted: clerk.house.gov/Votes/202561
Trump's signature next. Senate passed it 54-44 on Feb. 25. This is a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act.
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Better link: clerk.house.gov/Votes/202562
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How all House members voted on censure: clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/rol...
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Arizona's 1st District (Scottsdale, N Phoenix) in 2024:
Trump (R) 51%, Harris (D) 48%
Gallego (D) 52%, Lake (R) 47%
Schweikert (R) 52%, Shah (D) 48% #AZ01
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In Feb-Mar 1947:
House passed initial version 285-121
Senate passed amended version 59-23
House concurred in Senate changes 81-29 (!), sending amendment to states. Rep. Aime Forand (D-RI) initially objected to lack of quorum, but withdrew point of order without explanation in Congressional Record.
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Congress approved the amendment in March 1947. Forty-one of the 48 states at the time ultimately ratified the amendment. Two rejected it (Oklahoma and Massachusetts). Five didn't act.
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Kildee: After Michigan switched to a commission for redistricting, “Now we've got competitive seats. That's better for democracy. It's harder for us. I had to go through a really tough race in 2022, but it shouldn't be about us, it should be about how the system works.” 6/6
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Kildee, continued: "You've got to tell people things they don't want to hear if you're actually functioning as a leader, and there’s not enough of that here." 5/6
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Dan Kildee (D-Mich.): “My favorite professor at the Kennedy School of Government, Marty Linsky, said it best: leadership is the act of disappointing your own supporters at a rate they can absorb." 4/6
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(Louisiana long known for its 'open' all-candidate, single-ballot primary but switched to 'closed' party-only primaries for some offices starting in 2026.) 3/6
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Garret Graves (R-Louisiana): "Why should you spend half of the election ostracizing or isolating half of the people you're going to be representing? I think the model is wrong. I think an open primary system makes more sense, and I wish that more states would do it that way.” 2/6
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Here are the 27 Senate "Odd Couple" delegations from the 96th Congress (1979-80):
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The closest California district in the presidential tally was #CA45, which Harris won by 1.5 points and Republican US Senate candidate Steve Garvey won by 0.9 points.
Derek Tran (D) unseated Rep. Michelle Steel (R) by 653 votes/0.2 points
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“Working families in the Valley don’t care about the color of your jersey — they sent both President Trump and I to Washington to find common ground and lower costs." -Democratic Rep. Josh Harder, who won a 4th term by 3.6 points in a San Joaquin County-anchored district Trump won by 1.8 #CA09
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“I took on my own party as much as I took on the other party” as a 10-year state legislator who founded the California Problem Solvers Caucus, said new Democratic Rep. Adam Gray (who unseated a Republican by 187 votes in a district Trump won by 5.4 points) #CA13
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When the Senate previously had 26 women in its membership:
Jan. 6, 2020 (Kelly Loeffler appointed) to Dec. 2, 2020 (Martha McSally resigned)
Jan. 3, 2021 (Cynthia Lummis joined at start of 117th Congress) to Jan. 18, 2021 (Kamala Harris resigned to become VP)
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"A strong police force was stationed in various parts of the Capitol this morning, on the side in which the Hall of the House of Representatives is located, and some parts of the building usually open to visitors were closed." - Philadelphia Inquirer, February 1861
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1861: How Army Gen. Winfield Scott, loyal to President-elect Lincoln and the Union, prepared for and thought about those who might disrupt electoral vote count certifying Lincoln's win (per Ted Widmer's excellent "Lincoln on the Verge: Thirteen Days to Washington")
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1949: Senate president pro tempore Kenneth McKellar presided because the vice presidency was vacant ~4 years (!) after Harry Truman ascended to presidency pre-25th Amendment. Alben Barkley, elected with Truman in 1948, sworn in as VP Jan. 20.
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January 1957, Vice President Richard Nixon announced his and President Dwight Eisenhower’s re-election; January 1961, Nixon announced his loss to Kennedy
Nixon: “Those who lose accept the verdict, and support those who win.”