New Democratic lawmakers bring first-day-of-school energy to Capitol Hill

And a politics editor, freshly returned to work after parental leave, can relate

• This was originally published in the Stakes 2026, a newsletter about the midterm elections. Sign up to get it in your inbox

Most of us probably remember that feeling we had as kids when we would sharpen our pencils and stack fresh notebooks into our backpacks, pick out our favorite outfits, and head back to school in the fall with the energy and exuberance that can only come after a few months away from a classroom.

This Monday, I had the rare adult version of that sensation when I packed my bag for my first day of work after parental leave. And, coincidentally, more than 100 new members of Congress also experienced the first-day jitters as they descended on Washington for new member orientation. For Democrats, who exceeded everyone’s expectations in the midterms – flipping more than 40 House seats, and gaining at least six new Senate seats (the race in Alaska still hasn’t been called, but it, too, appears to be favoring Democrats) – it was a more triumphant beginning than most of us had walking into high school for the first time.