Do you know who your congresspeople are? [poll]

This may be way too basic, but I'm sure there's a lot of political newbies on here, and I'm curious: do you know off the top of your head who your representative is and who your senators are?

I'm sure many of us know them as well as we know our own names, but it'd be interesting to see just how many of us do know 'em. If you really don't know but want to, go to Project Vote-Smart.

•  yup

  Chaka Fattah, who coincidentally was the only member of the CBC not to walk out in orotest of the Florida debacle in 2000.  He is the Black guy in the scene standing doing nothing, for those who have seen F911.

  My Senators are our very favorite dog lover, Rick Santorum, and an older dumb version of Jimmy Stewart, Arlen Spector.

  by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:38:37 PM PDT

  •  same here

    Yup those are mine too at least for now.

    Hopefully Hoeffel in a few months

    by thebaumbomb on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:07:40 PM PDT

    •  where in philly are you?

      You in the Northwest?  Germantown here.

      by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:21:14 PM PDT

      •  University City n/t

        by thebaumbomb on Tue Jul 13, 2004 at 06:51:44 AM PDT

•  If you had

  J. D. Hayworth representing your district, how could you forget?

  Then we've got McCain and Jon(missile defense)Kyl as senators.

  HELP!

  by Coldblue Steele on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:39:34 PM PDT

  •  it sucks to be you

    Althoug it might be cool to have McCain be my Senator.  He would definantly beat out dog love boy.

    by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:41:51 PM PDT

    •  McCain is not cool

      but he does beat out dog love boy.

      Cold Blue, I'm with you in Hayworth's CD.  I recently switched my registration to Independent so I can vote in the Republican primary on Sept. 7. He is being challenged by a pro-choice woman named Roselyn O'Connell in the primary. I encourage all here to do the same. This way I get to vote against Hayworth twice (if Roselyn fails.)

      by Phalanges on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:54:23 PM PDT

•  Well...

  I live in Alabama, so I've no strong desire to learn the names of my senators. I feel dirty just thinking about them.

  by Kaworu on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:41:55 PM PDT

•  Ugh

  I live in Phil Crane's district and within six miles of Senator Peter Fitzgerald's palatial manse. God bless Dick Durbin and go Barak.

  by Cbal on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:42:13 PM PDT

•  DC resident

  I don't get representation, as I live in the District...

  by Wyrm2 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:43:52 PM PDT

  •  Crap

    Oh crap, I'm sorry. I'm usually pretty sensitive about the DC issue, being rather opposed to the whole "taxation without representation" thing. But I don't think I can edit the poll.

    A word after a word after a word is power. -- Margaret Atwood

    by tmo on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:49:12 PM PDT

  •  well, you have a "delagate"

    What is here name.  You know, that coool Black lady that is in congress but doesn't have a vote.

    by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:52:10 PM PDT

    •  Eleanor Holmes Norton

      by Drew on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:26:04 PM PDT

  •  asdf

    I don't get representation, as I live in the District...

    You have one of the best informed and most intelligent representatives in the entire House, Eleanor Holmes Norton. Unfortunately she does not have a vote. You've no representation in the Senate at all, of course.

    by colleen on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 09:25:38 PM PDT

•  Rangel, Schumer and Clinton

  I can't say I'm thrilled by this trio, but compared to some of the entries above, I guess I live in a Liberal Utopia!

  by matt n nyc on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:46:32 PM PDT

  •  Could be Worse

    Clinton, Schumer, and Major Owens

    by littlewillie on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:01:05 PM PDT

    •  Could still be worse than mine...

      Senators:  Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) and John Cornyn (R)
      Representative: Chet Edwards (D) (until next election -- thanks to TX redistricting)

      by jjc4jre on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 08:24:08 PM PDT

•  Yes - and I called all three of them today!

  Sen. Hillary Clinton
  Sen. Chuck Schumer
  Rep. Nita Lowey

  Left messages "urging" the sen/rep "not to support any legislation that would allow George Bush to delay or cancel the election in November."

  So far no one has called me back...

  by PBJ Diddy on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:48:02 PM PDT

•  I only have one Senator.

  That's Russ Feingold.

  by ben masel on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:51:31 PM PDT

  •  And My Rep

    Tammy Baldwin and i have been friends since she voted against an effort to ban the Weedstock festival on the County Board in 1992, shortly before her first run for the Assembly. I ran in the Republican Primary for that seat, used my seat at the table to publicize HER Primary opponent's vote to undo the $5 marijuana fine we'd passed by ballot initiative 14 years before.

    by ben masel on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:17:58 PM PDT

    •  r u a republican?

      So wait, you ran in the Republican primary to make her win?  I am not sure I understand the story.

      Who is you other senator, anyways.  We all love Russ.  I don't think that anyone knows the other guy off the top of their heads.

      by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:24:10 PM PDT

      •  It was an open seat. 78th Assembly

        Opened when Dave Clarenbach, author of the 1st Gay Rights Law, made a run for the House.

        In the Assembly race were 4 Dems, 3 Reps(including me), and a Labor Farm.

        I'd entered not yet to support Tammy per se, but as payback on the Machine pick in the Dem Primary. By running Rep, I got a seat at the debates, and used it to bring up his prior sellout.

        I eventually concluded Tammy as the best of the other 3 Ds. Since Russ was also in a Primary for his 1st Senate run, most of the marijuana vote was going to vote in the D Primary, and asked me who was best of the Dems...

        Another of the D candidates from that race, Dave Ciezlevitz, recently became our Mayor.

        by ben masel on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:47:56 PM PDT

      •  Our Other Senator?

        We don't get one until 2006.

        by ben masel on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:52:31 PM PDT

        •  no love for Kohl?

          I mean he is the Kohl's guy, you know the store and all.  He owned the freakin Milwalkee Bucks.  He has to get some love for that.  Doesn't he.

          Is he that bad?

          by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:04:37 PM PDT

          •  By Wisconsin standards,

            yes. Tho useless fits better than bad. If he doesn't retire in '06 I'm running as an Independent. The State Party has plenty of notice, convince him to step down.

            by ben masel on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:18:56 PM PDT

  •  Good answer!

    Your one senator is one of the best. I just wrote an e-mail to a friend in Wisconsin, saying, "You are going to vote for Russ Feingold this time, aren't you?" She voted for the Republican six years ago, and she voted for Bush in 2000. (She felt torn both times.) This year she's voting for Feingold and Kerry.

    I was so proud to have Paul Wellstone as my senator. Now the turncoat Norm Coleman has his seat. So I only have one senator and that's Mark Dayton.

    My rep is Betty McCollum, a Democrat. She's fine.

    I don't have a governor, but that's another story.

    I hate what has happened to Minnesota politics. I've said before: I want my country back, and I want my state back.

    In the presidential race I do think Minnesota is a pretty bluish shade of purple.

    by Maureen on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:34:31 PM PDT

    •  me-too

      Mark Dayton and Creepy Coleman -- it gives me physical pain to have him instead of Paul W.  Dayton is definitely one of the good guys, has a semi-stutter which makes his speeches difficult, but he says and does the right things. My rep is Jim Oberstar, old-fashioned HHH-dem, no razzle-dazzle but usually comes through when it counts (f'rinstance Oct 2002, both my senators [at the time] and my rep voted against the Iraq resolution).

      My "Embarassingly Liberal" t-shirt (Wellstone's '96 campaign) is in the wash right now, getting things ready for the Dubya protest rally tomorrow afternoon :)

      by rincewind on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 09:14:58 PM PDT

•  Yep

  Howard Berman, D, Rep.
  Dianne Feinstein, D, Sen.
  Barbara Boxer, D, Sen.

  As for my STATE reps... Majority Whip Richard Alarcon, D, Sen; Jack Scott, D, Sen.; Dario Frommer, D, Assem.; Paul Koretz, D, Assem.; Lloyd Levine, D, Assem.

  Lucky me. Mostly a no brainer. And I intend to help keep it that way.

  Though I must say, Dianne Feinstein is a scourge. She makes me sick. For once, the ridiculous term limits are going to come in handy.

  by Maryscott OConnor on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:52:18 PM PDT

  •  term limits?

    What do you mean?  Do they have those in CA, or are they some rediculous "self term limited" thing?

    by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:53:58 PM PDT

    •  I misspoke

      No, we don't have term limits for Senators or Congresspeople.

      And I hope it stays that way. But it would be the only good thing to come of it -- getting rid of Feinstein.

      I wish I could run for office, I really do. If it weren't for my total lack of qualifications, I'd call that bitch out.

      by Maryscott OConnor on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:22:26 PM PDT

      •  interesting past

        Hey, as a Democrat, your past is probably a liability, but as a Republican, people would eat that shit up.  You know, the family woman who beat her battle against drugs and alcohal.  You know, the whole Jerry Garcia is "another dead doper", but Rush is a hero.

        I mean who needs qualifications?  You have Arnold as your Governer.  Didn't Sunny friken Bono become a congressman from California too?  Ronald Reagan was the president, which incidentally was the best role of his life.  He should have gotten an honerary Oscer for that shit.  Jesse Ventura was a real winner too.  And gotta love that Fred Thompson guy, or whatever his name is.

        I have never seen you act, but I am sure you can run circles around these clowns.  One thing that I learned in frigid Iowa was that politics is great theatre.  You may not be working now.  I hope that you are, but thik about it.  This could be the greatest role of your life.

        by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:32:42 PM PDT

        •  Yeah but...

          They all had names when they ran. I'm a nobody from nowhere.

          We'll see.

          by Maryscott OConnor on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:36:08 PM PDT

  •  I'm close

    I'm in Nancy Pelosi's district, and I'm with you on Feinstein. I love Boxer though.

    by incertus on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 04:54:44 PM PDT

    •  Ditto

      all around.

      by Doug in SF on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:00:25 PM PDT

  •  true, true.

    Though I must say, Dianne Feinstein is a scourge. She makes me sick. For once, the ridiculous term limits are going to come in handy.

    I agree wholeheartedly, although, I would seriously be able to get behind her running for Governor to get rid of Arnold.

    You know, in the absence of nobody really good.

    -C.

    by Neutron on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:07:26 PM PDT

    •  Mayor of SF?

      How the hell was she ever the Mayor of San Frncisco, anyways?

      by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:09:38 PM PDT

      •  Before my time

        but didn't she originally ascend when Mayor Moscone and Harvey Milk were killed?

        by incertus on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:11:15 PM PDT

        •  maybe

          I live in Philadelphia, and am only 23, so it was way before my time.  I just know that she was mayor, like, a while back from stuff that I have read here.

          by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:16:14 PM PDT

        •  Yes

          Like a vulture, she swooped down on Harvey's corpse and pulled it up to the Mayor's office with her teeth. In their grief, the people of San Francisco were suckered by her bullshit.

          And then came the entire State.

          I hate her I hate her I hate her.

          by Maryscott OConnor on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:24:10 PM PDT

  •  It's worth noting....

    ....that Feinstein has pretty much led the charge in the Senate to stop the Bush administration's efforts to build a new generation of nuclear weapons.

    She may be bad on a lot of things, but I believe in giving credit where it is due.

    by tyroneslothrop on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:24:47 PM PDT

•  yep, don't remind me

  Senators:  The new, frightenly insane, closeted homosexual (some say- not that I care one way or the other but given his stances it'd be ironic) Lindsey Graham, and the irascible and unfortunately retiring Fritz Hollings.

  Rep: running, again, unopposed, Bush acolyte Joe Wilson.  

  by tubalefty on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:01:57 PM PDT

•  Sadly, yes

  Sen. Dick Durbin  D
  Sen. Peter Fitzgerald  R
  Rep. Henry Hyde  R

  I really dislike Hyde, I hope he gets the boot this year.

  by DuPage Dem on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:03:00 PM PDT

  •  Who's running against Hyde?

    by pixie on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:16:42 PM PDT

    •  Hyde's challenger

      It would be Christine Cegelis.  She's looking for money still, so if anyone would like to donate, it would be appreciated, I'm sure.

      by DuPage Dem on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:38:04 PM PDT

•  Absolutely

  OK-2 Rep is Brad Carson (D).  Too centrist for my taste, but it seems that's how Democrats get elected in Oklahoma.  Whatever it takes, I guess.

  Senators: Don Nickles (R) and Jim Inhofe (R), two of the most hyperconservative jackasses you'd ever meet.  I'm sure you remember Inhofe's rant about being outraged over the outrage over Abu Ghraib.

  Oh, the joys of being a librul in the Bible Belt.

  by seanOK on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:03:31 PM PDT

•  yes on sens, on on rep

  But in my defense, I just moved here a month and a half ago. If I only lived a few miles away I'd have Loretta Sanchez as my rep, but instead I've got some republican or other as rep. I remember looking it up before I moved and was checking election results. Ugh, the token dem who runs in this district doesn't put any effort into her run, although that might be justificable based on the fact that the district is heavily R, but I gave up on Nader in 2000 after I found out that he wasn't in it to win, in which case what's the point.

  by dhosek on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:09:28 PM PDT

•  I know Representative personally

  but then Jim Moran is a Democrat whom I have known since before he first ran, and whom I encounter several gtimes a year, at fudnraisers, and even on Capitol Hill

  both of my Senators are Republicans.   I know who they are, but have never met either one.  I wouldn't mine meeting John Warner, but I have no desire for any contact with George Allen.

  by teacherken on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:18:33 PM PDT

•  Mine are pretty damned good

  Stabenow, Levin, Conyers

  by Sylv on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:24:51 PM PDT

•  Aye

  Sen. Durbin (yay!)
  Sen. Fitzgerald (boo! but soon to be replaced by Obama (yay!))
  Rep. Schakowsky (yay!)
  

  by hyperbolic pants explosion on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:28:29 PM PDT

•  Georgia Senators suck viciously!

  Saxby Chambliss - the worst
  Zell Miller - total dickhead

  My rep. is great - John Lewis. His 47 seconds of outrage on the House floor over Abu Ghraib made me proud to have him as my representative.

  by miasmo on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:32:18 PM PDT

•  yep

  Senators - Ron Wyden (D) and Gordon Smith (R, but he's not too bad of an egg, FMA aside. I'd love to replace him with a Dem, but he's not a wingnut).

  Representative - David Wu (D). Very pleased with him on the whole. I've done a bit of envelope-stuffing for his campaign and plan to do more.

  by cyclopatra on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 05:44:53 PM PDT

  •  FMA?

    What does FMA stand for?

    by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:13:11 PM PDT

    •  Federal Marriage Amendment

      Smith wavered for a while, but eventually said he was for it. Which disappointed me a great deal, since he's generally very good on GLBT issues.

      by cyclopatra on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:18:08 PM PDT

      •  thanks

        I thought that it was the marrage ammendment, but couldn't figure out the wording.  I would have thought that Frank Lunz and the Rethugs would have thought of something more Orwellian like the "Defense of Family Ammendment" or "Operation Family Freedom", which is a little more Lunzy than DOMA.

        by charlesdog12 on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:56:26 PM PDT

•  And but so...

  ..I've recently moved into Earl Blumenauer's Congressional district; he's the bow-tie weraring, bike-commuting rep whose catchy campaign slogan was "EARL!"

  Senators Wyden and Smith, yo.

  by scottbateman on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:02:41 PM PDT

•  Mike McNulty (D),,,

  reasonable on domestic issues, voted for the war resolution,  we could do better, but also could do a lot worse--
  Chuck Schumer, a good guy despite some neo-connish leanings,
  Hillary-- 'nuff said

  by JeffSCinNY on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 06:30:14 PM PDT

•  If you'd asked in July of 2002...

  I wouldn't have had a clue.

  See, the ONLY good thing to come of Bush/Cheney is that many Democrats, both old-hat and new, now know whom they are represented by in Congress.

  My Senators:  

  D - WA - Patty Murray
  D - WA - Maria Cantwell
  [yeah-ha, two women, not bad for the Pacific NW, eh?]

  My Representative:

  D- WA - Brian Baird (3rd Congressional District, up for re-election this year, has a BIG campaign fund and is looking good for November).

  My State Congresspersons:

  49th Leg. Dist. Senator:
  (R) - WA - Don Carlson (whom we here in Clark County are hoping is going to get the boot by the Democratic candidate - a current Clark County Commissioner - Craig Pridemore)

  49 Leg. Dist. Representative:
  D - WA - Jim Moeller (a guy who looks like an accountant, votes like a progressive, and gives a speech like Harry Truman!  Also up for re-election, and looking good for November.)

  So, in closing, thank you, George Bush, for creating a hard-ass Democrat from an always-throwing-away-my-vote Independent.

  Here's to the (hopefully) millions just like me, who should usher in Kerry/Edwards with a fairly large edge come November 2004.

  Now, everything would be perfect, if just one of those guys was a Howard, instead of a John.....    

  by Angie in WA State on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 07:23:01 PM PDT

•  Here in Carrboro, NC

  It's VP John (for now) and Liddy Dole in the Senate and David Price in the House.

  Liddy Dole -- that was my first election in NC. She was actually more of a carpet bagger than me when she ran. I'd been living in the state for several months before she threw her hat in the ring from wherever Bod lives. Kansas, wasn't it?

  by Bill Rehm on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 07:45:14 PM PDT

•  Bingaman and Udall

  Here in New Mexico, I get to like my reps, as they usually get it right. Plus I got to talk to Udall in the street at Santa Fe's huge anti-war demo in March, 2003.

  Domenici, of course, is always a disappointment.

  by claude on Mon Jul 12, 2004 at 08:27:38 PM PDT