Submitted by Conor Kenny on
Following special elections in Ohio and Virginia this week, the U.S. House of Representatives welcomed Reps. Bob Latta and Robert Wittman today. Latta won the race to replace deceased Rep. Paul Gillmor, while Wittman was elected to fill the seat opened when Rep. Jo Ann Davis passed away earlier this year.
Wittman and Latta were sworn in on Capitol Hill today by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Latta will represent Ohio's 5th District — a seat held by his father Delbert Latta for 30 years — while Wittman will represent Virginia's 1st District, which is home to defense industry interests and the Quantico Marine base.
Wittman will apparently find a seat on the House Armed Services Committee, thanks to a friendship with Minority Leader John Boehner, who campaigned on behalf of Wittman prior to the Dec. 11 special election.
The Ohio Secretary of State said it could not certify Tuesday's election results for 20 days, putting some doubt on whether Latta could be sworn in before the new year. However, a spokesman for the office said the U.S. Department of Justice greenlighted today's ceremony.
One seat in the House remains open: that vacated by former Speaker Dennis Hastert, who resigned last month.
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