Four new Va. faces now in Congress

Mark R. Warner took the oath of office as Virginia's new U.S. senator yesterday, saying he hopes to help steer the country through even tougher economic challenges than Virginia faced when he became governor in 2002.

Warner succeeds Republican John W. Warner, who retired after 30 years in the Senate.

John Warner and Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., walked Mark Warner down the aisle of the Senate chamber to be sworn in by Vice President Dick Cheney.

"I am anxious and eager to get to work," Mark Warner said.

Virginia's House delegation also gained three new members yesterday: Reps. Glenn Nye, D-2nd; Tom Perriello, D-5th; and Gerald Connolly, D-11th.

Nye, who represents part of Hampton Roads, announced that he had received a seat on the House Armed Services Committee. He also said he had joined 50 other members of the House from both parties in backing a bill to block the nearly $4,700 pay raise that members of the House are due next year.

"Members of Congress shouldn't be getting pay raises while their constituents are losing their jobs," Nye said.

Perriello said he had secured a seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Perriello was no sooner sworn in than The Hill newspaper named him the third most vulnerable member of Congress. Perriello won his seat by just 745 votes. Perriello said he's continuing his high-energy campaign style in Washington, where he has rented a basement apartment near the Capitol.

Mark Warner said his key focus will be the economic stimulus package that President-elect Barack Obama is pushing. Warner said he wants the package "done in a way that creates jobs and has a level of transparency."

He said the financial marketplace needs a new set of rules and that the country needs to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Warner also said he will steer clear of partisan rhetoric.

"At the end of the day, what Americans want are real results, not partisan back-and-forth."

At a reception in a packed room of a Senate office building after the swearing-in ceremony, the cheers were just as loud for John Warner as for the new senator.

The two Warners and Webb stood on the stage together.

"I may be succeeding John Warner, but I'm not replacing him," Mark Warner said. "He is irreplaceable."

John Warner, 81, said he leaves the Senate with "joy and a sense of satisfaction that I'm being succeeded by a man of great strength, with the potential for even greater strength."

He said the challenges facing the country are some of the most extreme he has seen.

"But Virginia has sent to the Senate a man who understands the free-market system and enterprise," John Warner said.

It is the first time since 1970 that two Democratic U.S. senators have represented Virginia.

"We've got a very strong passing of the baton here," Webb said.
Contact Amy Dominello at (202) 662-7671 or .

Neil Simon of Media General News Service contributed to this report.