The 96th United States Congress began on January 3, 1979. There were 12 new senators (seven Democrats, five Republicans) and 77 new representatives (42 Democrats, 34 Republicans, one Conservative), as well as one new delegate (a Republican), at the start of the first session. Additionally, four senators (one Democrat, three Republicans) and seven representatives (four Democrats, three Republicans) took office on various dates in order to fill vacancies during the 96th Congress before it ended on January 3, 1981.
State | Image | Senator | Took office | Switched party | Prior background | Birth year | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Maine | George J. Mitchell (D) | May 17, 1980 | No Appointed; replaced Edmund Muskie (D) |
U.S. District Court Judge for Maine U.S. Attorney for Maine |
1933 | [13] | |
New Hampshire | Warren Rudman (R) | December 29, 1980 | Yes Defeated John A. Durkin (D) |
Attorney General of New Hampshire | 1930 | [14] | |
Florida | Paula Hawkins (R) | January 1, 1981 | Yes Replaced Richard Stone (D), who lost renomination |
Florida Public Service Commission Vice President of Air Florida |
1927 | [15] | |
Alabama | Jeremiah Denton (R) | January 2, 1981 | Yes Replaced Donald Stewart (D), who lost renomination |
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral | 1924 | [16] |
District | Delegate | Switched party | Prior background | Birth year | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
U.S. Virgin Islands at-large | Melvin H. Evans (R) | Yes | Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands | 1917 | [94] |
District | Representative | Took office | Switched party | Prior background | Birth year | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
California 11 | William Royer (R) | April 3, 1979 | Yes | County Supervisor | 1920 | [95] |
Wisconsin 6 | Tom Petri (R) | April 3, 1979 | No | State Senator | 1940 | [96] |
Illinois 10 | John Porter (R) | January 22, 1980 | Yes | State Representative | 1935 | [97] |
Pennsylvania 11 | Ray Musto (D) | September 9, 1980 | No | State Representative | 1929 | [98] |
Louisiana 3 | Billy Tauzin (D) | May 22, 1980 | Yes[j] | State Representative | 1943 | [99] |
West Virginia 3 | John G. Hutchinson (D) | June 30, 1980 | No | Mayor of Charleston | 1935 | [100] |
Michigan 13 | George Crockett Jr. (D) | November 4, 1980 | No | Jurist | 1909 | [101] |