Early Thursday morning, in a packed subterranean room near the Capitol, newly elected members of Congress took turns approaching a wooden box and drawing lots to claim their spots in a storied pecking order.
No, this was not the process to determine what committee seats they would claim in the next Congress or when it would be their first chance to speak on the House floor.
It was the biennial congressional office draw, the longstanding ritual that governs the all-important granting of office space on Capitol Hill to soon-to-be-freshman lawmakers. Kind of like a freshman room draw, but for Congress.
Some participants strutted to the table and made a show of cracking their knuckles or closing their eyes for luck as they bent to pull their lottery number.
Representative-elect Sam Liccardo, Democrat of California, did a jellyfish-like wave with his arms before reaching into the box and pulling out No. 47. (Representative-elect George Whitesides, Democrat of California, noted to himself and those around him, “Don’t do the wave.”)
Others carried good luck charms. Representative-elect April McClain Delaney, Democrat of Maryland, brought an ultrasound scan of what will soon be her first grandchild. She ended up drawing No. 42.
Despite the many political differences in the room, the lawmakers hyped one another up when it was their turn to pick.
As Representative-elect Sarah McBride, Democrat of Delaware, approached the box, the room erupted in cheers of encouragement, even from Republicans. Ms. McBride, the first openly transgender member of Congress, has spent her first several days on Capitol Hill being targeted by Republicans who have said they will bar her from using women’s restrooms and other private women’s spaces in the Capitol complex.
The room collectively cheered, whooped and clapped as Representative-elect Laura Gillen, the New York Democrat who unseated Representative Anthony D’Esposito, a first-term Republican, drew the coveted chip bearing No. 1. She let out a shout of joy before high-fiving all those around her and doing a victory dance.
Those drawing a number higher than 40, by contrast, drew groans, laughter and slow claps from the crowd.
The lottery ceremony, a tradition stretching back to 1906, is more than just a spectacle. In a body where proximity to power is crucial and space is at a premium, a lawmaker’s office choice can set the tone for the entire two-year term. A cramped basement closet far from the House floor with few windows is the worst-case scenario, while a second-floor suite just a short walk away with a view of the Capitol dome is desirable.
New members get to choose from the leftovers after returning lawmakers jockey for the plum spaces currently occupied by departing colleagues.
Outside the selection room on Thursday, members-elect could peruse tables lined with all the options for customizing their new offices: furniture layout diagrams, paint options, wood trim samples and swatches of carpets and drapes. They won’t have access to their work spaces until the day they are to be sworn in, Jan. 3, when they can start picking up their keys at 8 a.m.
Most members choose based on location, size and proximity to the nearest cafeteria. But Representative-elect Tom Barrett, the Michigan Republican who will succeed outgoing Representative Elissa Slotkin, a Democrat, had his eye on a very specific suite.
Mr. Barrett, who drew No. 14, handed out a letter to his fellow newly elected members asking that they consider leaving Longworth 1232 open, so he could claim the same office his great-grandfather Representative Louis Rabaut occupied in 1954. That year, Mr. Rabaut sponsored his most memorable piece of legislation, which added the phrase “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance.
Mr. Barrett got his wish. The small office, which is occupied by Representative Zach Nunn of Iowa, sits on the building’s second floor just down the hall from Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi. It’s not big by any means, but the window in the back bathes the room in a warm glow of natural light — a perk that colleagues on the basement level don’t enjoy.
Representative-elect John Mannion, Democrat of New York, consoled himself after picking the second-to-last number by quipping that he would “have more time this morning to figure out my legislative priorities” before needing to select his office.
“It’s not last,” Mr. Whitesides, a cheerleader for everyone, told Mr. Mannion.
The last pick, No. 57, eventually went to Representative-elect Yevgeny Vindman, the Virginia Democrat who along with his twin brother, Alexander, is known for his role as a whistle-blower in the first Trump impeachment. His colleagues groaned in sympathy and jokingly mumbled their condolences.
Even though Mr. Vindman would have only a few undesirable offices to choose from, he was upbeat.
“I feel good about it!” said Mr. Vindman, who was accompanied by his twin brother at the draw. “People remember either the first or the last. Everything in the middle, they forget.”
“I’ve made my mark on Congress now,” he added. “That’s it.”
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