Learning Curve: The new players in Congress
Every two years, the period between the November election and when the new Congress begins is often the busiest swath of time for covering Congress.Reporters are trying to figure out who won their elections and who lost. The existing Congress is back, attempting to prevent a government shutdown and often plowing through a landscape of other major legislation. There are often leadership elections. For instance, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., defeated Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., and Rick Scott, R-Fla.