WASHINGTON - New members of Congress were sworn-in during a ceremony on Thursday afternoon amid an ongoing partial government shutdown.
Among the new members, Elaine Luria will represent parts of Hampton Roads in the second congressional district.
“It is the honor of my lifetime to serve in Congress and represent Coastal Virginia, and I look forward to working on behalf of every person living in my district,” Congresswoman Luria said in a statement.
During Thursday's session, Luria voted for Nancy Pelosi to once again be Speaker of the House.
“Everything I do will be informed by what makes Virginia and America stronger. I’ll work tirelessly to honor our service members, veterans, and military families; protect Social Security and Medicare; safeguard our environment; speak truth to power; and make affordable health care more accessible," she said.
Luria won Virginia's second congressional seat over Republican incumbent Scott Taylor in November's highly contested race.
Luria is part of a 40-seat swing that gave Democrats control over the U.S. House of Representatives, a group that will have to work with President Donald Trump and the GOP-controlled U.S. Senate to find an end to the shutdown.
Dr. Rachel Bitecofer from the Wason Center for Christopher Newport University says both sides will feel pressure to end the shutdown. "You don't want to be seen as part of the problem, so I will assume that Luria's position will be, 'Let's get government open again - whatever it takes,'" she said.
President Trump wants more than $5 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats have offered more than $1 billion for additional border security measures, but not for a wall.
On Wednesday, President Trump hosted congressional Democrat leaders at the White House to try and reach a compromise, but the meeting ended without a deal.
So who represents the Commonwealth? Below is a look at those who will now lead Virginia at the national level.
U.S. Senators representing Virginia
Virginia's Senior Senator: (D) Mark Warner
Virginia's Junior Senator: (D) Tim Kaine
U.S. House members representing Virginia
Virginia's 1st Congressional District: (R) Robert J. "Rob" Wittman
Virginia's 2nd Congressional District: (D) Elaine Luria
Virginia's 3rd Congressional District: (D) Robert C. "Bobby" Scott
Virginia's 4th Congressional District: (D) Aston Donald McEachin
Virginia's 5th Congressional District: (R) Denver Riggleman
Virginia's 6th Congressional District: (R) Benjamin Lee "Ben" Cline
Virginia's 7th Congressional District: (D) Abigail Spanberger
Virginia's 8th Congressional District: (D) Donald Sternoff "Don" Beyer
Virginia's 9th Congressional District: (R) H. Morgan Griffith
Virginia's 10th Congressional District: (D) Jennifer Wexton
Virginia's 11th Congressional District: (D) Gerald Edward "Gerry" Connolly