More diversity in the new "promo" of elected officials in the US House

Dozens of newly elected members of the US House of Representatives met on Wednesday for a family photo illustrating the greatest diversity born of parliamentary elections that have given victory to a record number of women and minority candidates.

"This promotion gives a lot of hope," said the young Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who will be the youngest of the 29 years of Congress when these new elected officials take office on 3 January.

Democrats took the majority in the House in the November 6 elections, but Republicans kept control of the Senate.

"There are a lot of people who have never been elected before, but have a wealth of experience," said the New York elector after the group photo, in a biting cold at the feet of the Capitol.

Democrat Angie Craig has managed to snatch a conservative seat held for over 15 years by Republicans in Minnesota.

"The voters were ready for a change," she told AFP. "I think they are ready to see a return of courtesy in this country and to have American leaders that their children can admire."

One of the few open-minded bads, she focused her campaign on health system advocacy, recounting her difficult experience as a child raised in a mobile home by a single mother, sometimes without health insurance.

– The next leaders –

Among the newly elected Democrats, the issues centered on the battle for the next House Majority Leader.

At 78, Nancy Pelosi intends to become again "Speaker", the third person in the state after the president and vice president.

But in the new guard, many have campaigned on a promise of renewal, and so should not vote for it.

Ayanna Pressley, the first black woman elected to Congress for the State of Mbadachusetts, has not yet badured Nancy Pelosi of her support: "I want to be sure that at all levels of leadership (…), we take parity, be it gender parity or between different origins.

The Democratic group in the House of Representatives will vote on this post on November 28. The final vote will take place in plenary session after taking office on 3 January.

A New Jersey Democrat, Jeff Van Drew, reaffirmed his campaign promise to vote against Nancy Pelosi. Does not he risk participating in the image of a divided party?

"No. We are a big party and counting on a variety of opinions gives him a good image," he told reporters.

For their part, the Republicans approved without shake their next leadership in the House.

Current number two Kevin McCarthy, 53, will be the leader of the Republican minority from January. He received 159 votes against 43 for Jim Jordan, a member of the ultra-conservative wing.

"Our role is to get together again," McCarthy said after the vote. But if the new Democratic majority only seeks to obstruct the Trump presidency, "we will be there to defend the Americans," he warned.

Current Republican Speaker Paul Ryan will leave the House at the end of the year.