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The group of newly elected left-wing insurgent lawmakers, dubbed “The Bloc,” gathered on the steps of the Capitol Building Thursday to pose for cringey, yearbook-style photos.
Reps.-elect Darializa Avila Chevalier (D-NY), Claire Valdez (D-NY), Brad Lander (D-NY), Melat Kiros (D-Colo.), Adam Hamawy (D-NJ), Donavan McKinney (D-Mich.), Daniel Biss (D-Ill.), Dan Koh (D-Mass.), Chris Rabb (D-Pa.), Angela Gonzales-Torres (D-Calif.), Frederick Haynes III (D-Texas) and Patty Garcia (D-Ill.) were among the crew of progressives that huddled together during a break from the orientation programming.
Political journalists and insiders have been using the moniker “The Bloc” to refer to the informal coalition of lefty lawmakers since at least September.
The name appears to refer to how the group has been coordinating strategy and supporting one another politically since the primaries.
“They’re moving as a bloc,” a progressive operative told Politico in September.
The gang — which is apparently differentiating itself from the “Squad” group of lefty pols led by Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) — represents just a fraction of the more than 70 new Democrats elected in the midterm blue wave.
Rep. Analilia Mejía (D-NJ), wearing a bright blue dress, stood front and center of the incoming “Bloc” members. Mejía, a former top campaign aide to democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, was elected to replace Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District last year.
When the photo shoot wrapped, several of the lefty pols shared selfies on social media that gave off strong first-day-of-school vibes.
“A freshman class that looks like America,” Koh, seen flashing deuces, posted on Facebook.
In an Instagram post, McKinney appropriately accompanied his photos from “Freshman Class Picture Day” rapper Gucci Mane’s song “Photo Shoot.”
“It’s going to take all of us, from New Jersey and New York to Bakersfield and Los Angeles to help build a brighter future,” Gonzales-Torres, a DSA-backed Democrat from Los Angeles, wrote in her Instagram post.
“When people unite behind a purpose, there are no limits,” she added, including music from South Central LA legend Ice Cube.
More than 100 incoming congressmen descended on Washington this week for a 10-day crash course on the procedures for how to serve in federal office.
The new members will be sworn in on Jan. 3.
