WASHINGTON (ABP) — Baptists of all stripes will feature prominently in leadership of the 110th Congress, which itself will feature some religious firsts.
As both chambers pass from Republican into Democratic hands, several Baptists have been elevated to leadership positions in both chambers and both parties.
And, for the first time, a Muslim and two Buddhists will swear to uphold the Constitution and take their seats in Congress.
The new Congress includes 68 Baptists — 61 in the House and 7 in the Senate — according to figures compiled by Albert Menendez. The Marylander has been compiling data on the religious affiliations of Congress members for religious-freedom advocacy groups since 1972.
In the House, a Baptist will fill the second-ranking leadership post. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has been elected by his colleagues as the House Majority Leader. He will serve under incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
In the Senate, the second-ranking leader will also be a Baptist. Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.), the Senate's longest-serving member, will be the chamber's president pro tempore. The position means he is third in the line of succession for the presidency, should the president, vice president and speaker of the house become incapacitated.
Byrd will serve under new Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). Reid is the first Mormon to serve as majority leader in the chamber.
Baptists also feature prominently in the new minority leadership positions. In the Senate, Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell will serve as minority leader, while his Mississippi colleague Trent Lott will serve as minority whip. Lott is a former Senate majority leader. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) is the minority whip in the House and an active Baptist.
Incoming Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress. His decision to take his oath of allegiance on the Quran — rather than a Christian or Hebrew Bible, as is typical for incoming members of Congress — became controversial after a prominent conservative radio host decried it. In a column for the conservative Townhall.com website, Dennis Prager said Ellison “should not be allowed to do so” because swearing on anything but the Bible “undermines American civilization.”
In addition, the new House features Congress' first Buddhists — incoming Reps. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). Unlike Ellison, their religious affiliation was not publicized during their campaigns.
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