Sean Duffy, Reid Ribble prepare for new roles, new life in Washington

“I’ve never been inside the Capitol building,” Duffy, of Ashland, said in an interview. “I’ll get a tour and a visit to the well of the House floor, which will be a pretty emotional moment for me.”

A tour of the Capitol is one of several items on the itinerary for Duffy and the more than 100 newcomers elected to Congress last week, including Reid Ribble in Wisconsin’s 8th Congressional District and Sen.-elect Ron Johnson of Oshkosh, who will descend on Washington for a get-acquainted week. They will join current members who return for a lame-duck session.

Duffy, 39, a former county prosecutor, reality-TV star and lumberjack champion, and Ribble, 54, a former roofing contractor from Lawrence, will join an eclectic batch of lawmakers who will be prepped for their new roles beginning Monday. They are among at least 60 House Republicans who will take over seats currently held by Democrats, giving the GOP a solid majority in the 435-member House of Representatives.

During the week, House freshmen will have a class photo shoot, hear from sophomores about what to expect and get briefed on how to set up offices and manage staffs. They will be advised about ethics and legal issues, get a primer on pay and benefits (the annual salary for lawmakers is $174,000) and participate in a lottery for offices, though the plusher suites will already be taken.

The new lawmakers also get to participate in party caucus activity, including leadership votes that are expected to begin on Wednesday. Both Duffy and Ribble say they are supporting Ohio Republican John Boehner for House speaker.

Freshman orientation also gives newly elected members a chance to figure out the maze of tunnels and walkways that run among House and Senate office buildings and the Capitol. And they can check out the underground trains that shuttle lawmakers back and forth and elevators reserved exclusively for their use during votes.

While those things are important, Duffy and Ribble have other priorities. They start with setting up shop.

Duffy said he wants to be able to “hit the ground running” after he takes the oath of office in January.

“I am aggressively making sure I have a team that is ready to be fully engaged on Day One,” Duffy said.

Both Duffy and Ribble come to Washington without any previous legislative experience, and they acknowledge the learning curve they have before them. Ribble said the two have become friends after sharing experiences during the campaign season.

“We talked about once a month during the campaign,” Ribble said. “We talked about what was working. We talked a lot about media. There was good synergy between his campaign and ours.”

In addition to hiring staff, Duffy and Ribble are focused on committee assignments. Duffy has his sights set on agriculture, energy and commerce, financial services, natural resources and the joint economic committee. Ribble has targeted agriculture, budget, energy and commerce and transportation.

The new congressmen also have to start making living arrangements. Duffy, who will arrive Sunday with his wife and 7-month-old infant, said he plans to return to Wisconsin every week to be with his family. Ribble, whose children are grown, doesn’t have that concern.

Ribble, who describes himself as a history buff, said he has been to Washington enough “to not be enamored by it.” He, too, will arrive on Sunday with his wife and said the two plan to do some house hunting while here.

“Our strategy is to find a studio or loft or something small as close to the Hill as I can get,” Ribble said. “If I can walk (to the office), that would be great.”

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