Essential Politics: Kamala Harris and other Californians take the oath in Washington, San Diego power couple ties ... - Los Angeles Times

California's newest U.S. representatives, four men and one woman, are now part of the largest Congressional delegation in the country after being sworn in to the 115th Congress on Tuesday afternoon.

"It's been an amazing day, really historic," said Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-San Pedro).

Fourteen of her family members flew across the country to witness the swearing in, including Barragán's mother.

"Right now we're trying to make sure to get all the photos and opportunities to get the mementos, because it's only once that you get sworn into Congress," she said.

Inside the House chamber, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Fremont) leaned against a railing and chatted with Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Stockton). Khanna was sworn in on a bicentennial edition of the Constitution on loan from the rare books division of the Library of Congress.

Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel) is representing the area once represented by his father, Leon Panetta, a fact that was repeatedly pointed out throughout the day.

Panetta said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wisc.) stopped to talk briefly with them, rolled his eyes and said with a laugh, "Oh, another Panetta."

Panetta said having his father with him during the swearing-in was "definitely one of the highlights of my life" and that it was especially poignant to have his two daughters by his side when he voted for House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to be speaker. ( The vote was largely along party lines .)

Rep. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana), who waited with this family to pose for pictures with House leaders, said the day was a whirlwind.

"I'm very humbly honored to be a member of this great country's Congress given my economic background . It just shows the American dream is still there," Correa said.

Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) stopped in Statuary Hall to take a photo with his new colleague, Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale), before members cast their first votes Tuesday. The former Santa Barbara County supervisor said he's ready to start legislating.

"The excitement is waning now a little bit. It just feels like, lets get on with it," Carbajal said.