Rep. Dave Curson: The 7-week congressman

Newly elected Rep. Dave Curson moved into his spacious, sun-drenched Capitol Hill office three weeks ago, eager to savor every minute of his congressional career.

And relish it he must: In four more weeks, it’ll all be over.

The Michigan Democrat just won his first congressional race, but in a twist of redistricting he’s already a lame duck. He was elected to a mere seven-week stint, ending on Jan. 2, to finish out Republican former Rep. Thad McCotter’s term.

(PHOTOS: Thad McCotter's career)

So Curson is spending his final weeks boning up on issues like the fiscal cliff even as he plans his return to Michigan. Those nice digs in Rayburn? No more. Like others exiting after this year, Curson had to pack up his office to make room for a new arrival come January.

“I’ve been trying to argue about being evicted out of this office,” Curson said in an interview in his office, shortly before he had to leave it. “Everybody was very kind, but they said this happens every two years, and you’re no different than anyone else.”

It’s been a whirlwind for the 64-year-old union representative and father of three: He hired key staff, had sit-downs with Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, got a committee assignment (Science, Space and Technology) and delivered his first House floor speech (in favor of normalizing trade relations with Russia). He hasn’t introduced a bill so far but is hunkering down with aides, studying the nuances of policy dilemmas and figuring out the ins-and-outs of congressional procedure.

“I came expecting all of the other congresspeople to just think that I was a naive guy,” said Curson, a Vietnam War veteran. “But when I got here, I was welcomed with open arms.”

A confluence of several factors led to Curson’s improbable foray onto Capitol Hill. First, Democrat Syed Taj had announced that he was going to seek his party’s nomination to the Republican-leaning seat, located in southeastern Michigan.

But McCotter — who had launched a quixotic bid for the Republican presidential nomination — suddenly resigned in July, triggering a special election. The once-a-decade redistricting process meant the district Taj was running to represent was different from the one that would remain for the rest of the 112th Congress. Democrats in the area decided that Taj should focus solely on that race and began hunting around for a candidate in the special election.

That turned out to be Curson, with his deep roots among union workers in the suburban Detroit district.

“We knew we wouldn’t be able to compete in money, but we’ve had lots of boots on the ground, and we’ve had lots of people working on the campaign,” Curson said. “So I ended up kind of being the one that had a legitimate shot at winning, so I agreed to run just for the lame-duck session.”

His opponent was Republican Kerry Bentivolio, who actually defeated Taj in the general election but lost to Curson by about 7,500 votes in his bid to complete McCotter’s term.

Curson didn’t waste any time once he won the election.

He was certified as a congressman-elect on Nov. 8 at about 5 p.m. Ten minutes later, he hired a district director. Two days later, Curson packed his Ford F-150 and made the nine-hour drive from Michigan to Washington, and started to pull his office and staff together.

In the few days before he was officially sworn in on Nov. 13, Curson hired more aides, got the keys to his office and started to learn to navigate the labyrinth that is the U.S. Capitol.

“It’s been a wild ride,” said Curson, who is living in a hotel during his seven-week stay.

The average tenure for a House member of the 112th Congress is 9.8 years, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Another very brief tenure occurred in 2010, when Democrat Carte Goodwin replaced the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) for four months while then-Gov. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) prepared to run for the seat. Goodwin’s name is now being floated as a potential House candidate in 2014.

Becoming a new member on Capitol Hill is a challenging circumstance for anyone, veteran lawmakers say, let alone one who has a matter of weeks, not years, to get up to speed.

“Finding a place to live, getting around, getting settled in your office, getting staff and all the time, find … a committee and then get to know the members,” said Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the outgoing chairman of the House Democratic Caucus. “It’s a lot to crunch in, in a very short period of time.”

But “he’s already acquitted himself well within the caucus,” Larson added of Curson.

Curson isn’t the only new House freshman wandering the halls of the Capitol. Democrat Suzan DelBene of Washington state, Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Democrat Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey were all sworn in days after Nov. 6, having won special elections themselves. But those three members also won full terms and will stick around for the 113th Congress.

Meanwhile, at least three seats in the House will remain unoccupied for the lame-duck session — those vacated by former Reps. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.), Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) and Bob Filner (D-Calif.).

The Capitol isn’t unfamiliar territory for Curson, who has lobbied lawmakers on behalf of the United Auto Workers union. But being an official member has given him a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective on the legislative process and really opened his eyes, Curson said.

“Since I’ve been here, on these big issues that are before us, I have seen nothing but dedication down in the chambers,” Curson said. “People [are] seriously searching their souls trying to find a way to fix this and still take care of their constituents. I’ve seen less talk about politics and more talk about substance than I ever imagined I would.”

Curson says he has no political ambitions beyond the campaign he mounted this year.

Link to original article from Politico