A New Congress Is Sworn In, but With Many Old Faces

WASHINGTON — For a new Congress, there were a lot of familiar faces on Tuesday at the Capitol. Leon E. Panetta, former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, defense secretary and House member, was on hand to support his son, Representative Jimmy Panetta, Democrat of California.

Across the aisle, former Vice President Dick Cheney sat near the front of the House chamber with his daughter, Representative Liz Cheney, the newly elected Wyoming Republican. Mr. Cheney himself spent a decade in the House.

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Former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz Cheney, in red, who was elected to the House from Wyoming. Credit Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

Should Mr. Cheney have fancied a trip down memory lane, Representative Charlie Crist of Florida — the former Republican governor turned Democratic congressman — would have been the man to see. Having drawn the worst number in the House’s office distribution lottery, Mr. Crist said he had landed the fourth-floor digs once occupied not only by Mr. Cheney, but also by Lyndon B. Johnson when he served in the House.

“One of my fellow freshmen told me right after that happened, he said, ‘Charlie, the last shall be first,’” Mr. Crist said on Tuesday.

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