Michigan’s Tom Barrett gets assigned to congressional office once occupied by his great-grandfather
State Sen. Tom Barrett speaks at a rally for GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon in Brighton, Nov. 4, 2022 | Laina Stebbins
Six weeks before he even takes office, U.S. Rep.-elect Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) has already succeeded in his first congressional task.
Barrett, who defeated former state Sen. Curtis Hertel Jr. (D-East Lansing) for the 7th District Congressional seat on Nov. 5 in a key win for Republicans, had been lobbying his soon-to-be colleagues for the opportunity to be assigned one of the offices used by his great-grandfather. The late U.S. Rep. Louis Rabaut served in Congress as a Democrat from Detroit for all but two years between 1935 and his death in 1961.
Typically new members of Congress are assigned their offices through a lottery system, but Barrett sent a letter to other members, asking if they would consider letting him have Rabaut’s old office.
“I understand and respect the office lottery process, and ultimately the decision will be yours to select your office when your turn becomes available,” wrote Barrett.
Barret said even though Rabaut had died 20 years before he was born in 1981, “his legacy is something my whole family is very proud of,” adding that his youngest son, Louis, was named after his great-grandfather.
Barrett said his first preference would be for office 1232 in the Longworth building, which he noted Rabaut had occupied “when he sponsored his most memorable piece of legislation, which added ‘under God’ to our Pledge of Allegiance in 1954.”
On Thursday, Barrett got his wish, drawing No. 14, with the first 13 members willing to step aside so he could be assigned to Room 1232 in the Longworth House Office Building, one of the offices used by Rabaut.
“We got it! Appreciate everyone who followed along and showed their support. Thank you to my Freshman colleagues, Republicans AND Democrats, who were kind enough to allow me to select the office once occupied by my great grandfather,” Barrett posted to social media.
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