Busy schmoozing on the floor with freshman Republican Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia ("who knows my sister in law Sue Davis," wife of Art Davis of Richmond, Va.) and with Republican Rep. Wally Herger of Northern California ("whose daughter is the consultant to the Assembly Consumer Protection Committee"), Davis looked up at the electronic roll call vote and saw that there were lights by other members' names but not by hers. That was when she realized that she had failed to use her electronic voting card to check in.

Remedying that, Davis next awaited her first opportunity to cast a vote in the House of Representatives--in this case a verbal roll call vote to elect the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Republican Dennis Hastert was renominated for the post by Rep. J.C. Watts of Oklahoma, while Democratic leader Dick Gephardt was nominated for the position by Rep. Martin Frost of Texas, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Caucus. As Republicans enjoy a 10-seat edge over Democrats, Hastert's reelection was assured, but for Davis there nevertheless was some tension attendant to the ceremonial vote.

There are five members of Congress with the last name of Davis. On the electronic tally board, Davis of California is listed first. But as the House clerk called out the names, the names of other Davises were called before hers. "I thought, 'oh my gosh, they missed me; I'm going to have to tell them they forgot me,'" Susan Davis recalled. But then they called her name and she voted for Gephardt. Rep. Bob Filner (D-San Diego) also voted for Gephardt.

Davis said many of the women House members, herself included, by coincidence wore purple for the opening session of Congress. "It was almost like a purple caucus of the women," she said. "Nancy Pelosi (Democrat of California) was wearing eggplant; I am rooming with Congresswoman Darlene Hooley of Oregon, and she had a purple suit on too; I didn't see her before I left in the morning."

Hooley and Davis are sharing a place while a home purchased by the Davis family undergoes renovations. "It's a fixer upper," Davis confided. "It really needs some work."

Although the House members officially were sworn in en masse by House Speaker Hastert, they later had individual photos taken with him in which they simulated taking the oath while surrounded by members of their families. Davis was ushered into the House Speaker's office at 5:09 p.m. And she had a veritable entourage with her. Besides her husband, Steve Davis, they included the brother and sister-in-law from Virginia; "Julia, their daughter, who worked on my campaign"; the congresswoman's other brother Ben Davis and sister-in-law Cathy Sloane (who live in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y. and "are expecting a grandson") and her sister Ellie Palk and brother-in-law John Wooley of Newport. -- Donald H. Harrison