Republican Troy Balderson of Ohio was sworn in as the newest member of Congress on Wednesday afternoon.
Balderson, 56, defeated Democrat Danny O'Connor last month in an expensive, hard-fought special election to succeed longtime U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, a Republican who retired in January.
Members of the Ohio delegation stood with Balderson as he took the oath. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, a Democrat, and Rep. Steve Chabot, a Republican, introduced him to his new colleagues.
Chabot says Balderson served in the state's legislature and is "no stranger to building relationships, learning the issues and solving problems."
Kaptur says more than $10.5 million was spent on the race, "about 60 times what the job pays." She is calling on Ohio representatives to join together and lead the nation to "finally limit campaign spending."
Balderson will serve the remainder of Tiberi's leftover term, through the end of the year. In November, he faces a general election rematch with O'Connor for the next full term.
