Tuesday was bring your child to work day for Congressman Jimmy Gomez. The California representative had to pull double duty when he showed up on the House floor for a vote at the start of the new week with his 4-month-old son, Hodge, in tow. The new dad proved he's a babywearing pro as he spent the day juggling work and parenting.
Jimmy kicked off the new year in Washington, D.C.
Tuesday was a big day for the House of Representatives, and Jimmy couldn't wait to take little Hodge along for the ride. While things didn't exactly go as planned for Jimmy and his colleagues as they assembled to vote on new House leaders, Jimmy definitely stole the show thanks to his tiny companion, who spent some time nestled against his dad's chest in a sling.
The babywearing dad said having Hodge around reminded everyone of why they were there
His son's presence at the vote was more than a childcare solution. Jimmy said it was also a way to remind his congressional colleagues about the job they were elected to do. Speaking to Today, Jimmy explained that having Hodge there for the history-making vote — Democrats elected the first Black party leader — was important for everyone.
"The presence of the kids makes people understand who we're doing it for," he said. "People loved having the kids on the floor."
It seemed like a good way to bridge a connection across the aisle
There are no party lines when it comes to babies, according to Jimmy, especially ones as cute as Hodge. The 48-year-old Democrat shared that having his son with him gave some of the members of the House "perspective" and offered a way to let off steam.
"They'd ask simple questions and make silly faces and make yourself not take yourself so seriously," he said of his fellow congressional members. "[Babies] remind you about the common humanity among all the people in that chamber. I had Republican members walk by and go, 'Oh, that's a cute baby.'"
Jimmy isn't the first person to bring their young child to the Capitol
Senator Tammy Duckworth brought her newborn to work after giving birth in 2018.
Based on the way the Capitol looked on Tuesday, it seems like she started quite a trend. Not only was Jimmy's son there, but Texas Representative Joaquin Castro and fellow California Representative Salud Carbajal also brought their young children along for the special day, according to People.
Jimmy was on dad duty again on Wednesday
While things have been massively bumpy for the Republicans — who, as of Thursday, remained deadlocked over their House speaker vote — it seems like everything's gone pretty smoothly for the new dads. Although, Jimmy did joke about Hodge's diaper blowout while talking with Today, adding that he got to be one of the first people to use the newly installed baby changing tables in the men's room.
Despite the messy mishap, Jimmy and the rest of the congressional dads were back at it again on Wednesday with their babies. We love to see fathers taking their kids to work, especially when that work is so critical to their future!
