Reliable Source reviews Congress’s 2013 freshmen

With every new Congress, we scour the ranks of freshmen, looking for anyone who might give us something to write about in coming years — quirk, conflict, color, scandal, anything. Here, our list of the most-promising-to-be-interesting new members.

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Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.)

Sinema narrowly won her Arizona district. The former Mormon turned secularist will be the first openly bisexual member of Congress. At left, the former state senator high-fives Kayla Wellman, left, and Madison Brun at the Arizona Democratic Party election-night headquarters at a Phoenix hotel.

Rob Schumacher / Arizona Republic via AP

A former investigative reporter married to a cop, the college hoops star filmed a <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZWWjxSZVMpU'>campaign ad </a>where she sank<a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ZWWjxSZVMpU'><!--empty--></a> an over-the-shoulder basket without looking. Will Aaron Sorkin turn Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) into an hour-long TV drama, or will Shonda Rhimes?

Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.)

A former investigative reporter married to a cop, the college hoops star filmed a campaign ad where she sank an over-the-shoulder basket without looking. Will Aaron Sorkin turn Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) into an hour-long TV drama, or will Shonda Rhimes?

Todd Wevaert / (Moline, Ill.) Dispatch via AP

Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-Mass.):

Son of former congressman Joseph P. Kennedy II and grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy, Kennedy 4.0 has arrived in the form of a Prince Harry-esque ginger. Sorry, ladies, RFK’s grandson is married to fellow lawyer Lauren Birchfield.

Bizuayehu Tesfaye / AP

No, not the rising-star mayor who gave the Democratic National Convention keynote — <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/julian-castros-twin-brother-joaquin-rising-stars-have-democrats-seeing-double/2012/09/04/1e803a9a-f6df-11e1-8398-0327ab83ab91_blog.html'>his identical twin brother</a>! Sorry, ladies: Castro has a gorgeous girlfriend.

Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.)

No, not the rising-star mayor who gave the Democratic National Convention keynote — his identical twin brother! Sorry, ladies: Castro has a gorgeous girlfriend.

J. Scott Applewhite / AP

Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.)

Only a decade ago, he served as a student-government rep at the University of Maryland. Swalwell will have the most enviable business card at his 10-year reunion.

/ Eric Swalwell

Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii)

The first Hindu elected to Congress — and, in her early 30s, unattached and kind of a head-turner, no? Gabbard is the freshman most likely to make The Hill’s “50 Most Beautiful” list.

Marco Garcia / AP

Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.)

A plumber who teaches mixed martial arts and hosted a talk-radio show on home repair. And likes guns. Will Discovery turn Mullin (R-Okla.) into a reality star, or will History Channel? Freshman most likely to earn first-name-only status.

Michael Wyke / Tulsa World via AP

A social conservative whose first stint on the Hill was from 1994 to 2000. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.thegayrecord.com/2010/07/matt-r-salmon-chairman-of-arizona-log.html'>Salmon’s son is a gay activist</a>. Family drama potential.

Matt Salmon (R-Ariz.)

A social conservative whose first stint on the Hill was from 1994 to 2000. Salmon’s son is a gay activist. Family drama potential.

Matt York / AP

Tom Cotton (R-Ark.)

Harvard-trained lawyer turned Army platoon leader — who once accused the New York Times of treason for its homeland-security reporting. Also, Cotton, in his mid-30s, is unattached.

Richard Rasmussen / (Hot Springs, Ark.) Sentinel-Record via AP

Bentivolio: Reindeer rancher who puts on an annual Christmas pageant! And former teacher who <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.freep.com/article/20120822/NEWS15/308220116/While-a-teacher-11th-District-candidate-Bentivolio-s-behavior-was-a-problem-records-show'>denied accusations he threatened and yelled at students</a>.

Kerry Bentivolio (R-Mich.)

Bentivolio: Reindeer rancher who puts on an annual Christmas pageant! And former teacher who denied accusations he threatened and yelled at students.

Paul Sancya / AP

Last year, <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/reliable-source/post/love-etc-a-baby-for-rep-jared-polis-and-partner/2011/09/30/gIQAeX10AL_blog.html'>Jared Polis became the first gay parent in Congress</a>. Yeah, well, Maloney and his partner have <em>three</em> kids, so there.

Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.)

Last year, Jared Polis became the first gay parent in Congress. Yeah, well, Maloney and his partner have three kids, so there.

Stuart Ramson / AP

Congress’ first punk rocker? Web entrepreneur O'Rourke, right, spent the early ’90s as a guitarist in <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.myspace.com/fossband'>hard-core band Foss</a>.

Beto O’Rourke, right (D-Tex.)

Congress’ first punk rocker? Web entrepreneur O'Rourke, right, spent the early ’90s as a guitarist in hard-core band Foss.

Victor Calzada / El Paso Times via AP

Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.)

Pocan: An amateur magician. And those guys always have a shtick.

Andy Manis / AP

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