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SALT LAKE CITY — Newly elected Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, took the oath of office Tuesday evening, just one week after her special election victory to represent Utah's 2nd Congressional District.
Maloy, a staffer for former Rep. Chris Stewart, was sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, to applause from the Republican caucus in Washington, D.C. In a short speech after taking the oath of office, Maloy said it was "an absolute honor and privilege" to serve as a congresswoman and quoted from the creed of the Future Farmers of America, which she said she memorized in high school.
"There's a sentence that says, 'I believe in the promise of better days through better ways, even as the better things we now enjoy have come to us through the struggles of former years,'" she said. "I think that perfectly describes how I feel about being a member of the United States House of Representatives."
More than 100 friends and family members traveled to Washington to support Maloy; and because she was the only new member being sworn in, several supporters were allowed in the gallery to watch the proceedings.
Rep. John Curtis, the dean of Utah's congressional delegation, introduced Maloy to the House chamber, noting her surprise victory given that she was virtually unknown prior to winning the state GOP convention.
"In a special election, Celeste assembled this coalition of both rural and urban voters," he said. "She was unafraid to stand for her conservative principles, calling for debate in each of her 13 counties. In her district, she's known to be a hard worker, level-headed and consistently conservative."
.@SpeakerJohnson swears in Rep. Celeste Maloy (R-UT) to the House of Representatives. pic.twitter.com/1D3FNBpFPn
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 29, 2023
Her swearing-in gives House Republicans a 222-213 majority — as she fills the seat vacated by her former boss when Stewart stepped down in September — even as representatives are expected to vote on a motion to expel embattled Rep. George Santos, R-New York, from the chamber.
Maloy is the fifth woman to represent Utah in the U.S. House of Representatives, and her swearing-in will set new records for the number of women in Congress, 151; women in the House, 126; Republican women in Congress, 43; and Republican women in the House, 34, according to the Center for American Women and Politics.
Former Republican Rep. Mia Love was the most recent female representative from Utah. She served two terms beginning in 2015. Utah has never had a female senator.
A Cedar City resident, Maloy toured Washington, D.C., with a group from Southern Utah University on Monday. She posted a photo in front of the Lincoln Memorial on Monday night with the caption: "Night Monument Tour with a bunch of @SUUThunderbirds in preparation for my swearing in tomorrow!"
Maloy joins Congress in the unique position of being elected in an off-year special election. In addition to being the newest representative, she will face the prospect of running for reelection next year.
She has said she hopes to serve on the House Committee on Natural Resources and the House Committee on Armed Services.
Curtis will host a reception in Maloy's honor Tuesday evening.
Night Monument Tour with a bunch of @SUUThunderbirds in preparation for my swearing in tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/CIFTHEBP1s
— Celeste Maloy (@CelesteMaloyUT) November 28, 2023
