Meet the Lawmaker: Rep. Jim himes (D-conn.), 4th District

What did you want to be when you were young?
Rep. Himes: I wanted to be an astronaut. I was born in ’66, so in ’69, Neil Armstrong was the man.

What’s your biggest political achievement?
Rep. Himes:  I think a small group of us have been making real progress … on financial-services regulatory reform. It’s boring and esoteric and unsexy, but it’s really essential to make sure we never find ourselves in this place again.

What’s your favorite hobby?
Rep. Himes:  I have to say exercising: running, biking, rowing, running back and forth to the Rayburn building.

What’s been your craziest constituent request?
Rep. Himes: I had an individual who shall remain nameless ask me to promote an Afghani prince as the next Afghani president.

What is a household chore you dislike?
Rep. Himes: It’d have to be doing dishes, and since I’ve got a 6-year-old and a 9-year-old, I find myself doing them a lot.

If you weren’t yourself, which lawmaker would you prefer to be?
Rep. Himes: Alexander Hamilton.

Who is your favorite lawmaker of the opposite party?
Rep. Himes: I’ll go with the two Lincolns — Abraham and [former Sen. Lincoln] Chafee [R-R.I.].

Has God ever spoken to you?
Rep. Himes: Yeah — the words I would use would be moved, inspired and directed.

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