I missed this story a couple of days ago. I’m blogging about it now because I know from writing Ballot Battles: The History of Disputed Elections in the United States (2nd edition 2024) that playing politics with swearing-in House members can be dangerous. Here’s the story’s details concerning the current situation:

“Usually, a new representative doesn’t take office until state officials formally certify the result of the election, and transmit the result to the U.S. House’s Office of the Clerk.

“Afterward, it falls to the speaker of the House — now U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana — to schedule the swearing-in.

“That timeline would put Grijalva on track to take office on or after Oct. 14, the day that state officials are scheduled to certify the result of the Sept. 23 special election.

“But the actual timeline could be more complicated.

“In an interview with The Arizona Republic, Grijalva said she can be sworn in sooner than the 14th. U.S. Rep. James Walkinshaw, the Virginia Democrat who took office the day after his Sept. 9 election, was sworn in using unofficial results, she said.

“Kicking off the swearing-in ceremony on the floor of the House, Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Virginia, said that Walkinshaw’s “certificate of election has not arrived, but there is no contest, and no question has been raised regarding his election.”

“Johnson let the motion proceed without objection, and swore Walkinshaw in moments later.

“‘It is Johnson who can say, ‘yes, I accept that,’ or ‘no, I can’t,’ Grijalva said.

“Grijalva’s election result is not in dispute: Early returns showed Grijalva outperforming her Republican opponent by a roughly two-to-one margin. …

“Johnson’s position on the matter is yet unclear. His office did not return multiple requests for comment from The Arizona Republic.

“The speaker hasn’t given any indication that he will try to delay Grijalva’s swearing in — he swore in Walkinshaw promptly, the day after his victory — but he also hasn’t put a concrete date on the calendar.”