Dem
47
GOP
53
Newly elected senators are expected to defer to their elders and speak only when spoken to. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) is not behaving like that. He is confrontational, has criticized the Democratic leadership, and has placed a hold on Ed Martin, Donald Trump's choice as U.S. attorney in D.C. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) told him to "Dump the House stuff," but he is not interested.
Schiff has an unusual CV. He served 12 terms in the House before getting a promotion, but as a House member he was the lead impeachment manager in Trump's first impeachment. That gives him a lot more credibility than your average brand-new first-term senator. He is also a former chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, a prestigious position.
Schiff said that had Kamala Harris won, he would have been more circumspect, but she didn't so he isn't. He has been especially aggressive in questioning Trump's nominees, particularly Kash Patel. There were five House Democrats elected to the Senate in November, and the others clearly respect the "House energy" he has brought to the Senate. For example, he is starting to use a common House tactic of holding (unofficial) shadow hearings to get publicity. Last month, he and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) teamed up to hold a hearing to get testimony from former Justice Dept. officials who have since left the Trump administration. Hearings like this often attract media attention and can influence public opinion. Expect him to hold more of them going forward. (V)