Barbara Comstock: 'Unlucky' in Congressional Office Drawing?

Should Barbara Comstock have done some backflips before a drawing for congressional offices this week?

It’s a tradition that goes back years: Freshly elected members of Congress gather for a drawing to find out where their office will be on Capitol Hill. This year there are 57 new members of the 114th Congress, including Rep-Elect Comstock of McLean.

If you draw #1, you get your first pick of the best offices. If you draw the last number, 57 in this case, you get last pick in the office pool.

On Wednesday, as part of their orientation, the freshman members packed into a Capitol Hill office building room to begin the drawing and soon find out where their office for the next two years would be located.

Feeling lucky?

“One thing I feel obligated to let you know is, two years ago when we were conducting the room lottery for members-elect, there was a direct correlation between the number you drew and the demonstration of something that brings luck to you,” Roll Call reported Superintendent of House Office Buildings William M. Weidemeyer as saying.

Rep.-Elect Gwen Graham, D-Fla., asked the husband of her chief of staff to bring her some luck by doing a backflip at the drawing. He did, and she got lucky, drawing #6.

“Those with the lowest numbers pick their office space first and can choose some envy-creating digs,” ABC News reported. “Those with high numbers choose their office space last when only some pretty cramped rooms with views of ventilation vents are left as options.”

Comstock, the Republican mom and wife who was elected Nov. 4 and will soon replace her old boss, Congressman Frank Wolf, laughed when she drew #57 – dead last.

“Some of her colleagues began to groan,” ABC News reported. “Comstock took it with good grace and soon her colleagues began to applaud.”

PHOTO of freshman class, 114th Congress, courtesy of Barbara Comstock for Congress campaign page via Facebook