WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mike Carey has moved in to his new Capitol Hill office and is adjusting to his new role as U.S. Representative for Ohio’s 15th District.

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Mike Carey is one month into his first term in Congress

  • The former coal lobbyist said being an elected official is “really different,” but he’s enjoying it

  • Carey represents OH-15, which Steve Stivers represented for 10 years before resigning to lead the Ohio Chamber of Commerce

  • Carey was just assigned to serve on two House committees

“It's really different for me, but everybody here has been great,” Carey told Spectrum News in an interview on Thursday.

The longtime coal lobbyist won his special election last month and was sworn in two days later.  It was a reversal of the usual trend of lawmakers going into lobbying after they serve.

“One of the things about doing what I did before is that you work with both parties to find common ground,” Carey said. “And I think that's the one thing that I hope me coming into Congress, I think that's one thing I really want to try to do.”

But Carey, who filled the seat that was vacated by former Rep. Steve Stivers (R), is also a Donald Trump conservative who campaigned on fighting President Joe Biden’s agenda.

He’s already voted against the bipartisan infrastructure package and Biden’s social spending and climate plan, known as the Build Back Better Act.

“Any time you inject more government spending, you cause inflation,” Carey said. “And I think people that are going to the gas pump, people that are going to see their home heating bills rise in January, February, March, they’re going to understand why we're opposing these big government spending packages.”

The 15th District has been Republican for the last decade and Ohio’s new congressional map will likely keep it that way.

Carey is hoping that he’ll win another term next year and Republicans will take back the House, since he has limited influence in the minority right now.

“Any bill that I introduce is going to have some challenges getting passed,”Carey said. “But like I said, the Democrats have been really good working with me. And I'm hopeful that we can find some common ground, get some good legislation passed.”

Representing his Columbus-area district is not Carey’s only new responsibility.

He and his wife, Meghan, just welcomed their third son, Miles, before Thanksgiving.

Carey also was just assigned to the House Budget and House Science, Space, and Technology committees.

As for what legislation he’ll sponsor first, Carey said he is still figuring that out.

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