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Hagan sworn in to U.S. Senate seat

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

(Updated Wednesday, January 7 - 5:19 am)

By Mark Binker
Staff Writer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Kay Hagan officially became a U.S. Senator at 12:15 p.m. today, taking the oath of office from Vice President Dick Cheney on the Senate floor.

Shortly before noon, Hagan arrived on the floor, waved to her husband and children sitting in the gallery, and greeted other senators, including West Virginia's Robert Byrd.

In an interview just before the swearing in ceremonies, Hagan said she would be thinking of her uncle, Lawton Chiles, who served as a U.S. senator from Florida.

"I know my Uncle Bud would be proud," Hagan said of Chiles.

Immediately before heading to the floor, Hagan took calls from back home, the last coming from former Gov. Jim Hunt.

The rest of Hagan's day will be taken up with the receptions and other ceremonies surrounding the swearing in.

She is among 34 senators who were sworn in, most of them returning senators.

Accompanying Photos

Jerry Wolford (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Kay Hagan (left) reenacts her swearing in ceremony with her husband Chip Hagan (center) and Dick Cheney in the old Senate Chambers at the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Additional Photos

This week in the News & Record

Political reporter Mark Binker and photographer Jerry Wolford are in Washington this week. They will report on Hagan's swearing-in ceremony in Wednesday's News & Record, and on Sunday, they will look at Hagan settling into her role as a U.S. senator.