2 New Democrats to Be Sworn In Before Health Care Vote

How "special" were the two special elections that the Democrats won on Tuesday night?

So special that the winners, John Garamendi in California and Bill Owens in New York, will be sworn into their new jobs in the House of Representatives in time to cast their votes for the Democrats' health care reform bill this weekend.

Unlike the newly elected governors in Virginia and New Jersey, who will take office in January, the Democrats' victories came in contests to fill the unexpired terms of two House members, so by law must be sworn in immediately.

(See Jill Lawrence's great write-up HERE for the day's other health care developments.)

Democrats need 218 votes to pass the bill, but it remains an open question as to whether they have those commitments in hand. The two additional "yes" votes come at a crucially important juncture in the process for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

At a Capitol Hill press conference, Pelosi announced the speedy additions to her caucus and called them "two more votes for quality, affordable health care for all Americans. "

"As you know, Tuesday night we won two more votes for health care. I'm very proud of that because in both of those campaigns, health care was the issue," she said. "Ads were run against our health care initiative in New York, and our candidate endorsed our bill, and we are very proud to welcome him here tomorrow. Bill Owens will be a great representative, an independent voice for his district. We are proud of his election.

"In California, John Garamendi was elected in a big victory that was higher than Democratic performance in the district. Again, the issue was health care, which was under attack, and which produced a great victory for our agenda."

Garamendi took the oath of office Thursday afternoon to replace former Rep. Ellen Tauscher, a California Democrat who was appointed to the State Department by President Obama. Owens flipped his New York-23 district from red to blue Tuesday night and will be sworn in to the House on Friday. Both men are expected to cast "yes" votes for health care reform when the House takes it up Saturday.

President Obama is scheduled to go to the House to secure final commitments for the bill on Friday. A senior aide to Pelosi said Thursday that the two new votes in their caucus are "needed."