WASHINGTON, D.C. (KSNT) - Derek Schmidt was formally welcomed into the halls of Congress in Washington, D.C. on Friday as a new representative for the state of Kansas. Schmidt told reporters he is ready to deliver on the GOP's promise to voters. He joined fellow lawmakers in the nation's capital on Jan. 3 for the first day of session. Schmidt said a Republican majority in both the Senate and the House will be key to pushing the party's agenda forward. "We've waited for this for a long time," Schmidt said. "We're excited to get started. It's time to get going. We made a lot of promises to folks and we're gonna get the country back on track and today we start doing that." Republican voters selected Schmidt as their candidate for the District 2 race in Kansas during the August Primary Election. He later defeated his Democrat opponent, Nancy Boyda, in the November General Election. Kansans set to save $156 million in 2025 as state sales tax on food ends Schmidt replaces Jake LaTurner as the District 2 candidate for the state of Kansas. LaTurner announced he would not be seeking reelection to Congress in April 2024, saying the position had taken a toll on him. His decision left the seat open heading into the Primary and General Elections in 2024. For more Capitol Bureau news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf