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Sunday, May 3, 2026

GOP freshman class president Russell Fry talks dad jokes, new ... - Roll Call

There's an opportunity to work with Democrats on issues like opioid addiction, he says

South Carolina freshman Russell Fry came to Congress by beating Rep. Tom Rice, one of 10 Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump for inciting the Jan. 6, 2021, riot.

Shortly after being sworn in, the jocular, 38-year-old conservative accepted a position on Trump’s leadership team in South Carolina. Asked whether Trump was the rightful winner of the 2020 election, Fry demurred, but he raised questions about election integrity.

While some Republicans may be looking toward new allegiances, Fry has remained loyal while also drawing people together as the Republican freshman class president, which requires him to develop and communicate policy goals and build relationships with colleagues.

Fry, who’s got a penchant for dad jokes, met with Heard on the Hill recently to discuss his first few weeks in the job.

This interview has been condensed.

Q: What reasonable legislative goals have you set for yourself because it's a divided Congress? What are you willing to work across the aisle on?

A: I did a tremendous amount of work on the opioid epidemic at the state level [as a member of the state House of Representatives]. I chaired our Opioid Task Force — that was a bipartisan committee, a regionally diverse committee. And we were able to pass 18 bills into law. Everything from K-12 education, to prevention, to treatment, to law enforcement. We really touched every facet. So I do...



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