GOP House freshmen among wealthiest

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Freshmen House Republicans sent to the U.S. Congress with strong Tea Party support account for one-fifth of The Hill's 50 Wealthiest in Congress for 2011.

The newspaper reported Tuesday that Ohio's Jim Renacci, with an estimated net worth of $35.9 million, tops the list of the 87 freshmen Republicans elected in 2010.

Renacci ranks as the 11th wealthiest of all lawmakers in Washington.

Other Republican freshmen who made the 50 wealthiest list are Reps. Nan Hayworth of New York, Blake Farenthold of Texas, Mike Kelly of Pennsylvania, Scott Rigell of Virginia, Rick Berg of North Dakota, Diane Black of Tennessee, Bill Flores of Texas, Steve Pearce of New Mexico and Richard Hanna of New York.

For the entire Congress, 32 Republicans and 18 Democrats made this year's top 50 list but Democrats had a clear majority when it came to the top 10.

Leading the pack was GOP Rep. Michael McCaul of Texas with an estimated net worth of $287 million, followed by Darrell Issa, R-Calif., Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif. and Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla.