WASHINGTON--The Illinois congressional delegation has the biggest freshman class in more than a decade---five new House members and Sen. Mark Kirk will be sworn in to full terms on Wednesday. Kirk has a head start on seniority, being sworn in on Nov. 29 to fill the remaining weeks of President Obama's senate term. All are Republicans.

The group will all hold receptions on Wednesday to mark the start of their tenure, with Kirk at his Russell Senate Office Building and the others at their various new House offices: the 2011 Illiinois House "freshman five" are Bob Dold, Randy Hultgren, Adam Kinzinger, Joe Walsh and Bobby Schilling.