With a record-breaking number of women serving in Congress, including Chester County’s Chrissy Houlahan and Montgomery County’s Madeleine Dean, the face of the congressional “spouses club” is receiving a makeover, write Kristina Peterson and Natalie Andrews for The Wall Street Journal.

The newcomers have added an influx of congressional husbands to what has traditionally been a very female group. Even so, the husbands are often mistaken for elected officials or bodyguards.

To avoid this, Bart Houlahan, Chrissy’s husband, has begun wearing a nametag labeled “Mr. Chrissy” at campaign events.

“I often get confused for the security guard or the body man or chief,” he said. “It’s pretty rare that people assume I’m Chrissy’s husband.”

The surge of women elected to Congress has also prompted a change regarding the spouses of congressmen.

Madeleine Dean, who represents Pennsylvania’s fourth congressional district, was attending new member orientation when both lawmakers-elect and their spouses were wearing lanyards.

“I saw a woman in front of me with a lanyard and asked ‘Oh, what district are you?’ and she said, ‘No, no, my husband is … ,’” said Dean. “I just presumed, of course, she was the member of Congress.”

Read more about the change in Congress in The Wall Street Journal here.

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