With loss of long - serving senators , a new Senate is formed . First Japanese - American woman and first openly gay woman joined Senate this year . Record number of women now serve and growing number of women have young children . Aggressive Democrats are shaking up makeup of Republican side of the aisle .
With departures of long-serving members , a new Senate is emerging . First Japanese-American woman and first openly gay woman joined Senate this year . Record number of women now serve and growing number of senators have young children . Aggressive conservatives are shaking up makeup of Republican side of the aisle .