LegiStorm

Perhaps thousands of congressional staff have some experience getting out the vote, but one of them has won a military Bronze Star for such efforts. 

Drew Warren, a professional staff member on the House Armed Services Committee's Readiness Subcommittee, was a captain who commanded Lima Company, Third Battalion, Sixth Marine Regiment, while it was assigned to provide stability to the insurgency-torn city of Fallujah. One key mission was to keep violence down during the election. He directed operations that led to the capture of 80 insurgents and several weapons caches, allowing voters to go to polling places in relative peace.

Warren spent more than two decades in the Marine Corps, serving in both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. 

He obtained his bachelor's at Virginia Military Institute and is now seeking his MBA at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Halliburton Co. has found a new Washington lobbying hire who has experience with gushers - if you count the tear bursts of former Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Jessica Franks has served in the Office of the Speaker since May 2013, first under Boehner and for a few weeks under Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as well. She was a junior staffer with the title of staff assistant. She will be a government affairs representative at Halliburton, an oil services giant.

The Wellesley College graduate says she has a black belt in taekwondo. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in government at Johns Hopkins University.

As presidential candidate Donald Trump calls for a ban on Muslim immigrants, Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) is using the holiday season to bring Muslims together with Jews and Christians to find some common ground.

Larson is trying to lower the temperature on the heated debate by holding a roundtable discussion on Sunday, Dec. 20, with leaders of the three major faiths. "Though we have heard some alarming rhetoric and hostility towards our Muslim communities, now is the time to come together to ensure the voices for peace rise above the fray," Larson said in announcing the forum at the public library in Hartford.

"Hate has no place in America," he said. "Our nation was founded on the principles of opportunity, justice, and freedom - including religious freedom - for all."

Correction: Yesterday's "Caught Our Eye" incorrectly identified a tweet associated with Rep. Marcia Fudge's press secretary, Lauren Williams. The tweet was posted on an old Twitter accounts of hers, but she says she no longer has access to it.

Not only is he the front runner in the polls, Donald Trump leads the number of Twitter mentions from Hill staffers and members after last night's debate but Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is coming on strong.

Well more than 1,000 tweets were posted using the hashtags #GOPDebate and #CNNDebate since last night. The New York real estate billionaire led the pack for the primetime event. Cruz and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also received a high number of shout outs on social media. The candidates, in order of Twitter mentions were:

1. Donald Trump - 290
2. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) - 223
3. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) - 184
4. Former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) - 163
5. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) - 71
6. Dr. Ben Carson - 70
7. Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) - 69
8. Gov. John Kasich (R-Ohio) - 45
9. Carly Fiorina - 21

The early "happy hour" debate did not gather nearly as many tweets as the main event. Only one candidate, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had mentions in the double digits. The number of mentions for the early debate speakers were:

1. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) - 69
2. Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) - 8
3. Former Gov. George Pataki (R-N.Y.) - 5
4. Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-Ark.) - 3

Some top Hill tweets included:

Jon Corley, press secretary, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas)

There aren't enough news outlets this a.m. telling me who won the #GOPDebate last night! Am I supposed to think for myself? Please, tell me!

Matt Wojtkun, press secretary, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.)

#GOPDebate winner? Blue suits and red ties.

Alicyn York, constituent services representative, Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)

BEN CARSON'S VOICE MAKES ME WANT TO BODYSLAM MYSELF AGAINST MY KITCHEN TABLE

Rep. Joaquín Castro (D-Texas)

Trump ordered Cruz not to attack and he obeyed. #GOPDebate

Steven Smith, communications director, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.)

I just want to give Lindsey Graham a hug.

Adin Dobkin, press fellow, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.)

Fiorina-Kasich for 2016 Mom and Dad race

J.P. Freire, communications director, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah)

Someone please tell Donald Trump that he can't vote Jeb off the island.

Dante Atkins, press secretary, Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.)

Christie wants to start a hot war with Russia. Time to drink more heavily.

Mattie Duppler, coalitions director, House Republican Conference

omg you guys Pataki is still running for a book deal. I mean President. Still running for President.

Christian Barbato, staff assistant, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.)

Santorum: "What Donald Trump was saying was nothing against Muslims." Um, wrong

Elise Tollefson, legislative assistant, Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-Ill.)

Oh god Trump is going to be declared winner of this debate because he just congenially patted Cruz on the back.

Yuri Beckelman, deputy chief of staff, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.)

Rubio ducks again... asked about citizenship and responds with green card. Not the same thing. Something he knows.

Jessica Seale, digital director, Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas)

Kasich: It's time that we punched Russia in the nose. I'm not sure this is a foreign policy.

Josh Zembik, communications director, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.)

Graham says the President is the strongest voice in the world as if @Adele doesn't even exist. #GOPDebate

Madison Cawthorn, staff assistant, Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.)

This Rand Paul little frat pack in the crowd that were just planted to scream for Rand and boo for Trump is so bush league. Grow up Rand.

A House Ways and Means subcommittee staffer has had enough of the federal deficit and joined the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Erich Hartman is no stranger to the non-profit group. Before joining Congress in 2014, he spent three months there. His subsequent one-and-a-half years with the Ways and Means Committee's Social Security Subcommittee under Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) has entitled him to a promotion with the group from program associate to senior program associate.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget boasts an array of former congressional budget chairmen and heads of the various federal budget agencies as board members. The group describes is mission as being "committed to educating the public about issues that have significant fiscal policy impact."