Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major parties in the United States. The party is currently the minority party in the U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, and among state governors. The party also trails in state legislatures as the Republican Party controls 21 legislatures and Democrats control 19. Ten states are divided legislatures. Of the two major U.S. parties, the Democratic Party is to the left of the Republican Party, though its politics are not as consistently leftist as the traditional social democratic and labor parties in much of the rest of the world.

Prominent figures of the Democratic Party

Currently notable Democrats

• Evan Bayh (1955), U.S. senator from Indiana
• Joseph Biden (1942), U.S. senator from Delaware, candidate for the Democratic nomination for president
• Barbara Boxer (1940), U.S. senator from California
• Jerry Brown (1938), mayor of Oakland, California, former governor of California, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Robert Byrd (1917), U.S. senator from West Virginia, former Senate Majority Leader, candidate for the Democratic nomination for president
• Wesley Clark (1944), former NATO commander, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Hillary Clinton (1947), U.S. senator from New York, former First Lady
• John Conyers (1929), U.S. congressman from Michigan
• Richard M. Daley (1942), mayor of Chicago, Illinois
• Tom Daschle (1947), former U.S. senator from South Dakota, former Senate Minority Leader
• Howard Dean (1948), former governor of Vermont, candidate for Democratic nomination for president, current chair of the Democratic National Committee
• Richard Durbin, (1944), U.S. senator from Illinois, Senate Minority Whip
• Mike Easley, (1950), Governor of North Carolina
• John Edwards (1953), former U.S. senator from North Carolina, candidate for Democratic nomination for President, Democratic Vice Presidential nominee 2004
• Russ Feingold (1953), U.S. senator from Wisconsin
• Tom Harkin (1939), U.S. senator from Iowa, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Jesse Jackson (1941), civil rights activist, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Ted Kennedy (1932), U.S. senator from Massachusetts, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Dennis Kucinich (1946), U.S. congressman from Ohio, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Patrick Leahy (1940), U.S. senator from Vermont
• Norman Mineta (1931), Secretary of Transportation, only Democrat in the Bush cabinet.
• Cynthia McKinney (1955), U.S. congresswoman from Georgia
• Barack Obama (1961), U.S. senator from Illinois
• Martin O'Malley, mayor of Baltimore, candidate for governor of Maryland
• Nancy Pelosi (1940), House Minority Leader from California
• Harry Reid (1939), Senate Minority Leader from Nevada
• Bill Richardson (1947), governor of New Mexico, former Energy Secretary
• Charles Schumer (1950), U.S. senator from New York, chairman of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
• Al Sharpton (1954), civil rights activist, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Louise Slaughter (1929), U.S. congresswoman from New York, Ranking Member of the House Rules Committee
• Eliot Spitzer, Attorney General of New York, candidate for governor of New York
• Antonio Villaraigosa, mayor of Los Angeles, California
• Tom Vilsack (1950), governor of Iowa, chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council
• Mark Warner (1954), governor of Virginia
• Anthony A. Williams, mayor of Washington, D.C.

Historically notable Democrats

• Carl Albert (1908–2000), Speaker of the House for six years (1971-1977)
• Clinton Anderson, U.S. senator from New Mexico for 24 years
• Reubin Askew, Governor of Florida, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Bruce Babbitt, Governor of Arizona and United States Secretary of the Interior, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Birch Bayh, U.S. senator from Indiana for 18 years, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Lloyd Bentsen, U.S. senator from Texas, nominee for Vice President of the United States, United States Secretary of the Treasury
• Louis Brandeis (1856–1941), associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
• Pat Brown (1905–1996), Governor of California, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Dale Bumpers, governor of Arkansas, U.S. senator from Arkansas for 24 years
• Quentin N. Burdick (1908–1992), U.S. senator from North Dakota for 32 years
• Jane Byrne, first female mayor of a major city
• Howard Cannon (1912–2002), U.S. senator from Nevada for 24 years
• Dick Celeste, Governor of Ohio, U.S. ambassador to India
• Lawton Chiles (1930–1998), U.S. senator from Florida for 18 years, governor of Florida
• Frank Church (1924–1984), U.S. senator from Idaho for 24 years, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Champ Clark (1850–1921), Speaker of the House
• Max Cleland, (1942), former U.S. Senator from Georgia
• Mario Cuomo (1932), former Governor of New York
• Alan Cranston (1914–2000), U.S. senator from California for 24 years, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Richard J. Daley (1902–1976), mayor of Chicago, Illinois
• William O. Douglas (1898–1980), U.S. Supreme Court justice for 36 years.
• Tom Eagleton, U.S. senator from Missouri for 18 years; nominee for vice president in 1972 (resigned from ticket)
• James Eastland (1904–1986), U.S. senator from Mississippi for 36 years
• Sam Ervin (1896–1985), U.S. senator from North Carolina for 20 years
• Wendell Ford, U.S. senator from Kentucky for 25 years
• J. William Fulbright (1905–1995), U.S. senator from Arkansas for 29 years
• Dick Gephardt (1941), former U.S. Representative from Missouri, former House Minority Leader, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• John Glenn, U.S. senator from Ohio for 24 years, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Albert Gore, Sr. (1907–1998), U.S. senator from Tennessee for 18 years
• Gary Hart, U.S. senator from Colorado, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Carl T. Hayden (1877–1972), U.S. senator from Arizona for 42 years
• Spessard L. Holland (1892–1971), U.S. senator from Florida for 26 years
• Cordell Hull (1871–1955), Secretary of State
• Henry "Scoop" Jackson (1912–1983) U.S. senator from Washington for 30 years, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Bennett Johnston, U.S. senator from Louisiana for 25 years
• Barbara Jordan (1936–1996), Congresswoman from Texas
• Robert F. Kennedy (1925–1968), U.S. attorney general, U.S. senator from New York, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Richard Lamm (1935), Governor of Colorado from 1975 to 1987
• Frank Lausche (1895–1990), U.S. senator from Ohio for 12 years, Governor of Ohio for eight years
• J. Hamilton Lewis (1863-1939), Senator from Illinois and first Whip of the United States Senate
• Huey Long (1893–1935) Governor of Louisiana, U.S. senator from Louisiana, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Russell B. Long (1918–2003), U.S. senator from Louisiana for 39 years
• Mike Mansfield (1903–2001), U.S. senator from Montana for 24 years, Senate Majority Leader for 16 years
• Eugene McCarthy, U.S. senator from Minnesota, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• John McClellan (1896–1977), U.S. senator from Arkansas for 34 years
• John W. McCormack (1891–1980), U.S. representative from Massachusetts for 43 years, Speaker of the House
• Howard Metzenbaum, U.S. senator from Ohio for 18 years
• George Mitchell, U.S. senator from Maine
• Wayne Morse (1900–1974), U.S. senator from Oregon
• Frank Moss (1911–2003), U.S. senator from Utah
• Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927–2003), U.S. senator from New York
• Edmund Muskie (1914–1996), U.S. senator from Maine, nominee for Vice President of the United States, United States Secretary of State
• Sam Nunn, U.S. senator from Georgia
• Frank O'Bannon (1930–2003), Governor of Indiana
• Tip O'Neill (1912–1994), Speaker of the House
• John Pastore (1907–2000), U.S. senator from Rhode Island
• Claiborne Pell, U.S. senator from Rhode Island
• William Proxmire, U.S. senator from Wisconsin
• Sam Rayburn (1882–1961), Speaker of the House
• Abraham Ribicoff (1910–1998), U.S. senator from Connecticut
• Don Riegle, U.S. senator from Michigan
• Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962), First Lady
• Richard B. Russell Jr. (1897–1971), U.S. senator from Georgia
• Jim Sasser, U.S. senator from Tennessee
• Paul Simon (1928–2003), U.S. senator from Illinois, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• John Sparkman (1899–1985), U.S. senator from Alabama, nominee for Vice President of the United States
• John Stennis (1901–1995), U.S. senator from Mississippi
• Stuart Symington (1901–1988), U.S. senator from Missouri
• Herman Talmadge (1913–2002), U.S. senator from Georgia
• Roger B. Taney (1777–1864), Chief Justice of the United States
• Strom Thurmond (1902–2003), the oldest serving U.S. Senator in history (from South Carolina), later became a member of the Republican Party
• Paul Tsongas (1941–1997), U.S. senator from Massachusetts, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Morris "Mo" Udall, U.S. representative from Arizona, candidate for Democratic nomination for president
• Paul Wellstone (1944–2002), U.S. senator from Minnesota
• Doug Wilder, (1931) Governor of Virginia, candidate for Democratic nomination for president, current independent Mayor of Richmond, Virginia
• Harrison Williams (1919–2001), U.S. senator from New Jersey
• Harris Wofford, U.S. senator from Pennsylvania
• Ralph Yarborough (1903–1996), U.S. senator from Texas
• Stephen M. Young (1889–1984), U.S. senator from Ohio