Democratic Caucus Chairman of the United States House of Representatives

The following is a list of members of the U.S. House of Representatives who have served as chair of the House Democratic Caucus. Chairs are currently limited to two consecutive terms. 

List
OfficeholderStateCongressTermJames ThompsonPennsylvania31st1849–1851N/A32nd1851–1853Edson B. OldsOhio33rd1853–1855George Washington JonesTennessee34th1855–1857N/A35th1857–1859George S. HoustonAlabama36th1859–1861N/ANo clear records remain for these Congresses.37th–40th1861–1869William E. Niblack,Samuel J. RandallCaucus records show Representative
Niblack and Representative Randall as both having served as chairman during the Congress,
but no dates of service were specified.Indiana,Pennsylvania41st1869–1871N/ARepresentative Fernando Wood of New York nominated the Democratic leadership
slate in the House, but there is no other evidence to show he was elected caucus chairman.42nd1871–1873William E. NiblackIndiana43rd1873–1875Lucius Q.C. LamarMississippi44th1875–1877Hiester ClymerPennsylvania45th1877–1879John F. HouseTennessee46th1879–1881N/AAvailable data show that Representative John F. House nominated Samuel J. Randall as the Democratic candidate for Speaker, the traditional role of the caucus chairman. Later data show W.S. Rosecrans issuing the next call for a Democratic Caucus
meeting, but there is no evidence to suggest that Rosecrans was actually elected caucus
chairman.47th1881–1883George W. GeddesOhio48th1883–1885J. Randolph TuckerVirginia49th1885–1887Samuel S. CoxFormer Parliamentarian Clarence Cannon's notes state "Cox died
during this Congress and [Representative James B.] McCreary evidently succeeded or acted for
him." However, Representative Cox died on September 10, 1889, six months after the sine die
adjournment of the 50th Congress and the convening of the 51st Congress.New York50th1887–1889William S. HolmanIndiana51st–53rd1889–1895David B. CulbersonTexas54th1895–1897James D. RichardsonTennessee55th1897–1899James HayVirginia56th–58th1899–1905Robert L. HenryTexas59th1905–1907Henry D. ClaytonCaucus records are contradictory for this period. They show the election of Representative James Hay as chairman on January 19, 1911, but do not mention a resignation by incumbent chairman Clayton, nor do they specify that Hay was elected chairman for the new Congress. Later, they show the election of Representative Albert S. Burleson on April 11, 1911.Alabama60th–61st1907–1911Albert S. BurlesonTexas62nd1911–1913A. Mitchell PalmerPennsylvania63rd1913–1915Edward W. SaundersVirginia64th–65th1915–1919Arthur G. DeWaltPennsylvania66th1919–1921Sam RayburnTexas67th1921–1923Henry T. RaineyIllinois68th1923–1925Charles D. CarterOklahoma69th1925–1927Arthur H. GreenwoodIndiana70th1927–1929David H. KincheloeKentucky71st1929–1930Resigned from the House, October 5, 1930; there is no record of an election to fill the vacancy as caucus chair.William W. ArnoldIllinois72nd1931–1933Clarence F. LeaCalifornia73rd1933–1935Edward T. TaylorColorado74th1935–1937Robert L. DoughtonNorth Carolina75th1937–1939John W. McCormackMassachusetts76th1939–1940Resigned following election as majority (floor) leader, September 16, 1940; records do not indicate that a successor was chosen during the remainder of the Congress.Richard M. DuncanMissouri77th1941–1943Harry R. SheppardCalifornia78th1943–1945Jere CooperTennessee79th1945–1947Aime J. ForandRhode Island80th1947–1949Francis E. WalterPennsylvania81st1949–1951Jere CooperTennessee82nd1951–1953Wilbur D. MillsArkansas83rd1953–1955John J. RooneyNew York84th1955–1957Melvin PriceIllinois85th–86th1957–1961Francis E. WalterDied in office, May 31, 1963. Caucus chairman post vacant until
January 21, 1964.Pennsylvania87th–88th1961–1963Albert ThomasTexas88th1964–1965Eugene KeoghNew York89th1965–1967Dan RostenkowskiIllinois90th–91st1967–1971Olin TeagueTexas92nd–93rd1971–1975Phillip BurtonCalifornia94th1976–1977Thomas S. FoleyWashington95th–96th1977–1981Gillis W. LongLouisiana97th–98th1981–1985Richard A. GephardtMissouri99th–100th1985–1989William H. Gray IIIPennsylvania101st1989Steny H. HoyerMaryland101st–103rd1989–1995Representative Hoyer was elected Caucus Chairman on June 21, 1989, following
the June 14, 1989, election of Representative William (Bill) H. Gray III as Majority Whip.Vic FazioCalifornia104th–105th1995–1999Martin FrostTexas106th–107th1999–2003Bob MenendezNew Jersey108th–109th2003–2006On January 16, 2006, Representative Menendez resigned from the House after
he was appointed to the Senate.James ClyburnSouth Carolina109th2006–2007Rahm EmanuelIllinois110th2007–2009John B. LarsonConnecticut111th–112th2009–2013Xavier BecerraCalifornia113th–114th2013–2017Joe CrowleyNew York115th2017–2019Hakeem JeffriesNew York116th-117th2019–2023Pete AguilarCalifornia118thSince 2023

References

Other websites
 Official House history (Public domain)

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Category:Democratic Party (United States) politicians