List of socialist members of the United States Congress

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The following is a list of members of the United States Congress who have declared themselves to be socialists or have been a member of a socialist organization in the United States.

History

In the 1890s-1910s, most socialists who won election ran on the Populist or Socialist Party of America (SPA) ballot lines. While SPA won a few federal elections, SPA's electoral power was much greater in local and state elections, and briefly held over 1,000 local offices.[1] During the First Red Scare, the House of Representatives twice refused to seat socialist Victor Berger, who would be convicted of violating the Espionage Act of 1917 and again won his seat.[2]

A very small number of members of Communist Party USA (CPUSA) ever won federal office, and never as open Communists. The Second Red Scare and McCarthy era resulted in persecution of socialists, removal of socialists from unions, and weaker socialist electoral outcomes.[3]

Starting in the 1980s, a small number of social-democratic and socialist Democrats affiliated with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). After the Bernie Sanders 2016 presidential campaign and explosion of DSA membership, DSA rapidly gained half a dozen seats in the House. In 2021, there were more socialists in Congress than any point in US history,[4][5] most of whom are members of DSA.[6] After Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman lost re-election and Greg Casar and Summer Lee lost DSA endorsement, that number shrank again.

Members elected as socialists

The table below lists members of the US Congress who were open socialists or open members of a socialist organization during their time in office.

As of September 15, 2024:

Member Photo Chamber Term start Term end State Party Ref
Greg Casar House January 3, 2023 Incumbent Texas Democratic Party (DSA member, former Austin DSA endorsee) [7][8]
Summer Lee House January 3, 2023 Incumbent Pennsylvania Democratic Party (former DSA member and former endorsee) [9]
Cori Bush House January 3, 2021 January 3, 2025 Missouri Democratic Party (DSA member and endorsee) [10][11]
Jamaal Bowman House January 3, 2021 January 3, 2025 New York Democratic Party (DSA member and NYC-DSA endorsee) [12][13][14]
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez House January 3, 2019 Incumbent New York Democratic Party, Working Families Party (DSA member and former endorsee; NYC-DSA endorsee) [5][15][16]
Rashida Tlaib House January 3, 2019 Incumbent Michigan Democratic Party (DSA member and endorsee) [5][2]
Bernie Sanders Senate January 3, 2007 Incumbent Vermont Independent (Endorsed in Democratic Party primaries, caucuses with Democrats) [17][18][19]
Danny Davis House January 3, 1997 Incumbent Illinois Democratic Party (former New Party member and DSA member) [a]
Bernie Sanders House January 3, 1991 January 3, 2007 Vermont Independent (won most Democratic Party votes) [17][18][19]
Major Owens House January 3, 1983 January 3, 2007 New York Democratic Party (DSA member) [2][24]
David Bonior House January 3, 1977 January 3, 2003 Michigan Democratic Party (DSA member) [25][26]
Ron Dellums House January 3, 1971 February 6, 1998 California Democratic Party (DSA member) [2][27]
John Conyers House January 3, 1965 December 5, 2017 Michigan Democratic Party (DSA member) [28]
Leo Isacson House February 17, 1948 January 3, 1949 New York American Labor Party [29]
Hugh De Lacy House January 3, 1945 January 3, 1947 Washington Democratic Party (Communist Party USA member) [30]
Bolívar Pagán House December 26, 1939 January 3, 1945 Puerto Rico Republican Union (Socialist Party member)
Vito Marcantonio House January 3, 1939 January 3, 1951 New York American Labor Party [29][31]
Thomas Ryum Amlie House January 3, 1935 January 3, 1939 Wisconsin Wisconsin Progressive Party (ideological socialist) [32]
Vito Marcantonio House January 3, 1935 January 3, 1937 New York Republican Party [29][31]
Santiago Iglesias House March 4, 1933 December 5, 1939 Puerto Rico Socialist Party
Thomas Ryum Amlie House October 13, 1931 March 3, 1933 Wisconsin Wisconsin Progressive Party (ideological socialist) [32]
Fiorello LaGuardia House March 4, 1927 March 3, 1933 New York Republican Party (former Socialist Party of America candidate and self-identified socialist) [33]
Fiorello LaGuardia House March 4, 1925 March 4, 1927 New York Socialist Party of America and Progressive Party [33]
Fiorello LaGuardia House March 4, 1923 March 4, 1925 New York Republican Party (future Socialist Party of America candidate and self-identified socialist) [33]
Victor Berger House March 4, 1923 March 3, 1929 Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [2]
Meyer London House March 4, 1921 March 3, 1923 New York Socialist Party of America [2]
Victor Berger House March 4, 1919 November 10, 1919 Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [2]
Fiorello LaGuardia House March 4, 1917 December 31, 1919 New York Republican Party (future Socialist Party of America candidate and self-identified socialist) [33]
Meyer London House March 4, 1915 March 3, 1919 New York Socialist Party of America [2]
Victor Berger House March 4, 1911 March 3, 1913 Wisconsin Socialist Party of America [2]
Freeman Knowles House March 4, 1897 March 3, 1899 South Dakota People's Party (United States) (future Socialist Party of America member) [34]
Haldor Boen House March 4, 1893 March 3, 1895 Minnesota People's Party (United States) (future Socialist Party of America member) [35]
Kittel Halvorson House March 3, 1891 March 4, 1893 Minnesota People's Party (United States) (future Socialist Party of America member) [36]
Lewis Featherstone House March 5, 1890 March 3, 1891 Arkansas Labor Party
Henry Smith House March 4, 1887 March 3, 1889 Wisconsin Union Labor Party [37]
Horace Greeley House December 4, 1848 March 3, 1849 New York Whig Party (United States) [38]
Robert Dale Owen House March 4, 1843 March 3, 1847 Indiana Democratic Party [39]

Members who were or would be socialists

The table below lists members of the US Congress who were, at some point in their life, socialists or members of a socialist organization, but not while they held Congressional office.

As of September 15, 2024:

Member Photo Chamber Term start Term end State Party Ref
Jerry Nadler House November 3, 1992 Incumbent New York Democratic Party (former DSA member and former endorsee) [40][41][42]
William H. Meyer House January 3, 1959 January 3, 1961 Vermont Democratic Party (future Liberty Union Party founder) [43]
George M. Rhodes House January 3, 1949 January 3, 1969 Pennsylvania Democratic Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [44]
Andrew Biemiller House January 3, 1949 January 3, 1951 Wisconsin Democratic Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [45]
Andrew Biemiller House January 3, 1945 January 3, 1947 Wisconsin Democratic Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [45]
Henry Teigan House January 3, 1937 January 3, 1939 Pennsylvania Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [46]
John Bernard House January 3, 1937 January 3, 1939 Minnesota Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party (future Communist Party USA member) [47][48]
Jerry J. O'Connell House January 3, 1937 January 3, 1939 Montana Democratic Party [49][50][51][52]
Jerry Voorhis House January 3, 1937 January 3, 1947 California Democratic Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [53]
Homer Bone Senate January 3, 1933 November 13, 1944 Washington Democratic Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [54]
George Lunn House March 4, 1917 March 4, 1919 New York Democratic Party (former Socialist Party of America member) [55]

Notable progressive but not socialist members

The list below includes members who have sometimes been described as socialist, but are / were not ideological socialists or sincere members of a socialist organization:

See also

Endnotes

  1. ^ Although Davis was endorsed by the New Party[20] and Chicago DSA[21] in 1996, Davis has since moved rightward. Chicago DSA endorsed candidates primarying him from the left in 2020[22] and 2022.[23]

References

  1. ^ Barkan, Ross (January 30, 2020). "Why American Socialism Failed—and How It Could Prevail Today". ISSN 0027-8378. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Isserman, Maurice (November 8, 2018). "Socialists in the House: A 100-Year History from Victor Berger to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez". Archived from the original on September 7, 2020.
  3. ^ Wills, Matthew (August 13, 2018). "The Return of Socialism". JSTOR Daily. Archived from the original on March 30, 2019.
  4. ^ Dreier, Peter (December 11, 2020). "The Number Of Democratic Socialists In The House Will Soon Double. But The Movement Scored Its Biggest Victories Down Ballot". Talking Points Memo. There are currently 71 DSA members holding public office. This year, one was defeated for reelection and two did not run for reelection. Another 33 DSAers were elected this year for the first time, bringing the total to 101 when the new winners take office in January. This is greater than at any time since about 1912, when the Socialist Party had a strong foothold in both urban and rural America.
  5. ^ a b c Isserman, Maurice (January 11, 2021). "Congress Now Has More Socialists Than Ever Before in U.S. History". In These Times. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. While Dellums and Owens were supportive of DSA, knowledge of their membership in an organization that at the time counted only a few thousand members was mostly left-wing insider baseball. Relatively few of their constituents had likely ever heard of DSA. Not so for the socialists in Congress today, in part because the organization itself has grown a dozen-fold in recent years, recently surpassing 80,000 members. The new socialists' organizational credentials are regularly cited by friends and foes alike ("Democratic socialists salivate over current, future New York state gains," Fox News reported with its usual taste and balance after last November's election.)
  6. ^ Hernandez, Kristian (November 17, 2022). "Democrats Can't Be Counted On to Stop the MAGA Right, So Socialists Are Stepping Up". In These Times. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. In the House, the entire Squad was re-elected, which includes DSA members and Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) and Cori Bush (D-Mo.). They will be joined next year Summer Lee, who won in Pennsylvania. As a result, the next Congress will include more socialists than at any point in U.S. history.
  7. ^ Sanders, Austin (February 11, 2022). "Greg Casar, DSA, and Palestine: Will It Matter?". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Ahlman, Austin; Grim, Ryan (March 1, 2022). "In Texas Primary, Democratic Socialist Greg Casar Prevails With Wide Margin". The Intercept. Archived from the original on March 2, 2022.
  9. ^ "Democratic Socialist Summer Lee's Victory in Penn. Gives Progressives a Boost in House". Democracy Now!. November 9, 2022. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022.
  10. ^ Day, Meagan (August 7, 2020). "Cori Bush on How She Took On the Political Establishment and Won". Jacobin. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020.
  11. ^ Taylor, Astra (June 17, 2020). "A New Group of Leftist Primary Challengers Campaign Through Protests and the Coronavirus". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020.
  12. ^ "What Jamaal Bowman's Loss Means for the Left". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  13. ^ "Bowman Makes Amends With Democratic Socialists After Rift Over Israel". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  14. ^ "Endorsed Candidates – NYC Democratic Socialists of America". socialists.nyc. February 1, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  15. ^ "Ocasio-Cortez Loses the Democratic Socialists' Endorsement Over Israel". The New York Times. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
  16. ^ "New York's 14th Congressional District election, 2022". Ballotpedia. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Inskeep, Steve (November 6, 2015). "Bernie Sanders On Being Jewish And A Democratic Socialist". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on February 23, 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Bernie Sanders confirms presidential run and damns America's inequities". The Guardian. Associated Press. April 30, 2015. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. The self-described 'democratic socialist' enters the race as a robust liberal alternative ...
  19. ^ a b Matthews, Dylan (November 20, 2015). "A leading socialist explains what Bernie Sanders's socialism gets right — and wrong". Vox Media. Archived from the original on November 21, 2015.
  20. ^ "March Update". New Party. Archived from the original on February 2, 1999. The Illinois New Party is working intensively on Willie Delgado's state representative campaign. Delgado is part of an emerging Latino network in Chicago. We're also backing Danny Davis in a Congressional race, Barack Obama for state representative, and judicial candidate Patricia Martin. In addition to the electoral work, the NP in Chicago is supporting a local living wage campaign and an effort to prevent the placement of a waste site on the West Side.
  21. ^ "Chicago DSA endorsements in the March 19th primary election". New Ground. No. 45 (Mar–Apr 1996). Chicago chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. Archived from the original on March 9, 2009. And Danny Davis is certainly not foreign to Chicago DSA. From the very beginning, he has always been willing to help: appearing as a speaker with Michael Harrington, serving as a Master of Ceremonies without peer at the annual Debs – Thomas – Harrington Dinner.
  22. ^ Muwakkil, Salim (July 16, 2019). "In 2008, Democratic Socialists Endorsed Him. Now, a DSA Member Is Primarying Him". In These Times. Archived from the original on September 4, 2020.
  23. ^ Aikerson, Skyler (June 22, 2022). ""It's Time for Generational Change": Why Progressive Challenger Kina Collins Is Taking on a 25-Year Incumbent". In These Times. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022.
  24. ^ Borenstein, Marsha (November 18, 2013). "Major R. Owens, the People's Congressman (1936–2013)". Democratic Left. Democratic Socialists of America. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. I was DSA's liaison to Owens' congressional office in Brooklyn. I wrote and called his office when we wanted him to speak at one of our events. He never turned us down. Having once paid dues he believed himself to be a lifetime member of DSA and never let me forget my affiliation with the organization, interrupting me from time to time when I said something that surprised him, with "Is that the official position of DSA?"
  25. ^ "DSA PAC 1996 Endorsements" (PDF). Democratic Left. No. Raising the Rose Lantern: The Socialist International Comes to the United States (July/August 1996). Democratic Socialists of America. p. 21. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 29, 2019.
  26. ^ Green, David (March 2015). "DSA Hosts Book Signing Event for Bonior Memoir". Metro Detroit chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 29, 2018. Rep. Bonior and his wife Judy are longtime DSA members. They received the Douglass-Debs Award from Detroit DSA in 2003. Rep. Bonior was a co-host for DSA-PAC's successful fundraiser for Bernie Sanders in 2006. It was a pleasure for Detroit DSA to welcome David Bonior home for this event.
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  28. ^ Margolis, Jon (March 14, 1983). "Bernie of Burlington". The New Republic. Archived from the original on September 20, 2015.
  29. ^ a b c Greenberg, David (January 3, 2019). "Socialists Are No Strangers to Congress". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on January 3, 2019.
  30. ^ Harvey Klehr, The Heyday of American Communism: The Depression Decade. New York: Basic Books, 1984; pg. 256.
  31. ^ a b Serby, Benjamin (December 20, 2018). "New York's Last Socialist Congressperson". Jacobin. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022.
  32. ^ a b Kasparek, Jonathan (2006). Fighting Son: A Biography of Philip F. La Follette. Wisconsin Historical Society. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-87020-353-4.
  33. ^ a b c d Zinn, Howard (1969). LaGuardia in Congress. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-7617-4.
  34. ^ "Our Campaigns – Candidate – Freeman Knowles".
  35. ^ "Our Campaigns – Candidate – Haldor Erickson Boen".
  36. ^ "Our Campaigns – ND At-Large Race – Nov 06, 1906".
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  38. ^ Tuchinsky, Adam (2009). Horace Greeley's New-York Tribune: Civil War–Era Socialism and the Crisis of Free Labor. Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4667-2. JSTOR 10.7591/j.ctt7zfzw.
  39. ^ Estabrook, Arthur (August 29, 2017). "The Family History of Robert Owen". Indiana Magazine of History.
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  44. ^ RHODES, George Milton
  45. ^ a b Ohm, Howard F.; Bryhan, Leone G., eds. The Wisconsin Blue Book, 1937 Madison: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer, 1937; pp. vii–viii, 53, 360, 432, 542, 543, 544, 551–552
  46. ^ TEIGAN, Henry George
  47. ^ https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/B000411
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  54. ^ "Bone, Homer Truett (1883–1970)".
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  56. ^ Sotomayor, Marianna (September 3, 2022). "Maxwell Frost is figuring out how to be Gen Z's likely first congressman". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. He wishes Republicans "good luck" with trying to paint him as a socialist, saying, "My family fled that."
  57. ^ McCarthy, Tom (July 17, 2019). "Trump rally crowd chants ‘send her back’ after president attacks Ilhan Omar". The Guardian.
  58. ^ ""She's an American-hating socialist": Trump attacks Rep. Ilhan Omar in her district". The Washington Post. October 11, 2019.
  59. ^ Bowden, John (October 10, 2019). "Trump attacks Omar as 'America-hating socialist' at Minnesota rally". The Hill.
  60. ^ "President Trump on Representative Omar". C-SPAN. October 10, 2019.
  61. ^ Alberta, Tim (March 8, 2019). "The Democrats' Dilemma". Politico. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Omar does not openly identify as a democratic socialist like Tlaib and Ocasio-Cortez
  62. ^ "August National Political Committee newsletter — Courage and anger". National Political Committee of the Democratic Socialists of America. August 20, 2020. Archived from the original on August 24, 2020.
  63. ^ Denvir, Daniel (March 18, 2020). "Ilhan Omar: 'Real Change Is Possible': An Interview With Ilhan Omar". Jacobin. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022.
  64. ^ Van Oot, Torey (September 10, 2018). "The Reds Are Coming—& They're Young, Female, & Determined To Win America's Heartland". Refinery29. Archived from the original on March 16, 2023.
  65. ^ Hess, Abigail (November 6, 2018). "Meet Ayanna Pressley, who is on track to become Massachusetts' first black Congresswoman". CNBC. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018. Notably, she's not a political rookie, and she does not identify as a democratic socialist.
  66. ^ Lach, Eric (September 5, 2018). "Ayanna Pressley's Upset Win and Generational Change in the Democratic Party". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on September 5, 2018. Pressley wasn't putting herself forward as a democratic socialist like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who successfully challenged the New York congressman Joe Crowley from the left.
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    • Thelen, David P. Robert M. La Follette and the insurgent spirit (1976) online
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