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Democratic Conference Chairpersons


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SenatorTerm
StevensonJohn W. Stevenson (D-KY) 1877 ended 1877
WallaceWilliam A. Wallace (D-PA) 1878-1881 1878–1881
PendletonGeorge H. Pendleton (D-OH) 1881-1885 1881–1885
BeckJames B. Beck (D-KY) 1885-1890 1885–1890
GormanArthur P. Gorman (D-MD) 1890-1898 1890–1898
TurpieDavid Turpie (D-IN) 1898-1899 1898–1899
JonesJames K. Jones (D-AR) 1899-1903 1899–1903
GormanArthur P. Gorman (D-MD) 1903-1906 1903–1906
BlackburnJoseph C. S. Blackburn (D-KY) 1906-1907 1906–1907
CulbersonCharles A. Culberson (D-TX) 1907-1909 1907–1909
MoneyHernando D. Money (D-MS) 1909-1911 1909–1911
MartinThomas S. Martin (D-VA) 1911-1913 1911–1913
KernJohn W. Kern (D-IN) 1913-1917 1913–1917
MartinThomas S. Martin (D-VA) 1917-1919 1917–1919
UnderwoodOscar W. Underwood (D-AL) 1920-1923 1920–1923
RobinsonJoseph T. Robinson (D-AR) 1923_1937 1923–1937
BarkleyAlben W. Barkley (D-KY) 1937_1949 1937–1949
LucasScott W. Lucas (D-IL) 1949_1951 1949–1951
McFarlandErnest W. McFarland (D-AZ) 1951_1953 1951–1953
JohnsonLyndon B. Johnson (D-TX) 1953_1961 1953–1961
MansfieldMichael J. Mansfield (D-MT) 1961_1977 1961–1977
ByrdRobert C. Byrd (D-WV) 1977_1989 1977–1989
MitchellGeorge J. Mitchell (D-ME) 1989_1995 1989–1995
DaschleThomas A. Daschle (D-SD) 1995_20050103 1995–2005
ReidHarry Reid (D-NV) 20050103_20170103 2005–2017
SchumerCharles E. Schumer (D-NY) 20170103 2017–present

Note: Beginning in 1890, the Democratic Conference chairperson also served as Democratic floor leader. The tradition of combining the two positions continues to this day.


Sources for this information include: Gerald Gamm and Steven S. Smith, “Emergence of Senate Party Leadership,” in Bruce I, Oppenheimer, ed., U.S. Senate Exceptionalism (Ohio State University Press, 2002), pp. 212-238; “Rules of the Senate Republican Conference,” September 24, 1990; U.S. Congress, Senate, Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, by Floyd M. Riddick, S. Doc. 100-29, 100th Cong., 2d sess., 1988.