Senate Democratic Caucus


The Democratic Caucus of the United States Senate, sometimes referred to as the Democratic Conference or simply Senate Democrats, is the formal organization of all senators who are part of the Democratic Party in the United States Senate. For the makeup of the 119th Congress, the caucus additionally includes two independent senators who caucus with the Democrats, bringing the current total to 47 members. The central organizational front for Democrats in the Senate, its primary function is communicating the party's message to all of its members under a single banner. The present chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus is Chuck Schumer of New York.

Current leadership

Effective with the start of the 119th Congress, the conference leadership is as follows:

History

The conference was formally organized on March 6, 1903, electing a chair to preside over its members and a secretary to keep minutes. Until that time, this caucus was often disorganized, philosophically divided and had neither firm written rules of governance nor a clear mission.

Chairs

Since Oscar Underwood's election in 1920, the chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus has also concurrently served as the floor leader as part of an unwritten tradition.

Vice chairs

After the victory of Democrats in the midterm elections of 2006, an overwhelming majority in the conference wanted to reward Chuck Schumer, then the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, with a position in the leadership hierarchy. In response, then-Democratic Leader Harry Reid created the position of vice-chair when Democrats formally took control in 2007. Schumer ascended to Reid's position following his retirement after the 2016 elections. The position was then split, with one co-chair awarded to Mark Warner and the other awarded to Elizabeth Warren.
CongressVice ChairStateTerm startTerm end
110thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
111thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
112thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
113thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
114thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
115thJanuary 3, 2017present
116thJanuary 3, 2017present
117thJanuary 3, 2017present
118thJanuary 3, 2017present
119thJanuary 3, 2017present

Caucus secretary

The United States Senate Democratic Conference secretary, also called the caucus secretary was previously considered the number-three position, behind the party's floor leader and the party's whip, until in 2006, when Democratic leader Harry Reid created the new position of Vice-Chairman of the caucus. Now, the secretary is the fourth-highest ranking position. The conference secretary is responsible for taking notes and aiding the party leadership when senators of the party meet or caucus together.
The first conference secretary was Sen. Edward W. Carmack of Tennessee, who was elected in March 1903.
The current conference secretary is Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, who assumed the office in January 2017.
CongressSecretaryStateTerm startTerm end
58thMarch 6, 1903March 3, 1907
59thMarch 6, 1903March 3, 1907
60thDecember 3, 1907March 4, 1911
61stDecember 3, 1907March 4, 1911
62ndMarch 4, 1911March 4, 1913
63rdMarch 4, 1913March 3, 1915
64th
Delaware
March 3, 1915December 14, 1916
64thDecember 14, 1916March 3, 1917
65thMarch 4, 1917March 3, 1927
66thMarch 4, 1917March 3, 1927
67thMarch 4, 1917March 3, 1927
68thMarch 4, 1917March 3, 1927
69thMarch 4, 1917March 3, 1927
70thMarch 4, 1927January 3, 1937
71stMarch 4, 1927January 3, 1937
72ndMarch 4, 1927January 3, 1937
73rdMarch 4, 1927January 3, 1937
74thMarch 4, 1927January 3, 1937
75thJanuary 3, 1937January 3, 1943
76thJanuary 3, 1937January 3, 1943
77thJanuary 3, 1937January 3, 1943
78thConnecticutJanuary 3, 1943January 3, 1945
79thJanuary 3, 1945July 28, 1952
80thJanuary 3, 1945July 28, 1952
81stJanuary 3, 1945July 28, 1952
82ndJanuary 3, 1945July 28, 1952
83rdJanuary 3, 1953January 3, 1959
84thJanuary 3, 1953January 3, 1959
85thJanuary 3, 1953January 3, 1959
86th
Thomas Hennings
Missouri
January 3, 1959September 13, 1960
86thSeptember 3, 1960January 3, 1961
87th
George Smathers
Florida
January 3, 1961January 3, 1967
88th
George Smathers
Florida
January 3, 1961January 3, 1967
89th
George Smathers
Florida
January 3, 1961January 3, 1967
90thJanuary 3, 1967January 3, 1971
91stJanuary 3, 1967January 3, 1971
92ndJanuary 3, 1971January 3, 1977
93rdJanuary 3, 1971January 3, 1977
94thJanuary 3, 1971January 3, 1977
95thJanuary 3, 1977January 3, 1989
96thJanuary 3, 1977January 3, 1989
97thJanuary 3, 1977January 3, 1989
98thJanuary 3, 1977January 3, 1989
99thJanuary 3, 1977January 3, 1989
100thJanuary 3, 1977January 3, 1989
101stJanuary 3, 1989January 3, 1995
102ndJanuary 3, 1989January 3, 1995
103rdJanuary 3, 1989January 3, 1995
104thJanuary 3, 1995January 3, 2005
105thJanuary 3, 1995January 3, 2005
106thJanuary 3, 1995January 3, 2005
107thJanuary 3, 1995January 3, 2005
108thJanuary 3, 1995January 3, 2005
109thJanuary 3, 2005January 3, 2007
110thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
111thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
112thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
113thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
114thJanuary 3, 2007January 3, 2017
115thJanuary 3, 2017Incumbent
116thJanuary 3, 2017Incumbent
117thJanuary 3, 2017Incumbent
118thJanuary 3, 2017Incumbent
119thJanuary 3, 2017Incumbent

Deputy caucus secretary

On December 8, 2022, Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii was elected to the newly created position of deputy caucus secretary, assuming the office at the beginning of the 118th Congress on January 3, 2023. This was an elevation from his previous leadership role as Senate Democratic chief deputy whip. On January 3, 2025, Chris Murphy was also appointed to this position.