Congressional Democratic Leaders and Other Noted Liberals
By Deborah White, About.com Guide to US Liberal Politics
Profiles and current news about Congressional Democratic leaders and leadership teams and other noted liberal leaders and opinion-makers, both longtime and emerging.
- Democratic Leadership in Congress
- Democratic Leaders in the U.S. Senate
- Rising Stars in Democratic Politics
- Democratic Senators Elected in 2008
- Democratic Senators Elected in 2006
- Liberal Celebrity Activists
- Civil Rights Leaders
- Activist Journalists
Democratic Leadership in Congress
Voters in November 2008 handed Democrats significant control of both houses in the 111th U.S. Congress, which is in office from January 2009 to January 2011. In the House, Democrats hold 256 (59%) of 434 seats, with one to be filled by special election in April 2009. In the Senate, Democrats hold 57 of 100 Senate seats, assuming that Franken from Minnesota and Burris from Illinois are seated after legal challenges. Also, both Independents, Lieberman of Connecticut and Sanders of Vermont, plan to caucus with Democrats.
- Senate Committee Chairs, 2009-2010
- Senate Democratic Leadership Team, 2009-2010
- House Committee Chairs, 2009-2010
- House Democratic Leadership Team, 2009-2010
- Speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California
- Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada
- House Majority Whip, Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina
Democratic Leaders in the U.S. Senate
Profile of top and long-serving Democrats in the U.S. Senate.
- Sen. Barbara Boxer of California, Environment Committee Chair
- Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Judiciary & Foreign Relations Committees
- Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California, Intelligence Committee Chair
- Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, Budget Committee Chair
- Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico, Energy Committee Chair
- Sen. Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, Health, Education, Labor Committee Chair
- Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Small Business Committee Chair
Rising Stars in Democratic Politics
Profiles of important Democratic party voices under age 45, including mayors, governors, holders of presidential cabinet posts, and members of Congress. These rising liberal luminaries represent varying viewpoints within the Democratic ranks, ranging from staunchly progressive to Blue Dog conservative.
- Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco
- Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Florida
- Rep. Heath Shuler of North Carolina
- U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice to the United Nations
- Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania
- Mayor Kevin Johnson of Sacramento
- Governor Chet Culver of Iowa
- Shaun Donovan, Secretary of House & Urban Development
Democratic Senators Elected in 2008
Profiles of new Democratic voices in the U.S. Senate, newly elected to first terms in November 2008.
Democratic Senators Elected in 2006
Profiles of new Democratic voices in the U.S. Senate, newly elected to first terms in November 2006.
- Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia
- Sen. Claire McCaskill of Missouri
- Sen. Bob Casey, Jr. of Pennsylvania
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota
- Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio
- Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island
- Sen. Jon Tester of Montana
- Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland
Liberal Celebrity Activists
Profiles of liberal celebrity activists and opinion-makers.
- Oprah Winfrey: Activist & Philanthropist
- The Politics of George Clooney, Actor and Liberal Activist
- Rosie O'Donnell, Liberal Activist & TV Personality
- Brad Pitt, Green Activist & Film Actor
- Bono's Famed Remarks to the 2006 National Prayer Breakfast
- Al Franken, U.S. Senator & Famed Comedian
Civil Rights Leaders
Profiles and words of and about selected U.S. civil rights leaders.
- Cesar Chavez, Latino Champion of Civil Rights
- Lesser Known Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" Speech
- Coretta Scott King, Human Rights Advocate
- Thurgood Marshall, Supreme Court Justice
- Rosa Parks, Mother of the Civil Rights Movement
- Barack Obama's Courageous Speech on Race & Faith
- Barack Obama's Remarks about Martin Luther King, Jr.
Activist Journalists
Profiles of selected influential activist journalists.
