Special Report
These 46 Democrats Have Made a Career Out of Serving in the House of Representatives
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Few elected officials at the federal level have as limited job security as members of the House of Representatives. Unlike their counterparts in the Senate, who are up for reelection every six years, House members have to be voted in by their district every two years. Facing such frequent reckoning, holding office for more than six years is a feat most of the 437 sitting U.S. Congressional Representatives have not achieved.
Still, there are many lawmakers who have managed to defy the odds and win the approval of their constituents election after election. By reviewing the term history of each sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 24/7 Wall St. identified the Democratic Reps. who have served the most consecutive and non consecutive terms. There are currently 46 Democratic lawmakers who have spent more than 10 calendar years in office.
Click here to see the longest-serving Democrats in the U.S. House.
Click here to see the longest-serving Republicans in the U.S. House.
Job security on Capitol Hill appears to be a product of popularity for many representatives. Lawmakers who represent the interests of the majority of their constituents are more likely to win reelection. The Democrats on this list have not only won numerous elections in the past, but the majority also claimed decisive victories in the 2020 election, winning their seat by a margin of 30 percentage points or more.
Of course, a representative’s reason for leaving office is not limited to losing an election. House members may decide to end their career in public service and move to the private sector, or simply retire. Others choose to run for other public offices, like the Senate, or accept appointments to positions in the executive branch. Here is a list of the 48 people who became vice president.
46. Rep. James R. Langevin
> Period of service: 20 years – tied (2001-present)
> Current constituency: Rhode Island’s 2nd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 58.2% of the vote (16.7 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 54th longest serving Rep. of either party
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45. Rep. Rick Larsen
> Period of service: 20 years – tied (2001-present)
> Current constituency: Washington’s 2nd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 63.1% of the vote (26.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 54th longest serving Rep. of either party
24/7 Wall St.
44. Rep. Stephen F. Lynch
> Period of service: 20 years – tied (2001-present)
> Current constituency: Massachusetts’ 8th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 80.7% of the vote (62.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 54th longest serving Rep. of either party
43. Rep. Betty McCollum
> Period of service: 20 years – tied (2001-present)
> Current constituency: Minnesota’s 4th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 63.2% of the vote (34.2 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 54th longest serving Rep. of either party
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42. Rep. Adam B. Schiff
> Period of service: 20 years – tied (2001-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 28th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 72.7% of the vote (45.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 54th longest serving Rep. of either party
41. Rep. John B. Larson
> Period of service: 22 years – tied (1999-present)
> Current constituency: Connecticut’s 1st Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 63.8% of the vote (28.8 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 48th longest serving Rep. of either party
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40. Rep. Grace F. Napolitano
> Period of service: 22 years – tied (1999-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 32nd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 66.6% of the vote (33.2 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 48th longest serving Rep. of either party
39. Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky
> Period of service: 22 years – tied (1999-present)
> Current constituency: Illinois’ 9th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 71.0% of the vote (42.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 48th longest serving Rep. of either party
38. Rep. Mike Thompson
> Period of service: 22 years – tied (1999-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 5th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 76.1% of the vote (52.2 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 48th longest serving Rep. of either party
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37. Rep. Ron Kind
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: Wisconsin’s 3rd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 51.3% of the vote (2.7 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
36. Rep. Barbara Lee
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 13th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 90.4% of the vote (80.7 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
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35. Rep. James P. McGovern
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: Massachusetts’ 2nd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 65.3% of the vote (30.8 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
24/7 Wall St.
34. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: New York’s 5th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 99.3% of the vote (0.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
33. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr.
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: New Jersey’s 9th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 65.8% of the vote (33.9 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
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32. Rep. Brad Sherman
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 30th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 69.5% of the vote (39.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
31. Rep. Adam Smith
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: Washington’s 9th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 74.1% of the vote (48.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
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30. Rep. Danny K. Davis
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: Illinois’ 7th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 80.4% of the vote (67.1 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
24/7 Wall St.
29. Rep. Diana DeGette
> Period of service: 24 years – tied (1997-present)
> Current constituency: Colorado’s 1st Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 73.6% of the vote (50.1 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 35th longest serving Rep. of either party
28. Rep. Lloyd Doggett
> Period of service: 26 years – tied (1995-present)
> Current constituency: Texas’ 35th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 65.4% of the vote (35.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 30th longest serving Rep. of either party
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27. Rep. Michael F. Doyle
> Period of service: 26 years – tied (1995-present)
> Current constituency: Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 69.2% of the vote (38.5 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 30th longest serving Rep. of either party
26. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee
> Period of service: 26 years – tied (1995-present)
> Current constituency: Texas’ 18th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 73.3% of the vote (49.8 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 30th longest serving Rep. of either party
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25. Rep. Zoe Lofgren
> Period of service: 26 years – tied (1995-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 19th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 71.7% of the vote (43.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 30th longest serving Rep. of either party
24. Rep. Earl Blumenauer
> Period of service: 26 years – tied (1995-present)
> Current constituency: Oregon’s 3rd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 73.0% of the vote (49.5 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 30th longest serving Rep. of either party
23. Rep. Anna G. Eshoo
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 18th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 63.2% of the vote (26.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
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22. Rep. Alcee L. Hastings
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: Florida’s 20th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 78.7% of the vote (57.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
21. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: Texas’ 30th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 77.5% of the vote (59.1 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
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20. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: New York’s 12th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 82.1% of the vote (65.7 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
24/7 Wall St.
19. Rep. Sanford D. Bishop Jr.
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 59.1% of the vote (18.2 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
18. Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 40th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 72.7% of the vote (45.5 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
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17. Rep. Bobby L. Rush
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: Illinois’ 1st Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 73.8% of the vote (47.7 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
16. Rep. Robert C. “Bobby” Scott
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 68.4% of the vote (36.9 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
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15. Rep. Bennie G. Thompson
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: Mississippi’s 2nd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 66.0% of the vote (32.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
14. Rep. Nydia M. Velazquez
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: New York’s 7th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 84.8% of the vote (70.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
13. Rep. James E. Clyburn
> Period of service: 28 years – tied (1993-present)
> Current constituency: South Carolina’s 6th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 68.2% of the vote (37.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 17th longest serving Rep. of either party
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12. Rep. Jerrold Nadler
> Period of service: 30 years – tied (1991-present)
> Current constituency: New York’s 10th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 74.5% of the vote (50.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 12th longest serving Rep. of either party
11. Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton
> Period of service: 30 years – tied (1991-present)
> Current constituency: District of Columbia at large
> Victory in 2020 election: 86.3% of the vote (83.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 12th longest serving Rep. of either party
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10. Rep. Maxine Waters
> Period of service: 30 years – tied (1991-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 43rd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 71.7% of the vote (43.4 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 12th longest serving Rep. of either party
24/7 Wall St.
9. Rep. Jim Cooper
> Period of service: 30 years – tied (1983-1995; 2003-present)
> Current constituency: Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 100.0% of the vote (100.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 12th longest serving Rep. of either party
8. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro
> Period of service: 30 years – tied (1991-present)
> Current constituency: Connecticut’s 3rd Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 58.7% of the vote (19.0 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 12th longest serving Rep. of either party
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7. Rep. Richard E. Neal
> Period of service: 32 years – tied (1989-present)
> Current constituency: Massachusetts’ 1st Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 96.5% of the vote (96.1 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 10th longest serving Rep. of either party
6. Rep. David E. Price
> Period of service: 32 years – tied (1987-1995; 1997-present)
> Current constituency: North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 67.3% of the vote (34.7 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 10th longest serving Rep. of either party
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5. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.
> Period of service: 34 years – tied (1987-present)
> Current constituency: New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 61.2% of the vote (22.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 6th longest serving Rep. of either party
4. Rep. Nancy Pelosi
> Period of service: 34 years – tied (1987-present)
> Current constituency: California’s 12th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 77.6% of the vote (55.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 6th longest serving Rep. of either party
3. Rep. Peter A. DeFazio
> Period of service: 34 years – tied (1987-present)
> Current constituency: Oregon’s 4th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 51.5% of the vote (5.3 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 6th longest serving Rep. of either party
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2. Rep. Marcy Kaptur
> Period of service: 38 years (1983-present)
> Current constituency: Ohio’s 9th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 63.1% of the vote (26.2 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: 5th longest serving Rep. of either party
1. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer
> Period of service: 40 years (1981-present)
> Current constituency: Maryland’s 5th Congressional District
> Victory in 2020 election: 68.8% of the vote (37.8 ppt more than runner-up)
> Tenure rank of all sitting Reps.: tied – 2nd longest serving Rep. of either party
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