Third-party and independent members of the United States Congress explained

Third-party and independent members of the United States Congress are generally rare. Although the Republican and Democratic parties have dominated U.S. politics in a two-party system since 1856, some independents and members of other political parties have also been elected to the House of Representatives or Senate, or changed their party affiliation during their term.

Senate

ImageSenatorStateTermNotes
Joe ManchinWest Virginia2010–presentElected as a Democrat, switched to independent in 2024[1]
Kyrsten SinemaArizona2019–presentElected as a Democrat, switched to independent in 2022[2]
Angus KingMaine2013–presentElected as an independent; caucuses with the Democrats
Bernie SandersVermont2007–presentElected as an independent; caucuses with the Democrats; Democratic Party member from 2015–2016 and 2019–2020 while running for President
Joe LiebermanConnecticut1989–2013Re-elected on the Connecticut for Lieberman ticket after losing the 2006 Democratic nomination
Dean BarkleyMinnesota2002–2003Appointed for Independence Party of Minnesota
Jim JeffordsVermont1989–2007Switched from Republican to independent in 2001
Bob SmithNew Hampshire1990–2003Switched from Republican to independent in 1999 but switched back to Republican in 2000
James L. Buckley1971–1977Elected as a Conservative, lost re-election as a Republican in 1976
Harry F. Byrd Jr.Virginia1965–1983Switched from Democratic to independent in 1970
Wayne MorseOregon1945–1969Switched from Republican to independent in 1953, then to Democratic in 1955
John E. MillerArkansas1937–1941Elected as an independent, served as Democratic
Ernest LundeenMinnesota1937–1940Elected as Farmer-Labor
George W. Norris1913–1943Switched from Republican to independent in 1936
Elmer Austin BensonMinnesota1935–1936Elected as Farmer-Labor
Robert M. La Follette Jr.Wisconsin1925–1947Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1934, then back to Republican in 1946
Magnus JohnsonMinnesota1923–1925Elected as Farmer-Labor
Henrik ShipsteadMinnesota1923–1947Elected as Farmer-Labor, switched to Republican in 1940
Miles PoindexterWashington1911–1923Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1912, switched back to Republican in 1915
Joseph M. DixonMontana1907–1913Switched from Republican to Progressive in 1912
Henry HeitfeldIdaho1897–1903Elected as a Populist
William Alexander HarrisKansas1897–1903Elected as a Populist
Henry Moore TellerColorado1876–1909Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896, then to Democratic in 1903
Fred DuboisIdaho1891–1897Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
Frank J. CannonUtah1896–1899Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
Richard F. PettigrewSouth Dakota1889–1901Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
Lee MantleMontana1895–1899Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1896
John P. JonesNevada1873–1903Switched from Republican to Silver in 1895, then back to Republican in 1901
William Morris StewartNevada1887–1905Switched from Republican to Silver in 1893, then back to Republican in 1901
William V. AllenNebraska1893–1901Elected as a Populist
James H. KyleSouth Dakota1891–1901Elected as a Populist
Marion ButlerNorth Carolina1895–1901Elected as a Populist
William A. PefferKansas1891–1897Elected as a Populist
Harrison H. RiddlebergerVirginia1883–1889Elected as a Readjuster
William MahoneVirginia1881–1887Elected as a Readjuster
David DavisIllinois1877–1883Elected as an independent
Newton BoothCalifornia1875–1881Elected as an Anti-Monopolist, served as an Independent Republican
Orris S. FerryConnecticut1867–1875Elected as a Liberal Republican in 1872
Morgan C. HamiltonTexas1870–1877Switched from Republican to Liberal Republican in 1872, switched back to Republican in 1875
Charles SumnerMassachusetts1851–1874Elected as Free Soil Democratic in 1851, became a Republican in 1855, then became a Liberal Republican in 1872
David T. PattersonTennessee1866–1869Elected as a Unionist in 1866, became a Republican by 1867
Joseph S. FowlerTennessee1866–1871Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1866, became a Republican by 1867
John CreswellMaryland1865–1867Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1864
Benjamin Gratz BrownMissouri1863–1867Elected as a Union Emancipationist in 1863, became a Radical Unionist (Republican) by 1865
Peter G. Van WinkleWest Virginia1863–1869Elected as a Unionist in 1863, became a Republican by 1867
Reverdy JohnsonMaryland1863–1868Elected as a Unionist in 1863, switched to Democratic by 1865
Lemuel J. BowdenVirginia1863–1864Elected as a Unionist in 1863
Thomas Holliday HicksMaryland1862–1865Elected as an Unconditional Unionist in 1862
Robert WilsonMissouri1862–1863Appointed as a Unionist in 1862
John B. HendersonMissouri1862–1869Elected as a Unionist in 1862, became a Republican by 1865
Garrett DavisKentucky1861–1872Elected as a Union Democrat in 1861, switched to Democratic by 1867
John S. CarlileVirginia1861–1865Elected as a Unionist in 1861
Waitman T. WilleyVirginia1861–1863Elected as a Unionist in 1861

House of Representatives

ImageRepresentativeDistrictTermNotes
Paul MitchellMichigan 10th2017–2021First elected as a Republican, switched to independent in 2020
Justin AmashMichigan 3rd2011–2021First elected as a Republican, switched to independent in 2019 and then to Libertarian in 2020
Virgil GoodeVirginia 5th1997–2009Switched from Democratic to independent in 2000, then to Republican in 2002
Jo Ann EmersonMissouri 8th1996–2013First elected as a Republican, re-elected as an independent due to state law, then rejoined Republicans in early 1997
Bernie SandersVermont at-large1991–2007Elected as an independent
William CarneyNew York 1st1979–1987Elected as a Conservative and later sat with Republicans, switched to Republican in 1985
Frazier ReamsOhio 9th1951–1955Elected as an independent
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr.New York 20th1949–1955Elected as a Liberal, re-elected as Democratic
Leo IsacsonNew York 24th1948–1949Elected from the American Labor Party ticket
Harold HagenMinnesota 9th1943–1955Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1942
John BernardMinnesota 8th1937–1939Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1936
Dewey JohnsonMinnesota 5th1937–1939Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1936
Franck R. HavennerCalifornia 4th1937–1941, 1945–1953Elected as a Progressive
Henry TeiganMinnesota 3rd1937–1939Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1936
Thomas Ryum AmlieWisconsin 1st1935–1939Elected as a Progressive
Gerald J. BoileauWisconsin 7th1935–1939Elected as a Progressive
Rich T. BucklerMinnesota 9th1935–1943Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1934
Bernard J. GehrmannWisconsin 10th1935–1943Elected as a Progressive
Harry SauthoffWisconsin 2nd1935–1945Elected as a Progressive
George J. SchneiderWisconsin 8th1935–1939Elected as a Progressive
Merlin HullWisconsin 9th1935–1944Elected as a Progressive
Vito MarcantonioNew York 20th1935–1937, 1939–1945Elected from the American Labor Party ticket in 1938
Gardner R. WithrowWisconsin 3rd1935–1939Elected as a Progressive
Henry M. ArensMinnesota at-large1933–1935Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1932
Magnus JohnsonMinnesota at-large1933–1935Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1932
Ernest LundeenMinnesota 5th, Minnesota at-large, Minnesota 3rd1933–1937Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1932
Francis ShoemakerMinnesota at-large1933–1935Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1932
Paul John KvaleMinnesota 7th, Minnesota at-large1929–1939Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1928
Knud WefaldMinnesota 9th1923–1927Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1922
Ole J. KvaleMinnesota 7th1923–1929Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1922
William Leighton CarssMinnesota 8th1919–1929Elected as a member of the Minnesota Farmer–Labor Party in 1918
Fiorello La GuardiaNew York 14th, New York 20th1917–1919, 1923–1933Re-elected as a Socialist in 1924, ran as a Republican in all other elections
John A. ElstonCalifornia 6th1915–1921Elected as a Progressive in 1915
Meyer LondonNew York 12th1915–1923Elected as a Socialist
Whitmell P. MartinLouisiana 3rd1915–1929Elected as a Progressive
Thomas D. SchallMinnesota 10th1915–1925Elected as a Progressive
Charles Hiram RandallCalifornia 9th1915–1921Elected as a Prohibitionist
Walter M. ChandlerNew York 19th1913–1919Elected as a Progressive in 1913
James W. BryanWashington at-large1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
Jacob FalconerWashington at-large1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
William H. HinebaughIllinois 12th1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
Willis James HulingsPennsylvania 28th1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
William Josiah MacDonaldMichigan 12th1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
Milton William ShrevePennsylvania 25th1913–1915, 1919–1933Re-elected as an Independent Republican in 1920
Henry Wilson TemplePennsylvania 24th1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
Charles M. ThomsonIllinois 10th1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
William StephensCalifornia 10th1911–1917Switched parties from a Republican to a Progressive in 1913
Roy O. WoodruffMichigan 10th1913–1915Elected as a Progressive in 1913
Bill KentCalifornia 1st1913–1917Elected as an independent
Ira C. CopleyIllinois 11th1911–1923Switched from a Republican to a Progressive in 1915
Victor L. BergerWisconsin 5th1911–1929Elected as a Socialist
Peter A. PorterNew York 34th1907–1909Elected as an Independent Republican
Caldwell EdwardsMontana at-large1901–1903Elected as a Populist
Thomas L. GlennIdaho at-large1901–1903Elected as a Silver
John Wilbur AtwaterNorth Carolina 4th1899–1901Elected as a Populist
William NevilleNebraska 6th1899–1903Elected as a Populist
Edgar WilsonIdaho at-large1899–1901Elected as a Silver Republican
Charles A. BarlowCalifornia 6th1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Jeremiah D. BotkinKansas at-large1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Curtis H. CastleCalifornia 7th1897–1899Elected as a Populist
John Edgar FowlerNorth Carolina 3rd1897–1899Elected as a Populist
William Laury GreeneNebraska 6th1897–1899Elected as a Populist
James GunnIdaho at-large1897–1899Elected as a Populist
William Carey JonesWashington at-large1897–1899Elected as a Silver Republican
John Edward KelleySouth Dakota at-large1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Freeman KnowlesSouth Dakota at-large1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Charles MartinNorth Carolina 6th1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Samuel MaxwellNebraska 3rd1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Nelson B. McCormickKansas 6th1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Mason S. PetersKansas 2nd1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Edwin R. RidgelyKansas 3rd1897–1901Elected as a Populist
William Ledyard StarkNebraska 4th1897–1903Elected as a Populist
Roderick Dhu SutherlandNebraska 5th1897–1901Elected as a Populist
William D. VincentKansas 5th1897–1899Elected as a Populist
Albert Taylor GoodwynAlabama 5th1896–1897Elected as a Populist
John F. ShafrothColorado 1st1895–1904Switched from Republican to Silver Republican in 1897
Milford W. HowardAlabama 7th1895–1899Elected as a Populist in 1894
Harry SkinnerNorth Carolina 1st1895–1899Elected as a Populist
William Franklin StrowdNorth Carolina 4th1895–1899Elected as a Populist
John Calhoun BellColorado 2nd1893–1903Elected as a Populist
Marion CannonCalifornia 6th1893–1895Elected as a Populist
Lafe PenceColorado 1st1893–1895Elected as a Populist
Alonzo C. ShufordNorth Carolina 7th1893–1899Elected as a Populist
Thomas Jefferson HudsonKansas 3rd1893–1895Elected as a Populist
Haldor BoenMinnesota 7th1893–1895Elected as a Populist
Bill HarrisKansas at-large1893–1895Elected as a Populist
Bill BakerKansas 6th1891–1897Elected as a Populist
Benjamin H. CloverKansas 3rd1891–1893Elected as a Populist
John DavisKansas 5th1891–1895Elected as a Populist
Kittel HalvorsonMinnesota 5th1891–1893Elected as a Populist
Omer Madison KemNebraska 3rd1891–1897Elected as a Populist
William A. McKeighanNebraska 2nd1891–1895Elected as a Populist
John G. OtisKansas 4th1891–1893Elected as a Populist
Jerry SimpsonKansas 7th1891–1895Elected as a Populist
Thomas E. WatsonGeorgia 10th1891–1893Elected as a Populist
Lewis P. FeatherstoneArkansas 1st1889–1891Elected as a member of the Labor Party
Samuel I. HopkinsVirginia 6th1887–1889Elected as a member of the Labor Party
John Nichols1887–1889Elected as an independent
Henry SmithWisconsin 4th1887–1889Elected as a member of the Labor Party
Benjamin F. ShivelyIndiana 13th1884–1885Elected as an Anti-Monopolist
James Ronald ChalmersMississippi 6th1883–1885Elected as an independent
Ted LymanMassachusetts 9th1883–1885Elected as an independent
Thomas P. OchiltreeTexas 7th1883–1885Elected as an independent
Charles N. BrummPennsylvania 13th1881–1909Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1880
Joseph Henry BurrowsMissouri 10th1881–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1880
Ira S. HaseltineMissouri 6th1881–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1880
James MosgrovePennsylvania 25th1881–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1880
Theron Moses RiceMissouri 7th1881–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1880
J. Hyatt SmithNew York 3rd1881–1883Elected as an independent
Bradley BarlowVermont 3rd1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Nicholas FordMissouri 9th1879–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Albert P. ForsytheIllinois 15th1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Edward H. GilletteIowa 7th1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
George JonesTexas 5th1879–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party
George W. LaddMaine 4th1879–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party
William M. LoweAlabama 8th1879–1882Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Gilbert De La MatyrIndiana 7th1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Thompson H. MurchMaine 5th1879–1883Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party
Henry PersonsGeorgia 4th1879–1881Elected as an independent
Daniel Lindsay RussellNorth Carolina 3rd1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party
Emory SpeerGeorgia 9th1879–1883Elected as an independent
James WeaverIowa 6th1879–1889Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Hendrick Bradley WrightPennsylvania 12th1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878
Seth Hartman YocumPennsylvania 20th1879–1881Elected as a member of the United States Greenback Party in 1878

Notes and References

  1. News: Broadwater . Luke . May 31, 2024 . Manchin Becomes an Independent, Leaving Options Open for Another Run . The New York Times . May 31, 2024.
  2. News: Hulse . Carl . Victor . Daniel . December 9, 2022 . Kyrsten Sinema Says She Will Leave the Democratic Party . The New York Times . December 9, 2022.

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