List of dynasties in US politics
During its history the United States has seen many families who have repeatedly produced notable politicians from their ranks, and these historic U.S. political families have had a significant impact on politics in the United States.
Many of these families have moved to national prominence from a state or regional power base. The Kennedys, for example, are particularly associated with Massachusetts; the Long family is identified with Louisiana, the Lees with Virginia, and the Tafts with Ohio. Other political families are less connected with a specific state; the Bush family began in Connecticut, but is now more closely identified with Texas, and a member of the family is the governor of Florida. Kennedy family member Maria Shriver's husband Arnold Schwarzenegger is now governor of California.
See also Political families of the world.
Families
Here are some of the more notable families visible on a national level:
The Adamses
Main article: Adams family
The Bayhs
Main article: Bayh family
The Browns
Main article: Brown family
- Edmund G. "Pat" Brown, Sr., Governor of California 1959 - 1967, candidate for the Democratic nomination for United States President in 1960.
- Edmund G. "Jerry" Brown, Jr., Governor of California 1975 - 1983, candidate for the Democratic nomination for United States President 1976, 1980, 1992, Mayor of Oakland 1998 - present, son of Pat Brown.
- Kathleen Brown, California State Treasurer 1991 - 1995, Democratic cantidate for Governor of California (1994), daughter of Pat Brown
- Harold C. Brown, California Court of Appeal, 1966 - 1976, brother of Pat Brown
The Bushes
Main article: Bush family
Two members of the Bush family have served as President of the United States and a number of Bush family members have served in other high offices:
The Byrds
(The Virginia Byrds are not related to Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia)
The Churches and Clarks
The Clintons
The Daleys
Main article: Daley family
Two members of the Daley family served as Mayor of Chicago, between them ruling the city for more than a third of a century.
The Dulleses
Main article: Dulles family
Several members of the Dulles family served in important positions, including:
The du Ponts
Main ariticle: du Pont family
The du Pont immigrant to the United States, Pierre Samuel du Pont de Nemours (1739-1817) was deputy of the Third Estate to the Estates-General for the region of Nemours in France. The du Pont political dynasty is based on the family's manufacturing empire in Delaware.
The Gores
Main article: Gore family
Several members of the Gore family of Tennessee have held important national political offices, including
There is also a tenuous connection between the Gore family and the Kennedy family. Thomas Gore's daughter, Nina (mother of author Gore Vidal) married Hugh Auchincloss, the stepfather of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy, wife of John F. Kennedy. Gore Vidal is also a distant cousin of Jimmy Carter.
The Harrisons
Main article: Harrison family
The Johnsons
The Kennedys
Main article: Kennedy family
Some commentators in the early 1960s made predictions that President John F. Kennedy would be first of a dynasty in the White House, but these predictions were not borne out, and the idea largely dropped off the public's radar after Robert Kennedy was assassinated in 1968 and Edward Kennedy was involved in a drunk-driving incident (in which a passenger in his car was killed) in 1969. However, a number of Kennedy family members have held high office since then.
- Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., U.S. Ambassador to the U.K.
- John F. Kennedy (son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.), Senator from Massachusetts, President of the United States
- Robert F. Kennedy (son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.), Attorney General, Senator from New York
- Jean Kennedy Smith (daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.), Ambassador to Ireland
- Edward M. Kennedy (son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.), Senator from Massachusetts
The Kennedys have also made marriages with political figures:
The Lees
Main article: Lee family
The Lees of Virginia have produced many prominent national figures, including:
- Richard Henry Lee, signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, President of the Continental Congress, President pro tempore of the United States Senate
- Francis Lightfoot Lee, signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence
- Henry Lee III, known as "Light Horse Harry", U.S. revolutionary leader;
- Charles Lee, Attorney General of the United States under John Adams
- Robert E. Lee, Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War
- Fitzhugh Lee, Confederate general in the United States Civil War, Governor of Virginia, nephew of Robert E. Lee.
- Francis Preston Blair Lee, U.S. Senator from Maryland from 1914 - 1917. Great grandson of Richard Henry Lee.
- Blair Lee III, Governor of Maryland in the late 1970s. Grandson of Francis Preston Blair Lee.
The Longs
Main article: Long family
The Longs of Louisiana have produced a number of important political leaders, including:
The Rockefellers
Main article: Rockefeller family
The Roosevelts
Main article: Roosevelt family
- James I. Roosevelt, (1795 - 1875), U.S. Representative from New York
- Robert B. Roosevelt, (1829 - 1906), U.S. Representative from New York, nephew of James I. Roosevelt.
- Theodore Roosevelt, (1858 - 1919), the 26th President, nephew of Robert B. Roosevelt.
- Eleanor Roosevelt, (1884 - 1962), niece of Theodore Roosevelt. First Lady of the United States, United States ambassador to the United Nations, ambassador without portfolio.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, (1882 - 1945), 32nd President, was fourth cousin once removed, and nephew by marriage (husband of Eleanor Roosevelt), of Theodore Roosevelt.
The Stevensons
Main article: Stevenson family
The Stevensons of Illinois have produced a number of important political figures:
The Talmadges
The Tafts
Main article: Taft family
The Tafts of Ohio have produced a number of leaders on the national stage, including:
External references
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