Political parties have been central to the organization and operations of the U.S. House of Representatives. As this chart demonstrates, the efforts of the founding generation to create a national government free of political parties proved unworkable. Parties demonstrated their worth in the House very quickly in organizing its work and in bridging the separation of powers. Within a decade House parties absorbed the various state and local factions.
The chart below emphasizes the traditional two-party structure of the United States, with third-party affiliations in the Other column. Additionally, the numbers of Delegates and Resident Commissioners are reflected in the “Del./Res.” Column for reference. This chart does not address the party affiliation of these Members as they do not hold voting privileges on the House Floor.
The figures presented are theHouse party divisions as of the initial election results for a particular Congress. This means that subsequent changes in House membership due to deaths, resignations, contested or special elections, or changes in a Member’s party affiliation are not included.
The determination of party membership relies upon a number of authoritative sources that includeThe Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, the House Clerk’sElection Statistics, Congressional Quarterly’sGuide to U.S. Elections, Michael Dubin’sUnited States Congressional Elections, and Kenneth Martis’sHistorical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress.
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
Crawford Republicans (53), Adams-Clay Federalists (15), Jackson Federalists (7), Crawford Federalists (2) | |||||
0 | |||||
0 | |||||
Anti-Masonics (5) | |||||
Anti-Masonics (17), Nullifiers (4) | |||||
Anti-Masonics (25), Nullifiers (9) | |||||
Anti-Masonics (16), Nullifiers (8) | |||||
Anti-Masonics (7), Nullifiers (6), Independent (1) | |||||
Anti-Masonics (6), Conservatives (2) | |||||
Independent (1), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Law and Order (2), Independent Democrat (1), Independent Whig (1) | |||||
American (6) | |||||
Independent Democrats (2), American (1), Independent (1) | |||||
Free Soilers (9), American (1), Independent (1) | |||||
Unionists (10), Free Soilers (4), Independent Democrats (3), States Rights (3), Independent Whig (1) | |||||
Free Soilers (4), Independent (1), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Americans (51) | |||||
Americans (14), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Opposition (19), Anti-Lecompton Democrats (8), Independent Democrats (7), Americans (5) | |||||
Unionists (26), Constitutional Unionists (2), Unions (2), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Unconditional Unionists (16), Unionists (9), Independent Republicans (2) | |||||
Unconditional Unionists (13), Unionists (5), Independent Republican (1) | |||||
Conservatives (2), Conservative Republican (1), Independent Republican (1) | |||||
Conservatives (5) | |||||
Liberal Republicans (2), Independent Republican (1) | |||||
Liberal Republicans (4), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Independents (4), Independent Republicans (3), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Independent Democrats (2) | |||||
Nationals (13), Independent Democrats (7) | |||||
Nationals (10), Readjuster Democrats (2), Independent (1), Independent Democrat (1) | |||||
Readjusters (4), Independent Democrats (3), Independents (2), Nationals (2), Independent Republican (1) | |||||
Independent Democrat (1), National (1) | |||||
Independent Republicans (2), Labors (2), Independent (1), National (1) | |||||
Labor (1) | |||||
Populists (8) | |||||
Populists (11), Independent Democrats (2), Silver (1) | |||||
Populists (9), Silver (1) | |||||
Populists (22), Silver Republicans (3), Independent Republican (1), Silver (1) | |||||
Populists (5), Silver Republicans (2), Independent Populist (1), Silver (1) | |||||
Populists (5), Silver Republican (1) | |||||
Independent Republicans (3) | |||||
0 | |||||
Independent Republican (1) | |||||
0 | |||||
Progressive Republican (1), Socialist (1) | |||||
Progressives (9), Independent (1) | |||||
Progressive (6), Independent (1), Prohibitionist (1), Socialist (1) | |||||
Progressives (3), Independent Republican (1), Prohibitionist (1), Socialist (1) | |||||
Prohibitionist (1), Union-Labor (1) | |||||
Socialist (1) | |||||
Farmer-Labor (2), Socialist (1) | |||||
Farmer-Labor (3), American-Labor (1), Socialist (1) | |||||
Farmer-Labor (2), Socialist (1) | |||||
Farmer-Labor (1) | |||||
Farmer-Labor (1) | |||||
Farmer-Labor (5) | |||||
| 114th (2015–2017) | 435 | 188 | 247 | 0 | 5/1 |
| 115th (2017–2019) | 435 | 194 | 241 | 0 | 5/1 |
| 116th (2019-2021) | 4354 | 235 | 199 | 0 | 5/1 |
| 117th (2021–2023) | 4355 | 222 | 212 | 0 | 5/1 |
| 118th (2023–2025) | 435 | 213 | 222 | 0 | 5/1 |
| 119th (2025–2027) | 435 | 215 | 220 | 0 | 5/1 |
1This total includes two vacancies.
2Before the first day of Congress, 14 Representatives-elect died. The results of the special elections caused party control of the House to change, and Democrats organized with the majority of the House seats.
3Alaska entered Congress at the beginning of the 86th Congress, while Hawaii's Representative did not join Congress until August 21, 1959.
4The State of North Carolina did not submit an election certificate for the Ninth U.S. Congressional District prior to the opening day of the 116th Congress.
5The State of New York did not submit an election certificate for the Twenty-Second U.S. Congressional District prior to the opening day of the 117th Congress.
History, Art & Archives, U.S. House of Representatives, “Party Divisions of the House of Representatives, 1789 to Present,”https://history.house.gov/Institution/Party-Divisions/Party-Divisions/(February 15, 2026)
Office of the Historian
Office of Art and Archives
Attic, Thomas Jefferson Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 226-1300
