List of party switchers in the United States

Switches by Democrats

Democratic to Republican

1850–1899

• 1855 – Reuben Fenton, while U.S. Representative from New York (1853–1855 and 1857–1864), later Governor of New York (1865–1868) & U.S. Senator from New York (1869–1875).
• 1856 – Hannibal Hamlin, while U.S. Senator for Maine (1848–1861 and 1869–1881), later Governor of Maine (1857) and 15th vice president of the United States (1861–1865) during the first term of Abraham Lincoln
• 1856 – Simon Cameron, while U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania (1857–1861 and 1867–1877) and United States Secretary of War (1861–1862)
• 1856 – Galusha A. Grow, while U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1851–1863 and 1894–1903), later 28th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (1861–1863)
• 1856 – Glenni William Scofield, while U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1863–1875)
• 1860s – Ambrose Burnside, erstwhile House candidate, later Union General and Governor and Senator (Rhode Island)
• 1860s – Benjamin Franklin Butler, later became U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (1867–1875 and 1877–1879) and Governor of Massachusetts (1883–1884)
• 1860s – James M. Hinds, later U.S. Representative from Arkansas (1868)
• 1864 – Thompson Campbell, former U.S. Representative from Illinois (1851–1853)
• 1865 – John A. Logan, while U.S. Representative from Illinois, later U.S. Senator from Illinois (1871–1877 and 1879–1886)
• c. 1865 – Knute Nelson, later Wisconsin state assemblyman (1868–1869), Minnesota state senator (1874–1878), U.S. representative from Minnesota (1883–1889), Governor of Minnesota (1893–1895), and U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1895–1923)
• 1867 – John Adams Dix, former United States Secretary of the Treasury (1861) & U.S. Senator from New York (1845–1849); later elected as Governor of New York (1873–1874)
• 1869 – David P. Lewis, later Governor of Alabama (1872–1874)
• 1870 – James Lawrence Orr, former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives (1857–1859) and U.S. Representative (1849–1859), later Governor of South Carolina (1865–1868)
• 1893 – James A. Walker, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (1878–1882), later U.S. Representative for Virginia (1895–1899)
• 1896 – Irving W. Drew, former New Hampshire state senator (1883–1884); later U.S. senator from New Hampshire (1918).

1900–1949

• 1904 – Harry M. Wurzbach, later Congressman from Texas's 14th congressional district (1921-1929 and 1930-1931).
• 1911 – Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, later Governor of New Mexico (1919–1921) and U.S. Senator from New Mexico (1928–1929)
• 1933 – Raymond Moley, adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 1939 – Wendell Willkie, later Republican nominee for president in 1940
• 1940 – Jack Porter, challenger to Lyndon Johnson in the 1948 Texas Senate elections.
• 1946 – Rudolph G. Tenerowicz, former U.S. Representative from Michigan (1939–1943)
• 1947 – John Aspinwall Roosevelt, Son of President Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 1949 – Joseph A. McArdle, former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1939–1942)
• 1949 – Rush D. Holt Sr., former U.S. Senator from West Virginia (1935–1941)
• 1949 – William C. Cramer, later U.S. Representative from Florida (1955–1971)

1950–1959

• 1951 – John Tower, later became U.S. Senator from Texas (1961–1985)
• 1952 – Henry Hyde, later became U.S. Representative from Illinois (1975–2007)
• 1952 – Alphonzo E. Bell Jr., later U.S. Representative from California
• 1948 – J. Thomas Watson, previously Florida Attorney General.
• 1955 – Ben Adamowski, later Cook County State's Attorney (1956–1960)
• 1956 - Johnston Murray, previously Governor of Oklahoma (1951–1955)
• 1958 – Odell Pollard, Arkansas politician
• 1958 – Phil Ferguson, previously Congressman from Oklahoma's 8th congressional district (1935–1941), Republican nominee for Governor of Oklahoma in 1958

1960–1969

• 1960 – Arthur Ravenel Jr., South Carolina State Representative, later U.S. Representative from South Carolina (1987–1995)
• 1960 – Claude R. Kirk Jr., later Governor of Florida (1967–1971)
• 1960 – Robert Daniel, later U.S. Representative from Virginia (1973–1983)
• 1960 – Marion Hartzog Smoak, future South Carolina State Representative
• 1961 – Jack Cox, former Texas State Representative (1947–1953)
• 1962 – Dave Treen, later U.S. Representative from Louisiana (1973–1980) and Governor of Louisiana (1980–1984)
• 1962 – James D. Martin, later U.S. Representative from Alabama (1965–1967)
• 1962 – Jim Gardner, later U.S. Representative (1967–1969) and Lt. Governor (1989–1993) of North Carolina
• 1962 – Ronald Reagan, while an actor and former Screen Actors Guild president. Later 33rd Governor of California (1967–1975) and 40th President of the United States (1981–1989)
• 1962 – Floyd Spence, South Carolina State Representative, later a U.S. Representative from South Carolina (1971–2001)
• 1962 - W. Don MacGillivray, future California State Representative
• 1962 - David L. McCain, Florida Supreme Court Judge and attempted Florida State rep
• 1963 – Rubel Phillips, former Mississippi Public Service Commissioner
• 1963 - FitzGerald Bemiss, State Senator from Virginia
• 1963 – Stanford Morse, Mississippi State Senator
• 1963 – James H. Boyce
• 1963 – Edward Lunn Young, U.S. Representative from South Carolina
• 1963 – Burnet R. Maybank Jr., Former Lt. Governor of South Carolina
• 1963 - M. Patton Echols, Virginia State Senator
• 1964 - John Paul Hammerschmidt, future US Representative from Arkansas and GOP chair
• 1964 – William Dickinson, U.S. Representative from Alabama
• 1964 – Arthur Glenn Andrews, U.S. Representative from Alabama
• 1964 – Clarke Reed
• 1964 – Faith Whittlesey, United States Ambassador to Switzerland
• 1964 – Howard Callaway, later U.S. Representative from Georgia (1965–1967) and United States Secretary of the Army (1973–1975)
• 1964 – Iris Faircloth Blitch, former Georgia U.S. Representative (1955–1963)
• 1964 – Charles W. Pickering, later Mississippi State senator and judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi (2004)
• 1964 – Strom Thurmond, while U.S. senator from South Carolina (1954–2003).
• 1965 - George Yarbrough, Mississippi State Senator
• 1965 – Arthur R. Outlaw Mayor of Mobile Alabama
• 1966 - Jerry Hughes, South Carolina State Representative
• 1966 - Fred Connors, South Carolina State Representative
• 1966 - Leon Bramlett, Mississippi Attempted Gov and chair of the Mississippi Democratic Party
• 1966 - Reid Moore Jr., attempted State Senator from Florida
• 1966 - Henry Grover, Texas State Representative
• 1967 - David L. Brower, Florida State Representative
• 1967 - Jerry H. Geisler, Virginia State Representative
• 1967 - Jack B. Ray, Georgia State Treasurer
• 1967 – Thad Cochran, future US Representative and Senator from Mississippi
• 1967 - Bill Archer, Texas Health Commissioner, later Congressman (1971–2001)
• 1967 - Ronnie Thompson, Mayor of Macon, Georgia
• 1968 - Gordon McLendon, candidate for Texas State Senate
• 1968 – Jim Caldwell, Arkansas State Representative
• 1968 - Sanford Charron, Former Rep. from Michigan
• 1968 - Phil Campbell, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture
• 1968 - R. Earl Dixon, Florida State Representative
• 1968 - Curtis S. Person Jr., Tennessee State Representative
• 1968 - William E. Dannemeyer, Former California State Representative and Future Congressmen from California
• 1968 - Grailey Berryhill, Tennessee State Representatives
• 1969 - Guy O. Farley Jr., Virginia State Representative
• 1969 - Raymond R. Guest Jr., Virginia State Representative
• 1969 - Donald Hazelton, future Florida State Representative

1970–1979

• 1970 – Jesse Helms, later U.S. Senator from North Carolina (1973–2003)
• 1970 – A. C. Clemons, Louisiana State Senator (1960-1972)
• 1970 - Sterling Cockrill, Arkansas State Rep.
• 1970 - J. Robert Cooper, Georgia State Rep.
• 1970 – William Oswald Mills, later U.S. Representative from Maryland (1971–1973)
• 1970 – Bob Barr, later U.S. Representative from Georgia (1995–2003)
• 1970 – John Chichester, Virginia State Senator
• 1971 – Tillie K. Fowler, later U.S. Representative from Florida (1993–2001)
• 1971 – James Nowlin, Texas State Representative
• 1972 – Graham Purcell Jr., former U.S. Representative from Texas (1962–1973)
• 1972 – Robert R. Neall, later Secretary of the Maryland Department of Health (2018–present)
• 1972 – Thomas F. Hartnett, former U.S. Representative from South Carolina (1981–1987)
• 1972 – Trent Lott, later U.S. Representative from Mississippi (1973–1989) and U.S. Senator from Mississippi (1989–2007)
• 1973 – Mills E. Godwin Jr., former governor of Virginia (1966–1970) and lieutenant Governor of Virginia (1962–1966). Later Governor of Virginia (1974–1978)
• 1973 – Asa Hutchinson, future governor of Arkansas
• 1973 – Samuel I. Hayakawa, later U.S. Senator from California (1977–1983)
• 1973 – John Connally, former United States Secretary of the Treasury (1971–1972) and former governor of Texas (1963–1969)
• 1975 – Elizabeth Dole, later United States Secretary of Transportation (1983–1987), United States Secretary of Labor (1989–1990) and U.S. Senator from North Carolina (2003–2009)
• 1975 – John Jarman, while U.S. Representative from Oklahoma (1951–1977)
• 1976 – Shirley Winsley, Washington State Representative
• 1977 – A. J. McNamara, Louisiana State Representative
• 1977 – Lane Carson, Louisiana State Representative
• 1978 – Robert G. Jones, Louisiana State Senator
• 1978 - Michele Bachmann, future U.S. Representative from Minnesota
• 1978 – Chris Smith, later U.S. Representative from New Jersey (1981–present).
• 1978 – Thomas Bliley, Mayor of Richmond, Virginia, and later U.S. Representative from Virginia (1981–2001)
• 1979 – Armistead I. Selden Jr., former U.S. Representative from Alabama (1953–1969) and United States Ambassador to New Zealand (1974–1979)
• 1979 – Clay Ford, Arkansas Democrat State Representative-turned-Florida Republican

1980–1989

• 1980s – Mike Pence, U.S Representative for Indiana. Later Governor of Indiana (2013–2017) and Vice President of the United States (2017–2021)
• 1980 – Sam Yorty, former U.S. Representative for California (1951–1955) and Mayor of Los Angeles (1961–1973)
• 1980 – Mac Collins, later U.S. Representative from Georgia (1993–2005)
• 1980 – Jim Donelon, later Louisiana Insurance Commissioner (2006–present)
• 1980 – Jesse Monroe Knowles, Louisiana State Senator
• 1980 – Frank D. White, later Governor of Arkansas (1981–1983)
• 1980 – John Otho Marsh Jr., former US House of Representative from Virginia 7th District (1963-1971), Secretary of the Army (1981-1989)
• 1981 – Bob Stump, while U.S. Representative from Arizona (1977–2003)
• 1981 – Eugene Atkinson, while U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1979–1983)
• 1981 – Larry Kudlow, later Director of the National Economic Council (2018–2021)
• 1981 – Pete von Reichbauer, Washington State Senator
• 1982 – Condoleezza Rice, later United States National Security Advisor (2001–2005) and United States Secretary of State (2005–2009)
• 1982 – Joseph P. Wyatt Jr., former U.S. Representative from Texas (1979–1981)
• 1982 – Franklin Sutton, Georgia State Senator
• 1983 – Phil Gramm, while U.S. Representative from Texas (1979–1985) and later U.S. Senator from Texas (1985–2002)
• 1983 – Bob Martinez, while Mayor of Tampa. Later Governor of Florida (1987–1991) and Director of the National Drug Control Policy (1991–1993)
• 1983 – Edward D.L.G. Pangelinan, while Resident Representative from the Northern Mariana Islands (1978–1984)
• 1984 – V.J. Bella, Louisiana State Representative
• 1984 – Andy Ireland, while U.S. Representative from Florida (1977–1993)
• 1984 – H. Edward Knox, Mayor of the City of Charlotte
• 1984 – Sonny Callahan, Alabama State Senator. Later U.S Representative from Alabama (1985–2003)
• 1985 – Jeane Kirkpatrick, while U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1981–1985)
• 1985 – Edward J. King, former governor of Massachusetts (1979–1983)
• 1985 – Dexter Lehtinen, Florida State Representative. Later U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida (1988–1992)
• 1985 – Kent Hance, former U.S. Representative from Texas (1979–1985)
• 1985 – Carole Keeton Strayhorn, later Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (1999–2007)
• 1986 – William Bennett, while U.S. Secretary of Education (1985–1988)
• 1986 – Richard Baker, Louisiana State Representative. Later U.S. Representative from Louisiana (1987–2008)
• 1986 – Charles T. Canady, Florida State Representative. Later U.S. Representative from Florida (1993–2001), Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida (2008–present) and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Florida (2010–2012)
• 1986 – Frank Rizzo, former mayor of Philadelphia
• 1986 – James David Santini, former U.S. Representative from Nevada (1975–1983)
• 1987 – Paul Hardy, former secretary of state of Louisiana (1976–1980), later Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana (1988–1992)
• 1987 – Roy Moore, later Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court (2001–2003)
• 1987 – Edward Vrdolyak (born 1937), while member of the Chicago City Council.
• 1987 – Sam Panayotovich, while Illinois State Representative and political ally of Vrdolyak.
• 1987 – James C. Smith, Attorney General of Florida (1979–1987), later Florida Secretary of State (1987–1995)
• 1988 – Jim McCrery, later U.S. Representative from Louisiana (1988–2009)
• 1988 – David Duke, Louisiana State Representative
• 1988 – Mike Johanns, later Governor of Nebraska (1999–2005), United States Secretary of Agriculture (2005–2007) and U.S. Senator from Nebraska (2009–2015)
• 1988 – John Rice, Alabama State Senator
• 1989 – John Amari, Alabama State Senator
• 1989 – Pete Johnson, while State Auditor of Mississippi (1988–1992)
• 1989 – Bill Grant, while U.S. Representative from Florida (1987–1991)
• 1989 – Tommy F. Robinson, while U.S. Representative from Arkansas (1985–1991)
• 1989 – Rick Perry, Agriculture Commissioner of Texas. Later Governor of Texas (2000–2015)
• 1989 – W. Fox McKeithen, Secretary of State of Louisiana (1988–2005)
• 1989 – Harvey S. Peeler Jr., South Carolina State Senator

1990–1999

• 1990 – Jason Chaffetz, later U.S. Representative from Utah (2009–2017)
• 1990 – Tom Vandergriff, former U.S. Representative from Texas (1983–1985). Later elected as a County Judge (1991–2007)
• 1990 – Vito Fossella, later U.S. Representative from New York (1997–2009)
• 1990 – Lauch Faircloth, later U.S. Senator from North Carolina (1993–1999)
• 1991 – Bret Schundler, Mayor of Jersey City
• 1991 – David Beasley, later Governor of South Carolina (1995–1999)
• 1991 – Buddy Roemer, while Governor of Louisiana (1988–1992)
• 1992 – Byron Looper, Tennessee State Representative
• 1993 – Edward H. Krebs, Pennsylvania State Representative
• 1993 – J. Roland Smith, South Carolina State Representative
• 1993 – Pedro G. Nieto, Texas State Representative
• 1994 – Eli Bebout, Wyoming State Representative
• 1994 – Woody Jenkins, Louisiana State Representative
• 1994 – Ed Austin, while Mayor of Jacksonville
• 1994 – Walter B. Jones, while running as a Democrat for U.S. Representative from North Carolina. U.S. Representative from North Carolina (1995–2019)
• 1994 – Ed Whitfield, the day before filing as a candidate for the U.S. House in Kentucky. U.S. Representative from Kentucky (1995–2016)
• 1994 – Mike Bowers, while Attorney General of Georgia (1981–1997)
• 1994 – Fob James, former governor of Alabama (1979–1983). Later Governor of Alabama (1995–1999)
• 1994 – Richard Shelby, while U.S. Senator from Alabama (1987–2023)
• 1994 – Bill Finkbeiner, Washington State Representative; later Washington Senate Republican Leader
• 1995 – Jimmy Hayes, while U.S. Representative from Louisiana (1987–1997)
• 1995 – Greg Laughlin, while U.S. Representative from Texas (1989–1997)
• 1995 – Ben Nighthorse Campbell, while U.S. Senator from Colorado (1993–2005)
• 1995 – Billy Tauzin, while U.S. Representative from Louisiana (1980–2005)
• 1995 – Nathan Deal, while U.S. Representative from Georgia (1993–2011). Later became the 82nd Governor of Georgia (2011–2019)
• 1995 – Mike Parker, while U.S. Representative from Mississippi (1989–1999)
• 1995 – Susana Martinez, later Governor of New Mexico (2011–2019)
• 1995 – Mike Foster, later Governor of Louisiana (1996–2004)
• 1995 – Rusty Crowe, Tennessee State Senator
• 1995 – Milton H. Hamilton, Jr, Tennessee State Senator
• 1995 – Warren Chisum, Texas state representative
• 1995 – Molly Spearman, South Carolina State Representative; later South Carolina Superintendent of Education (2015–2023)
• 1995 – Tom Campbell, Washington State Representative
• 1995 – Dave Mastin, Washington State Representative
• 1996 – Ronnie Culbreth, Georgia State Representative
• 1996 – Norm Coleman, while Mayor of St Paul. Later U.S. Senator from Minnesota (2003–2009)
• 1996 – John Hoeven, later Governor of North Dakota (2000–2010), later U.S. Senator from North Dakota (2011–present)
• 1996 – Cleta Mitchell, previously a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives (1976–1984)
• 1996 – Hugh Leatherman, South Carolina State Senator
• 1996 – Thomas C. Alexander, South Carolina State Senator
• 1996 – Paul Zellinsky, Washington State Representative
• 1997 – Steve Windom, Alabama State Senator, later Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (1999–2003)
• 1997 – Kevin Mannix, Oregon State Representative
• 1997 – Chip Bailey, Alabama State Senator
• 1997 – Ronald Johnson, Alabama State Representative
• 1998 – Harry C. Goode Jr., Florida State Representative
• 1998 – George Wallace Jr., former Alabama State Treasurer (1987–1995)
• 1998 – Gerald Allen, Alabama State Representative
• 1998 – Steve Flowers, Alabama State Representative
• 1998 – Herman Badillo, former U.S. Representative from New York (1971–1977)
• 1998 – David G. Boschert, Maryland State Delegate
• 1998 – Sonny Perdue, Georgia State Senator. Later became the 81st Governor of Georgia (2003–2011) and the 31st United States Secretary of Agriculture
• 1999 – Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, New York State Senator

2000–2009

• 2001 – Blaine Galliher, Alabama State Representative
• 2001 – Clinton LeSueur, journalist and political aide.
• 2001 – Greg Delleney, South Carolina State Representative
• 2002 – Amy Tuck, Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
• 2002 – Olga A. Méndez, New York State Senator
• 2002 – Don Cheeks, Georgia State Senator
• 2002 – Dan Lee, Georgia State Senator
• 2002 – Rooney Bowen, Georgia State Senator
• 2002 – Jack Hill, Georgia State Senator
• 2002 – Terry C. Burton, Mississippi State Senator
• 2002 – Videt Carmichael, Mississippi State Senator
• 2002 – Kay Ivey, Alabama State Treasurer (2003–2011), Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (2011–2017), Governor of Alabama (2017–present)
• 2002 – Joseph Robach, New York State Assemblymember. Later New York State Senator.
• 2003 – Travis Little, Mississippi State Senator
• 2003 – Larry Baker, Mississippi State Representative
• 2003 – Jim Barnett, Mississippi State Representative
• 2003 – Herb Frierson, Mississippi State Representative
• 2003 – Frank Hamilton, Mississippi State Representative
• 2003 – John Read, Mississippi State Representative
• 2003 – Melinda Schwegmann, former lieutenant governor of Louisiana (1992–1996)
• 2003 – Rick Sheehy, Mayor of Hastings, Nebraska
• 2003 – William H. O'Dell, South Carolina State Senator
• 2004 – Ralph Hall, while U.S. Representative from Texas (1981–2015)
• 2004 – Rodney Alexander, while U.S. Representative from Louisiana (2004–2013)
• 2004 – Steve Beren
• 2004 – Ralph Doxey, Mississippi State Senator
• 2004 – Luke A. Rankin, South Carolina State Senator
• 2005 – Michael Diven, Pennsylvania State Representative
• 2006 – Don McLeary, Tennessee State Senator
• 2006 – John Giannetti, Maryland State Senator
• 2006 – Mickey Channell, Georgia State Representative
• 2006 – Will Kendrick, Florida State Representative
• 2006 – Billy Montgomery, Louisiana State Representative
• 2006 – Jimmy Holley, Alabama State Senator
• 2006 – Butch Parrish, Georgia State Representative
• 2007 – Tommy Gollott, Mississippi State Senator
• 2007 – Dawn Pettengill, Iowa State Representative
• 2007 – Frank A. Howard, Sheriff of Vernon Parish
• 2007 – Mike Jacobs, Georgia State Representative
• 2007 – John Neely Kennedy, State Treasurer of Louisiana. Later U.S. Senator for Louisiana (2017–present)
• 2008 – Todd Ames Hunter, former Texas State Representative; re-elected to State House in 2009 as a Republican
• 2008 – Nolan Mettetal, Mississippi State Senator
• 2009 – Chuck Hopson, Texas State Representative
• 2009 – Billy Nicholson, Mississippi State Representative
• 2009 – Tom Salmon, Vermont Auditor of Accounts
• 2009 – Tom Saviello, Maine State Representative, elected to Maine Senate as a Republican in 2010

2010–2019

• 2010 – Steve Levy, County Executive of Suffolk County, New York
• 2010 – C. Scott Bounds, Mississippi State Representative
• 2010 – Scott Angelle, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana (2010). Later Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (2017-2021)
• 2010 – Alan Boothe, Alabama State Representative
• 2010 – Steve Hurst, Alabama State Representative
• 2010 – Mike Millican, Alabama State Representative
• 2010 – Lesley Vance, Alabama State Representative
• 2010 – Ellis Black, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Amy Carter, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Mike Cheokas, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Bubber Epps, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Gerald Greene, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Bob Hanner, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Doug McKillip, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Alan Powell, Georgia State Representative
• 2010 – Tim Golden, Georgia State Senator
• 2010 – Chris Steineger, Kansas State Senator
• 2010 – Simone B. Champagne, Louisiana State Representative
• 2010 – Noble Ellington, Louisiana State Representative
• 2010 – Walker Hines, Louisiana State Representative
• 2010 – Fred Mills, Louisiana State Representative
• 2010 – Jim Preuitt, Alabama State Senator
• 2010 – John Alario, Louisiana State Senator
• 2010 – John Smith, Louisiana State Senator
• 2010 – Mike Willette, Maine State Representative
• 2010 – Bobby Shows, Mississippi State Representative
• 2010 – Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi State Senator, later State Agriculture Commissioner and United States Senator
• 2010 – Eldon Nygaard, South Dakota State Senator
• 2010 – Aaron Pena, Texas State Representative
• 2010 – Allan Ritter, Texas State Representative
• 2011 – Tom Butler, Alabama State Senator
• 2011 – Buddy Caldwell, Louisiana Attorney General (2008–2016)
• 2011 – Russ Nowell, Mississippi State Representative
• 2011 – Margaret Rogers, Mississippi State Representative
• 2011 – Jeff Smith, Mississippi State Representative
• 2011 – Ezell Lee, Mississippi State Senator
• 2011 – Charles Graddick, Alabama Circuit Judge and former attorney general of Alabama (1979–1987)
• 2011 – Charles "Bubba" Chaney, Louisiana State Representative
• 2011 – Billy Chandler, Louisiana State Representative
• 2011 – Mike "Pete" Huval, Louisiana State Representative
• 2011 – Bob Hensgens, Mayor of Gueydan, Louisiana
• 2011 – Jody Amedee, Louisiana State Senator
• 2011 – Norby Chabert, Louisiana State Senator
• 2011 – Mark Grisanti, New York State Senator
• 2011 – Linda Collins, Arkansas State Representative
• 2011 – Taylor Barras, Louisiana State Representative
• 2011 – Bert Jones, North Carolina State Representative
• 2011 – Jim Slezak, Michigan State Representative
• 2011 – Gray Tollison, Mississippi State Senator
• 2011 – Donnie Bell, Mississippi State Representative
• 2012 – J. M. Lozano, Texas State Representative
• 2012 – Roy Schmidt, Michigan State Representative
• 2012 – Arthur J. Williams, North Carolina State Representative
• 2012 – Christine Watkins, Utah State Representative
• 2012 – Jason White, Mississippi State Representative
• 2012 – Alan Harper, Alabama State Representative
• 2012 – Jerry L. Fielding, Alabama State Senator
• 2013 – Lindsey Holmes, Alaska State Representative
• 2013 – Nickey Browning, Mississippi State Senator
• 2013 – Elbert Guillory, Louisiana State Senator
• 2013 – Rick Ward, III, Louisiana State Senator
• 2013 – James R. Fannin, Louisiana State Representative
• 2013 – Andy Nuñez, New Mexico State Representative
• 2013 – Ryan Ferns, West Virginia State Representative
• 2014 – Charles Newton, Alabama State Representative
• 2014 – Andy Nuñez, New Mexico State Representative
• 2014 – Randall Patterson, Mississippi State Representative
• 2014 – Daniel Hall, West Virginia State Senator
• 2014 – Linda Black, Missouri State Representative
• 2014 – Mark Miloscia, Washington State Representative
• 2014 – Gene Taylor, former U.S. Representative from Mississippi (1989–2011)
• 2015 – Mike Holcomb, Arkansas State Representative
• 2015 – Kim Davis, County Clerk of Rowan County, Kentucky
• 2015 – Jody Steverson, Mississippi State Representative
• 2015 – Denver Butler, Kentucky State Representative
• 2015 – Carlyle Begay, Arizona State Senator
• 2015 – Jim Gooch, Kentucky State Representative
• 2015 – Eric Greitens, later Governor of Missouri (2016–2018)
• 2015 – Omarosa Manigault, later director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison (2017)
• 2016 – Karen MacBeth, Rhode Island State Representative
• 2016 – Yancey McGill, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina (2014–2015)
• 2016 – David Hillman, Arkansas State Representative
• 2016 – Jeff Wardlaw, Arkansas State Representative
• 2016 – Joe Jett, Arkansas State Representative
• 2016 – Wilbur Ross, later United States Secretary of Commerce (2017–2021)
• 2017 – Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, former Florida State Representative
• 2017 – Mariellen MacKay, New Hampshire State Representative
• 2017 – William Brisson, North Carolina Assemblyman
• 2017 – Rupert Phillips, West Virginia State Delegate
• 2018 – Bobby Bright, former U.S. Representative from Alabama (2009–2011)
• 2018 – Ken Luttrell, Oklahoma State Representative
• 2018 – Johnny Tadlock, Oklahoma State Representative
• 2018 – Ivanka Trump, Daughter of President Donald Trump, Advisor to the President
• 2019 – Nick Bain, Mississippi State Representative
• 2019 – Carroll Hubbard, former U.S. Representative from Kentucky (1975–1993)
• 2019 – Jeff Van Drew, U.S. Representative from New Jersey (2019–present)
• 2019 – Wanda Vázquez Garced, Governor of Puerto Rico (2019–2021) and former Secretary of Justice of Puerto Rico (2017–2019)

2020–present

• 2020 – Jason Barrett, West Virginia State Representative
• 2021 – Jon Lancaster, Mississippi State Representative
• 2021 – Vernon Jones, former Georgia State Representative
• 2021 – John Jay Lee, North Las Vegas Mayor
• 2021 – Mick Bates, West Virginia State Delegate
• 2021 – Inna Vernikov, Later New York City Councilmember
• 2021 – Ryan Guillen, Texas State Representative
• 2022 – Ari Kagan, New York City Councilmember
• 2022 – Glenn Jeffries, West Virginia State Senator
• 2022 – Alec Brook-Krasny, New York State Assemblymember
• 2023 – Dov Hikind, former New York State Assemblymember
• 2023 – Francis C. Thompson, Louisiana State Representative
• 2023 – Tricia Cotham, North Carolina State Representative
• 2023 – Jeremy LaCombe, Louisiana State Representative
• 2023 – Elliott Pritt, West Virginia State Delegate
• 2023 – Mesha Mainor, Georgia State Representative
• 2023 – Eric Johnson, mayor of Dallas, Texas
• 2024 – Matthew Coker, New Hampshire State Representative
• 2024 – Mike McDonnell, Nebraska State Senator
• 2024 - John S. Rodgers, former Vermont State Senator
  

Democratic to other (third) party

• 1878 – Hendrick Bradley Wright, U.S Representative from Pennsylvania (1853–1855, 1861–1863 and 1877–1881), ran for reelection on the Greenback Party
• 1884 – Absolom M. West, member of the Mississippi State Senate. He joined the Greenback Party and was their vice presidential candidate in 1884.
• 1995 – Dominic L. Cortese, California State Representative to Reform Party.
• 1996 – Daniel Hamburg, former U.S. Representative (1993–1995) to Green Party
• 1999 – Audie Bock, California State Assemblywoman to Green Party
• 2000 – Matt Gonzalez, Supervisor of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to Green Party.
• 2003 – Matt Ahearn, New Jersey State Representative to Green Party.
• 2002 – Tim Penny, former U.S Representative from Minnesota (1983–1995) to Independence Party of Minnesota
• 2005 – Jim Lendall, Arkansas State Representative to Green Party.
• 2006 – Bill Paparian, former Mayor of Pasadena, California, to Green Party.
• 2007 – Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. Representative from Georgia (1993–2003 and 2005–2007) to Green Party
• 2012 – Fred Smith, Arkansas State Representative to Green Party.
• 2017 – Henry John Bear, Maine State Representative to Maine Green Independent Party.
• 2017 – Ralph Chapman, Maine State Representative to Maine Green Independent Party.
• 2017 – Joseph Stallcop, New Hampshire State Representative to Libertarian Party
• 2018 – Shane Robinson, Maryland House Representative to Maryland Green Party.
• 2021 – Andrew Yang, candidate in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries and the 2021 New York City Democratic mayoral primary to Forward Party
• 2022 - Joe Sestak, former U.S. Navy admiral and U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (2007-2011) to Forward Party

Democratic to independent

• 1970 – Harry F. Byrd Jr., while U.S. Senator from Virginia (1965–1983)
• 1991 – Lucy Killea, California State Senator
• 2006 – Joe Lieberman, while U.S. Senator from Connecticut (1989–2013), to run as an independent, on the Connecticut for Lieberman ballot line, for US Senate in Connecticut, after losing to challenger Ned Lamont in the Democratic primary.
• 2006 – Avel Gordly, Oregon State Senator.
• 2009 – Timothy P. Cahill, Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts (2003–2011)
• 2009 – Juan Arambula, California State Assemblyman
• 2009 – Kathleen Curry, Colorado State Representative
• 2010 – Bob Ziegelbauer, Wisconsin State Assemblyman.
• 2013 – Richard Laird, Alabama State Representative
• 2013 – John Olumba, Michigan State Representative.
• 2014 – Terry Hayes, Maine State Treasurer.
• 2015 – Keith English, Missouri State Representative.
• 2015 – Paul Tine, North Carolina State Representative.
• 2016 – Ben Jones, former U.S. Representative from Georgia (1989–1993).
• 2016 – Mike Huether, Mayor of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
• 2017 – Denise Harlow, Maine State Representative
• 2017 – Martin Grohman, Maine State Representative
• 2017 – Cheri Jahn, Colorado State Senator
• 2018 - George Flaggs Jr., Mayor of Vicksburg
• 2019 – Stephen Holland, Mississippi State Representative
• 2019 – Angela Cockerham, Mississippi State Representative
• 2019 – John Yudichak, Pennsylvania State Senator
• 2021 – Betsy Johnson, Oregon State Senator
• 2022 – Tulsi Gabbard, former U.S. Representative from Hawaii (2013–2021)
• 2022 – "Bulldog" Ben Robinson, former Oklahoma State Senator
• 2023 – Megan Hunt, Nebraska State Senator, left the Democratic Party to become an independent, but has previously been a member of the Republican and Libertarian parties.
• 2024 – Joe Manchin, while U.S. Senator from West Virginia (2010–present)

Switches by Republicans

Republican to Democratic

Before 1960

• 1860s – Henry George
• 1860s – Andrew Gregg Curtin, former governor of Pennsylvania (1861–1867), later U.S. Congressman from Pennsylvania (1881–1887)
• 1860s – Alonzo Garcelon, later served as Governor of Maine (1879–1880)
• 1867 – John Quincy Adams II, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and grandson of President John Quincy Adams
• 1868 – Salmon P. Chase, former senator from Ohio (1849–1855, 1861), Governor of Ohio (1856–1860) and Secretary of the Treasury (1861–1864) and later Chief Justice of the United States (1864–1873)
• 1872 – Edmund G. Ross, former U.S. Senator from Kansas (1866–1871)
• 1877 – James B. Weaver, later U.S. Representative from Iowa (1879–1889)
• 1880 – Benjamin Butler, former U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (1867–1879), later Governor of Massachusetts (1883–1884)
• 1880 – C. H. J. Taylor, African American journalist. He was later Minister of Liberia (1887–1888) and Recorder of Deeds for the District of Columbia (1893–1897)
• 1893 – George Edwin Taylor, newspaper editor and later president of the National Negro Democratic League.
• 1905 – John Francis Wheaton, previously first African American to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives (1899–1900)
• 1908 – Lincoln Loy McCandless (1859–1940), later Delegate to the U.S. House from Hawaii Territory's at-large congressional district (1933–1935)
• 1920s – Ferdinand Lee Barnett, founding editor of The Chicago Conservator and husband of Ida B. Wells.
• 1922 – Royal S. Copeland, later U.S. Senator from New York (1923–1938)
• 1930s – Charles Edison, later the 42nd Governor of New Jersey (1941–1944).
• 1932 – Robert Lee Vann, publisher and editor of the Pittsburgh Courier
• 1932 – Mary McLeod Bethune, activist and member of the Black Cabinet during Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration.
• 1932 – Robert Russa Moton, principal of Tuskegee Institute.
• 1932 – Phelps Phelps, New York Assemblyman, later Governor of American Samoa (1951–1952)
• 1932 – Arthur W. Mitchell, later U.S. Representative from Illinois (1935–1943)
• 1932 – Charles Diggs Sr., later member of the Michigan Senate (1937–1944).
• 1933 – Marshall L. Shepard, later member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
• 1936 – Ellis E. Patterson, California state assemblyman, later Lieutenant Governor of California (1939–1943) and U.S. Representative from California (1945–1947)
• 1936 – Elizabeth Simpson Drewry, later the first African American member of the West Virginia House of Delegates (1951–1966)
• 1939 – William L. Dawson, later U.S. Representative from Illinois (1943–1970)
• 1939 – Corneal A. Davis, later a member of the Illinois House of Representatives (1943–1979)
• 1940 – Perle Mesta, later United States Ambassador to Luxembourg (1949–1953)
• 1940 – George W. Crockett, Jr., later Congressman from Michigan's 13th congressional district (1980–1991)
• 1944 – Richard A. Harewood, former state legislator (1937-1939), later state legislator (1957-1959).
• 1948 – Robert D. Holmes, later 28th Governor of Oregon (1957–1959)
• 1951 – James C. Oliver, former U.S. Representative from Maine (1937–1943), Democratic nominee for Governor of Maine in 1952, later served as U.S. Representative from Maine (1959–1961).

1960–1969

• 1960s – Pete Stark, later served as U.S. Representative from California (1973–2013)
• 1960s – Howard Dean, later Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (1987–1991), Governor of Vermont (1991–2003) and Chair of the Democratic National Committee (2005–2009)
• 1960s – Archibald Carey Jr., later Mayor of Shreveport, Louisiana
• 1962 – Don Edwards, later Congressman from California (1963–1995).
• 1966 – Jay Rockefeller, later United States Senator from West Virginia (1985-2015)
• 1968 – Hillary Clinton, later First Lady of the United States (1993–2001), U.S. Senator from New York (2001–2009), United States Secretary of State (2009–2013) and nominee of the Democratic Party for President of the United States in the 2016 election.

1970–1979

• 1970 – Floyd K. Haskell, later served as U.S. Senator from Colorado (1973–1979)
• 1970 – William G. Barr, while Illinois State Representative
• 1971 – John Lindsay, Mayor of New York City
• 1971 – Leon Panetta, later served as U.S. Representative from California (1977–1993), White House Chief of Staff (1994–1997), Director of the C.I.A. (2009–2011) and U.S. Secretary of Defense (2011–2013)
• 1972 – Ogden R. Reid, while U.S. Representative from New York (1963–1975)
• 1972 – Herman Goldner, Mayor of St. Petersburg
• 1972 – Harvey Milk, later a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (1978).
• 1973 – Joan Finney, later Kansas State Treasurer (1974–1991) and Governor of Kansas (1991–1995)
• 1973 – Don Riegle, while U.S. representative from Michigan (1967–1976) and later U.S. Senator from Michigan (1976–1995)
• 1973 – Edward Meyer, New York State Assemblyman
• 1976 – James Glisson, Florida State Senator
• 1976 – Howard Oda, Hawaii State Representative
• 1976 – Edward Zorinsky (1928–1987), while Mayor of Omaha, Nebraska, later U.S. Senator (1976–1987).
• 1977 – Lloyd H. Kincaid, while Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• 1977 – Peter Peyser, U.S. Representative from New York (1971–1977 and 1979–1983)
• 1978 – John Peavey, Idaho State Senator
• 1978 – Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defence (1961–1968)
• 1979 – Charles W. Whalen Jr., former U.S. Representative from Ohio (1967–1979)

1980–1989

• 1980 – Thomas M. Foglietta, Member of the Philadelphia City Council, later served as U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1981–1997) and United States Ambassador to Italy (1997–2001)
• 1985 – John Yarmuth, later served as U.S. Representative from Kentucky (2007–2023)
• 1985 – Chris Coons, later U.S. Senator from Delaware (2010–present)
• 1987 – Martha Ezzard, while Colorado State Senator
• 1988 – Albio Sires, later served as U.S. Representative from New Jersey (2006–2023)
• 1988 – Duane Woodard, Colorado Attorney General
• 1988 – Donna Akeda, Hawaii State Representative
• 1988 – Ann Kobayashi, Hawaii State Senator
• 1988 – Milton Marks, California State Senator

1990–1999

• 1991 – Markos Moulitsas, later founder of Daily Kos
• 1992 – Loretta Sanchez, later served as U.S. Representative from California (1997–2017)
• 1992 – Frank Pecora, Pennsylvania State Senator
• 1992 – Mike Doyle, later served as U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1995–2022)
• 1992 – Mark Takano, later served as U.S. Representative from California (2013–present)
• 1994 – Bernard Erickson, Texas State Representative
• 1995 – Elizabeth Warren, later served as U.S. Senator from Massachusetts (2013–present)
• 1996 – Carolyn McCarthy, later served as U.S. Representative from New York (1997–2015)
• 1996 – Ralph Neas, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights
• 1996 – Russell W. Peterson, former governor of Delaware (1969–1973)
• 1997 – Debra J. Mazzarelli, New York State Assemblywoman
• 1997 – Harley Rouda, later served as U.S. Representative for California (2019–2021)
• 1999 – Michael Forbes, while serving as U.S. Representative from New York (1995–2001)
• 1999 – Gabrielle Giffords, later U.S. Representative from Arizona (2007–2012)

2000–2009

• 2000 – Jeff Enfinger, Alabama State Senator
• 2000 – Scott Heidepriem, South Dakota State Senator
• 2000 – Dean Elton Johnson, Minnesota State Senator
• 2000 – Mark DeSaulnier, Contra Costa County Supervisor. Later U.S. Representative for California (2015–present)
• 2000 – Judi Dutcher, Minnesota State Auditor (1995–2003)
• 2000 – Margaret Gamble, South Carolina State Representative
• 2000 – Mickey Whatley, South Carolina State Representative
• 2000 – Ed Schultz, broadcaster
• 2001 – John A. Lawless, Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
• 2001 – Kathy Ashe, Georgia State Representative
• 2001 – Barbara McIlvaine Smith, Pennsylvania State Representative
• 2001 – Charles Wayne Goforth (1931 –2018), former member of the Illinois House of Representatives
• 2002 – D. G. Anderson, Hawaii State Senator
• 2002 – Charles R. Larson, former Superintendent of United States Naval Academy (1983–1986 and 1994–1998).
• 2002 – Ray Nagin, later Mayor of New Orleans (2002–2010)
• 2003 – Michael Decker, North Carolina State Representative
• 2003 – Barbara Hafer, State Treasurer of Pennsylvania (1997–2005)
• 2003 – Corey Corbin, New Hampshire State Representative
• 2003 – Stan Moody, Maine State Representative
• 2003 – Nancy Boyda, later served as U.S. Representative from Kansas (2007–2009)
• 2003 – John E. Moore, later Lieutenant Governor of Kansas (2003–2007)
• 2003 – Bazy Tankersley, horse breeder, conservationist, and daughter of Senator Joseph M. McCormick.
• 2004 – Arthur Mayo, Maine State Senator
• 2004 – Teresa Heinz, Widow of Senator John Heinz and Current wife of John Kerry
• 2005 – Tim Mahoney, later served as U.S. Representative for Florida (2007–2009)
• 2005 – Paul J. Morrison, district attorney for Johnson County, Kansas, later Kansas Attorney General (2006–2007)
• 2005 – Steve Lukert, Kansas State Representative
• 2006 – James Webb, former United States Secretary of the Navy (1987–1988), later U.S. Senator from Virginia (2007–2013)
• 2006 – Mark Parkinson, Kansas State Senator, later Lieutenant Governor of Kansas (2007–2009) and Governor of Kansas (2009–2011)
• 2006 – Charles Barkley
• 2006 – Nancy Riley, Oklahoma State Senator
• 2006 – Kate Witek, Nebraska State Auditor (1999–2007)
• 2006 – Sam Kitzenberg, Montana State Senator.
• 2006 – Rodney Tom, Washington State Representative
• 2006 – Diana Urban, Connecticut State Representative
• 2006 – Cindy Neighbor, Kansas State Representative
• 2006 – Wendy Davis, Member of the Fort Worth City Council, later Texas State Senator and 2014 Democratic nominee for Governor of Texas
• 2007 – Pete McCloskey, former U.S. Representative from California (1967–1983)
• 2007 – Walter Boasso, Louisiana State Senator
• 2007 – Janet DiFiore, district attorney of Westchester County, New York
• 2007 – Paul D. Froehlich, Illinois State Representative.
• 2007 – Robert Garcia, later Mayor of Long Beach, California
• 2007 – Mike Spano, New York State Assemblyman
• 2007 – Chris Koster, Missouri State Senator, later Missouri Attorney General (2009–2017) and 2016 Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri
• 2007 – Kirk England, Texas State Representative
• 2007 – Francis Bodine, New Jersey State Representative
• 2007 – Debbie Stafford, Colorado State Representative
• 2007 – Fred Jarrett, Washington State Representative
• 2007 – Karen Awana, Hawaii State Representative
• 2007 – Mike Gabbard, Hawaii State Senator
• 2008 – David L. Hogue, Utah State Representative
• 2008 – Stacey Plaskett, later served as Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the United States Virgin Islands (2015–present).
• 2008 – Gil Cisneros, later served as U.S. Representative for California (2019–2021)
• 2008 – Bill Walters, former Arkansas State Representative
• 2009 – Dale Swenson, Kansas State Representative

2010–2019

• 2010 – Steve Fox, California State Assemblyman
• 2011 – Patrick Murphy, later served as U.S. Representative from Florida (2013–2017)
• 2012 – Ron Erhardt, Minnesota State Representative
• 2012 – Gil Riviere, while Hawaii State Representative
• 2012 – Peter Koo, New York City Councilman
• 2013 – Jean Schodorf, Kansas State Senator
• 2013 – Tom O'Halleran, Arizona State Senator, later U.S. Representative from Arizona (2017–2023).
• 2013 – Brad Ashford, Nebraska State Senator, later U.S. Representative from Nebraska (2015–2017)
• 2013 – John Bohlinger, former lieutenant governor of Montana (2005–2013)
• 2013 – Nathan Fletcher, California State Assemblyman.
• 2014 – Aaron Johanson, Hawaii State Representative
• 2014 – Ana Rivas Logan, previously a member of the Florida Senate.
• 2015 – John Ceretto, New York State Assemblyman
• 2015 – Jane Castor, later Mayor of Tampa (2019–present).
• 2016 – William Mundell, former Arizona Corporation Commissioner
• 2017 – Beth Fukumoto, Hawaii State Representative and Republican Minority Leader.
• 2018 – Richard Painter, Chief White House Ethics Lawyer (2005–2007)
• 2018 – Steve Schmidt, political strategist and operations chief for John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign, as well as co-founder of The Lincoln Project.
• 2018 – Meagan Simonaire, Maryland State Delegate
• 2018 – Grant Woods, former attorney general of Arizona (1991–1999)
• 2018 – Barbara Bollier, Kansas State Senator
• 2018 – Joy Koesten, Kansas State Representative
• 2018 – Stephanie Clayton, Kansas State Representative
• 2018 – Dinah Sykes, Kansas State Senator
• 2019 – Brian Maienschein, while California State Assemblyman
• 2019 – Dawn Addiego, New Jersey State Senator
• 2019 – Andy McKean, Iowa State Representative
• 2019 – Wayne Gilchrest, former U.S. Representative from Maryland (1991–2009).

2020–present

• 2020 – Frank Aguilar, member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. Previously served in the Illinois House of Representatives
• 2021 – William Marsh, New Hampshire State Representative
• 2021 – Joy Hofmeister, Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction
• 2021 – Jennifer McCormick, former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction (2017–2021)
• 2022 – Jim Leach, former U.S. Representative from Iowa (1977–2007)
• 2022 – Kevin Priola, Colorado State Senator
• 2023 – Samuel D. Thompson, New Jersey State Senator
• 2023 – Michelle Henry, Attorney General of Pennsylvania

Republican to other (third) party

• 1891 – James Weaver, Republican turned Greenbacker, later was a founder of the Populist Party and ran for president on that party's ticket in 1892.
• 1893 – William M. Stewart, U.S. Senator from Nevada (1864–1875 and 1887–1905) switched to the Silver Party
• 1895 – John P. Jones, U.S. Senator from Nevada (1873–1903) switched to Silver Party
• 1896 – Wharton Barker switched to the Populist Party.
• 1896 – Lee Mantle, U.S. Senator from Montana (1895–1899) switched to Silver Republican Party.
• 1896 – Richard F. Pettigrew, U.S. Senator from South Dakota (1889–1901) switched to Silver Republican Party.
• 1896 – Frank J. Cannon, U.S. Senator from Utah (1896–1899) switched to Silver Republican Party.
• 1897 – Henry M. Teller, U.S. Senator from Colorado (1876–1882 and 1885–1909) switched to Silver Republican Party
• 1897 – Fred T. Dubois, U.S. Senator from Idaho (1891–1897 and 1901–1907) switched to Silver Republican Party.
• 1934 – Robert M. La Follette Jr., U.S. Senator from Wisconsin (1925–1947) switched to the Progressive Party.
• 1937 – Vito Marcantonio, U.S. Representative from New York (1935–1937 and 1939–1951) switched to the American Labor Party
• 2000 – Rick Jore, Montana State Representative to U.S. Constitution Party.
• 2012 – Gary Johnson, former governor of New Mexico (1995–2003), switched to the Libertarian Party and became their nominee for President of the United States in both the 2012 election and 2016 election.
• 2012 – Buddy Roemer, former governor of Louisiana (1988–1992), switched to the Reform Party.
• 2012 – Daniel P. Gordon, Rhode Island State Representative joined the Libertarian Party.
• 2016 – William Weld, former governor of Massachusetts (1991–1997), switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2016 – John Moore, Nevada Assemblyman switched to Libertarian Party
• 2016 – Laura Ebke, Nebraska State Senator, switched to the Libertarian Party.
• 2016 – Mary Matalin, deputy campaign manager for George H. W. Bush's 1992 presidential campaign, switched to Libertarian Party
• 2016 – Mark B. Madsen, Utah State Senator, switched to the Libertarian Party.
• 2017 – Caleb Dyer, New Hampshire State Representative switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2017 – Brandon Phinney, New Hampshire State Representative switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2018 – Sam McCann, Illinois State Senator switched to the Conservative Party.
• 2018 – Aubrey Dunn Jr., New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands switched to the Libertarian Party.
• 2019–20 – Justin Amash, Former US Congressman from Michigan, became Independent in July 2019, then affiliated with the Libertarian Party in April 2020
• 2022 – Christine Todd Whitman, former Republican Governor of New Jersey and Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency switched to the Forward Party
• 2023 – Jarrod Sammis, Vermont State Representative switched to the Libertarian Party

Republican to independent

• 1936 – George William Norris, U.S. Senator from Nebraska (1913–1943)
• 1980 – John Anderson, U.S. Representative from Illinois (1961–1981).
• 1990 – Lowell Weicker, former U.S. Senator for Connecticut (1971–1989). Later Independent Governor of Connecticut (1991–1995)
• 1994 – Paul Horcher, California State Representative
• 2001 – James M. Jeffords, U.S. senator from Vermont (1989–2007).
• 2005 – David Durenberger, former U.S. Senator from Minnesota (1979–1995).
• 2007 – Rick Singleton, Rhode Island State Representative
• 2007 – Micheal R. Williams, Tennessee State Senator
• 2008 – Ron Erhardt, Minnesota State Representative.
• 2009 – Jim Campbell, Maine State Representative
• 2012 – Bruce McPherson, former California Secretary of State and State Assemblymember
• 2014 – Larry Pressler, former U.S. Senator from South Dakota (1979–1997)
• 2014 – Sue Wagner, former lieutenant governor of Nevada (1991–1995)
• 2014 – Bill Walker, later Independent Governor of Alaska (2014–2018)
• 2015 – Nate Bell, Arkansas State Representative.
• 2016 – Tom Campbell, former U.S. Representative from California (1989–2001).
• 2016 – Larry Dunphy, Maine State Representative
• 2016 – Gordon J. Humphrey, former U.S. Senator from New Hampshire (1979–1990)
• 2016 – David Johnson, Iowa State Senator
• 2016 – Evan McMullin, Republican congressional staff member until July 2016, launched an independent presidential campaign in August 2016
• 2016 – George Will
• 2017 – Joe Scarborough, former U.S. Representative from Florida (1995–2001) and host of Morning Joe
• 2017 – Rick Wilson, political strategist and operations chief for Evan McMullin 2016 presidential campaign, as well as co-founder of The Lincoln Project.
• 2017 – Kevin Battle, Maine State Representative
• 2017 – Norm Higgins, Maine State Representative
• 2017 – Chris Vance, former Washington State Representative and chair of the Washington Republican Party
• 2018 – Charles Djou, former U.S. Representative from Hawaii (2010–2011)
• 2018 – John Doll, Kansas State Senator
• 2018 – Steve Poizner, former California Insurance Commissioner (2007–2011)
• 2018 – Tani Cantil-Sakauye, Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court (2011–present)
• 2018 – David Jolly, former U.S. Congressman from Florida
• 2020 – Joe Walsh, former U.S. Congressman from Illinois
• 2020 – Paul Mitchell, former U.S. Congressman from Michigan
• 2021 – Knute Buehler, former Oregon State Senator and Oregon gubernatorial nominee in 2018
• 2021 – Phelps Anderson, New Mexico State Representative
• 2021 – Arnold Palacios, Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
• 2021 – Joe Camacho, member of Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives
• 2021 – Jim Hendren, Arkansas State Senator
• 2021 – Jim Nussle, former U.S. Representative from Iowa (1991–2007)
• 2022 – Rick Becker, North Dakota State Representative
• 2022 – Denver Riggleman, former U.S. Representative from Virginia (2019–2021)
• 2022 – Dennis Pyle, Kansas State Senator
• 2023 – Nathan Hochman, former U.S. Assistant Attorney General
• 2024 – George Santos, former U.S. Representative from New York (2023)

Switches by independents or other parties

Independent or other party to Democratic

• 1969 – Joe Biden, later Member of the New Castle County Council from the 4th district (1971-1973), United States Senator from Delaware (1973-2009), Vice President of the United States (2009-2017), President of the United States (2021-present), was previously registered as an independent
• 1974 – Raúl Grijalva, U.S. Representative from Arizona (2003–present), was previously a member of the Raza Unida Party
• 1990s - Brian Schatz, later State Representative (1998-2006), Hawaii Democratic Party chair (2008-2010), Lieutenant Governor (2010-2012), and U.S. Senator (2012-present) from Hawaii. Switched from the Green Party.
• 1996 – Walt Minnick, later Congressman from Idaho's 1st congressional district (2009–2011)
• 2002 – Joe Bertram, switched from the Green Party.
• 2004 – Peter Clavelle, while Mayor of Burlington left the Vermont Progressive Party.
• 2006 – David Segal, initially elected as a Green to the Providence City Council, he joined the Democratic Party to run for the Rhode Island House of Representatives, where he served from 2007 to 2011.
• 2009 – Richard Carroll, Arkansas Representative. At the time of his switch, he was the only Green Party state legislator in the United States.
• 2015 – Ben Chipman, Maine State Representative.
• 2023 – Roy Daryl Adams, Louisiana State Representative.

Independent or other party to Republican

• 1941 – Henrik Shipstead, while U.S. Senator from Minnesota, switched from the Farmer-Labor Party to the Republican Party.
• 2011 – Joel Robideaux, while a Louisiana State Representative. He was initially elected as an independent.
• 2016 – Blake Filippi, Rhode Island State Representative, switched from Independent to Republican; he had also been Republican previously until 2012.

Multiple party switches

Democratic to Republican to Democratic

• 1854 – Francis Preston Blair, a supporter of presidents Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln who became disillusioned with radical Reconstruction policies.
• 1854 – Francis Preston Blair Jr., Democratic nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1868. His family had been unwavering supporters of Republican Abraham Lincoln, but he opposed the post-war Reconstruction policy. He had earlier been a friend of Democrat Thomas Hart Benton, and like his father he had also been a member of the Free Soil Party.
• 1854 – Montgomery Blair, Postmaster General for President Lincoln. His family left the Democratic Party to join the Republican Party, but he rejoined the Democratic Party after the war.
• 1965 – Arlen Specter, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania (1981–2011). He was a Republican from 1965 to 2009 and a Democrat from 1951 to 1965 and 2009 to 2012.
• 2003 – Tommy Dickerson, Mississippi State Senator.
• 2003 – Johnny Ford, Alabama State Representative.
• 2008 – Jim Bradford, South Dakota State Representative.
• 2009 – Parker Griffith, former U.S. Representative from Alabama (2009–2011). Joined the Republican Party in 2009, but returned to the Democratic Party in 2014.
• 2012 – Artur Davis, former U.S. Representative from Alabama (2003–2011). Joined the Republican Party in 2012, but returned to the Democratic Party in 2015.
• 2015 – Joe Baca, former U.S. Representative from California (1999–2013). Joined the Republican Party in 2015, but returned to the Democratic Party in 2018.

Republican to Democratic to Republican

• 1960 – Jerry Solomon, later U.S. Representative from New York (1979–1999)
• 1974 – Matthew G. Martinez, U.S. Representative from California (1982–2001)
• 1992 – Evan Jenkins, West Virginia State Delegate. Later U.S. Representative for West Virginia (2015–2019)
• 1997 – Betsy McCaughey, Lieutenant Governor of New York (1995–1998)
• 2001 – Robert R. Neall, Maryland State Senator.
• 2017 – Jim Justice, Governor of West Virginia (2017–present).
• 2018 – Daniel Boman, Alabama State Representative.

Other variations

• 1890 – Thomas E. Watson switched to the Populist Party. Later U.S. Senator for Georgia as a Democrat (1921–1922).
• 1897 – John F. Shafroth, U.S. representative (1895–1904), governor (1909–1913), and U.S. senator from Colorado (1913–1919). First elected as a Republican, became a Silver Republican in 1897, and a Democrat in 1903.
• 1908 – Theodore A. Bell, former U.S. Representative from California (1903–1905). He ran in several elections under different party's banners.
• 1912 – Edward P. Costigan, later a U.S. senator from Colorado (1931–1937). Initially a Republican, launched the Progressive Party of Colorado in 1912, and was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1930.
• 1913 – Miles Poindexter, U.S. Senator from Washington (1911–1923) switched to the Progressive Party until rejoining the Republican Party two years later.
• 1920 – Homer Bone, later a Washington state representative (1923–1925), U.S. senator from Washington (1933–1944) and judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1944–1970). First a member of the Socialist Party, unsuccessfully ran for the U.S. House in 1920 with the Farmer–Labor Party and was elected to the Washington House of Representatives in 1923 with the Farmer–Labor Party, unsuccessfully ran for a U.S. House seat in 1928 as a Republican, and finally registered as a Democrat in 1932 to run for the U.S. Senate.
• 1932 – Henry A. Wallace, United States Secretary of Agriculture (1933–1940), Vice President of the United States (1941–1945), United States Secretary of Commerce (1945–1946). He was a Republican, then a Democrat (1932-1947), then a Progressive (1947-1953)
• 1952 – Wayne Morse, U.S. Senator from Oregon (1945–1969), changed from Republican to Independent in 1952 and Independent to Democrat on February 17, 1955
• 1974 – D. French Slaughter Jr., while serving in the Virginia House of Delegates became an independent. Later elected to Congress as a Republican (1985–1991).
• 1976 – Harold L. Silverman, elected as a Republican to the Maine House of Representatives (1973–1976), resigned to become a staffer to independent Governor James B. Longley, elected as an independent to the Maine Senate (1979–1980), Democratic nominee for Maine's 2nd congressional district in 1980.
• 1986 – Ray Metcalfe, former Alaska state representative (1979–1983) and activist. Republican until 1986, founded the Republican Moderate Party of Alaska that year, and became a Democrat in 2006.
• 1988 – Ron Paul, former U.S. Representative (1976–1977 and 1979–1985), ran for president as a Libertarian. He later returned to Congress as a Republican (1997–2012).
• 1990 – Walter Hickel, former United States Secretary of the Interior (1969–1970) left Republican Party before his successful bid for Governor of Alaska (1966–1969 and 1990–1994), as nominee of the Alaskan Independence Party. He rejoined the Republican party in 1994.
• 1994 – Wes Watkins, Democratic U.S Congressman from Oklahoma (1977–1991), Democratic (1990) & Independent (1994) candidate for Governor of Oklahoma and Republican U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma (1997–2003)
• 1995 – Colin Powell, former United States Secretary of State under George W. Bush (2001–2005), former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton (1989–1993), former National Security Advisor under Ronald Reagan (1986–1989) switched from Independent to Republican in 1995. After supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, Powell said that he could no longer call himself a fellow Republican. He switched back to Independent.
• 1999 – Bob Smith, U.S. Senator from New Hampshire (1990–2003), left the Republican Party on July 13, 1999, while running for the party's presidential nomination; became an independent and declared himself a candidate for the U.S. Taxpayers Party presidential nomination and an independent candidate. On November 1, 1999, he returned to the Republican Party when a Senate committee chairmanship became open.
• 1999 – Donald Trump, businessman and real-estate developer, later 45th President of the United States has been at various times a Republican, Democratic, Independent, and Reform Party member.
• 1999 – Joel Giambra, city comptroller of Buffalo, New York (1990–1999), County Executive of Erie County, New York (2000–2007). He joined the Republican Party in 1999. In 2018, he joined the Reform Party of New York State to run for governor.
• 2000 – Virgil Goode, former U.S. Representative from Virginia (1997–2009). Initially a Democrat, he sat as an Independent and later a Republican during his time in Congress. After Congress, he switched to the Constitution Party and became their nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election.
• 2001 – Michael Bloomberg, was a Democrat before running for Mayor of New York City as a Republican. He later became an independent before rejoining the Democratic Party in 2018.
• 2002 – Sheila Kiscaden, Elected as Republican to the Minnesota state senate. She joined and won reelection as the Independence Party of Minnesota candidate before accepting an invitation to join the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party in 2006.
• 2004 – Kyrsten Sinema, U.S. Senator from Arizona (2019–present) and former U.S. Representative from Arizona (2013–2019), left the Green Party in 2004 to join the Democratic Party, then later became an independent.
• 2006 - Kari Lake, nominee for Governor of Arizona in 2022 and candidate for Senate in 2024, switched from Republican to Independent in 2006, became a Democrat in 2008, and returned to the Republican party in 2012
• 2007 – Lincoln Chafee, former Independent and Democratic Governor of Rhode Island (2011–2015), former Republican U.S. Senator for Rhode Island (1999–2007), switched from Republican to Independent in 2007, switched from Independent to Democrat in 2013 while serving as Governor of Rhode Island, ran for President in the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, switched to Libertarian Party in 2019
• 2008 – Mike Gravel, former U.S. Senator from Alaska (1969–1981) and 2008 presidential candidate switched from Democratic to Libertarian before returning to the Democratic Party in 2010.
• 2009 – Jared Kushner, former Senior Advisor to the President (2017–2021) and Director of the Office of American Innovation (2017–2021), has been at various times a Democrat, Independent, and Republican.
• 2010 – Charlie Crist, former Republican governor of Florida (2007–2011) and Independent senatorial candidate in 2010, switched to Democrat, then elected as Democratic U.S. Congressman (2017-2022).
• 2010 – Tom Tancredo, former U.S. Representative from Colorado (1999–2009), switched to the Constitution Party to run for Governor of Colorado, returned to Republican Party in 2011, became an Independent in 2015, returned to the Republican Party again in 2017
• 2017 – Kenneth Mejia, Los Angeles City Controller (2022–present) switched from Democratic to Green in 2017 before switching back to the Democratic Party in 2021.
• 2017 – Bob Krist, Nebraska State Senator was elected as a Republican, switched to an Independent and then a Democrat to run for Governor of Nebraska, then returned to the Republican party.
• 2019 – S. Marshall Wilson, then member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, changed his party affiliation from Republican to Independent in 2019, then to the third party America Coming Together in 2022, and then to the US Constitution Party in 2023.
• 2021 – Malinda White, while a Louisiana State Representative, switched from Independent to Republican; she had been a Democrat until 2021.
• 2022 – Miles Taylor, former Chief of Staff of the United States Department of Homeland Security left the Republican Party to become an independent, then joined the Forward Party.

Within other parties

• 2000 – Jesse Ventura, while governor of Minnesota, left the Reform Party, along with most of his supporters, to re-found the Independence Party of Minnesota.

See also

• List of American politicians who switched parties in office
• List of United States representatives who switched parties
• List of United States senators who switched parties

References