List of American politicians who switched parties in office

The following American politicians switched parties while they were holding elected office.

List
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Name Office Term Date of party switch Old party New party Notes Refs
Max Abramson Member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from the 20th Rockingham district 2014 – 2016
(164th General Court)		 May 2016 Republican Libertarian Left office to run for Governor of New Hampshire in 2016 as a Libertarian. Was re-elected to a seat in the same district of the New Hampshire House in 2018 as a Republican. [1]
2018 – 2020
(166th General Court)		 June 28, 2019 Republican Libertarian Campaigned to be the nominee for President of the United States in 2020 of the Libertarian Party, the Veterans Party of America, and the Reform Party. Was elected to a seat in a different district in the New Hampshire House in 2020 as a Republican. [2]
Dawn Addiego Member of the New Jersey Senate from the 8th district January 9, 2018 – January 11, 2022
(218th, 219th Legislatures)		 January 28, 2019 Republican Democratic [3]
Robert Adley Member of the Louisiana Senate from the 36th district 2004 – 2008 December 10, 2007 Democratic Republican Switched parties after the 2007 Louisiana elections to align with incoming governor Bobby Jindal. [4][5]
Rodney Alexander Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana's 5th district January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005
(108th Congress)		 August 9, 2004 Democratic Republican [6]
Justin Amash Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 3rd district January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
(116th Congress)		 July 4, 2019 Republican Independent [7]
May 1, 2020 Independent Libertarian [8]
Scott Angelle Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana May 12, 2010 – November 22, 2010 October 26, 2010 Democratic Republican Appointed lieutenant governor by Governor Bobby Jindal, a Republican, to serve until the conclusion of the 2010 special election to replace the previous lieutenant governor, Mitch Landrieu, who had been elected Mayor of New Orleans earlier in the year. Served as Louisiana Secretary of Natural Resources immediately prior, originally appointed by Governor Kathleen Blanco, a Democrat. Returned to that position immediately following, having been re-appointed by Jindal. [9]
Bill Archer Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 22nd district, Seat 5 January 10, 1967 – January 14, 1969
(60th Legislature)		 December 7, 1967 Democratic Republican [10][11]
Eugene Atkinson Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 25th district January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983
(97th Congress)		 October 14, 1981 Democratic Republican Lost re-election in 1982 after being redistricted to the 4th district. [12]
Karen Awana Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 44th district January 17, 2007 – January 21, 2009
(24th Legislature)		 December 19, 2007 Republican Democratic [13]
Richard Baker Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish March 12, 1984 – March 14, 1988
(63rd Legislature)		 May 31, 1985 Democratic Republican [14]
Robert Barham Louisiana State Senator from the 33rd district January 10, 2000 – January 12, 2004
(67th Legislature)		 February 9, 2001 Democratic Republican Announced after a visit to the White House following an invitation from President George W. Bush. [15]
Taylor Barras Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Iberia Parish January 14, 2008 – January 9, 2012
(69th Legislature)		 August 12, 2011 Democratic Republican [16]
Eli Bebout Member of the Wyoming House of Representatives from the 55th district January 4, 1993 – January 2, 1995
(52nd Legislature)		 April 26, 1994 Democratic Republican [17]
Michael Bloomberg
Walter Boasso
Audie Bock
Barbara Bollier [18]
Mike Bowers
Michael Don Brandenburg
Nickey Browning
Tom Butler
Buddy Caldwell [19]
Sonny Callahan
Simon Cameron
Ben Nighthorse Campbell [20]
Charles T. Canady
Videt Carmichael [21]
Lincoln Chafee [22]
Stephanie Clayton [23]
Norm Coleman [24]
Linda Collins-Smith [25]
Charlie Crist [26]
William Daniel Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish January 12, 2004 – January 14, 2008
(68th Legislature)		 2005 Democratic Republican
Kim Davis [27]
Nathan Deal [28]
Hunt Downer Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes January 10, 2000 – January 12, 2004
(67th Legislature)		 February 9, 2001 Democratic Republican Announced after a visit to the White House following an invitation from President George W. Bush. [29]
Aubrey Dunn Jr. [30]
Noble Ellington [31]
J. P. C. Emmons
Reuben Fenton U.S. Senator from New York March 4, 1869 – March 3, 1875
(41st, 42nd, 43rd Congresses)		 1872 Republican Liberal Republican The Liberal Republican Party was new and short-lived. Did not seek re-election in the 1874 and 1875 United States Senate elections. [32]
1873 Liberal Republican Republican
Ryan Ferns
Michael Forbes [33]
Beth Fukumoto [34]
Mike Gabbard Hawaii Senator from the 19th district January 17, 2007 – January 21, 2009
(24th Legislature)		 August 30, 2007 Republican Democratic [35]
Matt Gonzalez [36]
Virgil Goode
Avel Gordly [37]
James W. Grant
Parker Griffith [38]
Mark Grisanti
Henry Grover
Galusha A. Grow
Elbert Guillory [39]
Kenny Guinn
Barbara Hafer
Ralph Hall [40]
Hannibal Hamlin
Bob Hanner [41]
Jimmy Hayes
Cindy Hyde-Smith [42]
Andy Ireland
Virginia Isbell Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 5th district January 21, 1987 – January 18, 1989
(14th Legislature)		 December 23, 1987 Republican Democratic [43]
Mike Jacobs
John Jarman [44]
Jim Jeffords [45]
Evan Jenkins [46]
Woody Jenkins
Aaron Ling Johanson
Dean Johnson [47]
Jim Justice [48]
John Kennedy [49]
Jeane Kirkpatrick
H. Edward Knox
Bob Krist [50]
Robert M. La Follette Jr.
Greg Laughlin
Steve Lebsock [51]
Jan Lee
John Lindsay
Kevin Mannix
Bob Martinez [52]
Matthew G. Martínez [53]
Chad Mayes [54]
Yancey McGill
Andy McKean
Paul Mitchell Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th district January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
(116th Congress)		 December 14, 2020 Republican Independent [55]
Stanford Morse
Patrick Murphy
Robert R. Neall
Howard Oda Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from the 22nd district January 15, 1975 – January 19, 1977
(8th Legislature)		 November 7, 1975 Republican Democratic [56]
Marshall Parker
Michael Parker
Sonny Perdue [57]
Rick Perry [58]
Rupie Phillips
Kymberly Pine
Arthur Ravenel Jr.
Ogden Reid
Donald Riegle [59]
Joel Robideaux Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Lafayette Parish January 14, 2008 – January 9, 2012
(69th Legislature)		 2011 Independent Republican
Tommy F. Robinson [60]
Buddy Roemer [61]
Thomas M. Salmon [62]
Bret Schundler
Glenni William Scofield
Rick Sheehy
Richard Shelby [63]
Bob Smith [64]
James C. Smith
Arlen Specter [65]
Mike Spano
Floyd Spence [66]
Chris Steineger
Bob Stump Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 3rd district January 3, 1981 – January 3, 1983
(97th Congress)		 September 24, 1981 Democratic Republican Did not officially change party until the 1982 election for a term beginning January 3, 1983. [67][68]
Dale Swenson
Dinah Sykes [69]
Johnny Tadlock [70]
Billy Tauzin [71]
Strom Thurmond [72]
Gray Tollison
Lyman Trumbull U.S. Senator from Illinois March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1873
(40th, 41st, 42nd Congresses)		 1871 Republican Liberal Republican The Liberal Republican Party was new and short-lived. Lost re-election in the 1872 and 1873 United States Senate elections to the Republican candidate.
Amy Tuck
David Tubiolo
Jeff Van Drew
Wanda Vázquez Garced [73][74][75]
Jesse Ventura
James A. Walker
Christine Watkins [76]
Kent Williams
Kate Witek
Ernest Wooten Member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Charles Parishes January 12, 2004 – January 14, 2008
(68th Legislature)		 2005 Democratic Republican
Hendrick Bradley Wright

See also

References
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