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
- Samuel Adams, organizer of the Boston Tea Party and signatory of the Declaration of Independence
- John Adams, second President of the United States, second cousin of Samuel Adams.
- John Quincy Adams, sixth President, and the first who was the son of a President, John Adams.
- Charles Francis Adams, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, son of John Quincy Adams
- Charles F. Adams, U.S. Secretary of the Navy, grandson of Charles Francis Adams.
- Charles Francis Adams, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, son of John Quincy Adams
- John Quincy Adams, sixth President, and the first who was the son of a President, John Adams.
The Bayhs
Main article: Bayh family
- Birch Bayh, Senator from Indiana and presidential candidate in 1976
- Evan Bayh, current Senator from Indiana, son of Birch
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 Browns are not related to Willie Brown, former Mayor of San Francisco and former Speaker of the California Assembly)
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:
- Samuel P. Bush, a close advisor to President Hoover, was president of the National Association of Manufacturers.
- Prescott Bush (son of Samuel P. Bush), served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut.
- George H. W. Bush (son of Prescott Bush), representative from Texas, Ambassador to the United Nations, Director of the CIA, 43rd Vice President, and 41st President
- George W. Bush (son of George H. W. Bush), Governor of Texas, and 43rd President
- Jeb Bush (son of George H. W. Bush), is Governor of Florida
- Prescott Bush, Jr., served as chairman of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce.
- George H. W. Bush (son of Prescott Bush), representative from Texas, Ambassador to the United Nations, Director of the CIA, 43rd Vice President, and 41st President
- Prescott Bush (son of Samuel P. Bush), served as a U.S. Senator from Connecticut.
The Byrds
- Harry F. Byrd was governor of Virginia 1926-1930 and a Senator from Virginia 1933-1965
- Harry F. Byrd, Jr. was a Senator from Virginia 1965-1983
(The Virginia Byrds are not related to Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia)
The Churches and Clarks
- Frank Church, U.S. Senator from Idaho from 1957 - 1981. Son in law of Chase Addison Clark.
- Chase Addison Clark, Governor of Idaho from 1941 - 1953. Brother of Barzilla W. Clark.
- Barzilla W. Clark, Governor of Idaho from 1937 - 1939.
The Clintons
- Bill Clinton, 42nd President
- Hillary Clinton (wife of Bill Clinton), Senator from New York
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.
- Richard J. Daley, mayor from 1955 until 1976
- Richard M. Daley (son of Richard J. Daley), mayor since 1989
- William Daley (son of Richard J. Daley), U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1997 until 2000
The Doles
- Robert Dole, Senator from Kansas 1968-1996, Presidental candidate in 1996
- Elizabeth Dole (wife of Robert Dole), Senator from North Carolina since 2000
The Dulleses
Main article: Dulles family
Several members of the Dulles family served in important positions, including:
- John Watson Foster, Secretary of State under President Benjamin Harrison; and
- Robert Lansing, Secretary of State under President Woodrow Wilson (uncle of John Foster Dulles); and
- John Foster Dulles, Secretary of State from 1953 - 1959 (grandson of John Foster); and
- Allen Dulles, second director of the CIA, brother of John Foster Dulles
- Avery Dulles, son of John Foster Dulles, is a Cardinal of the Catholic Church
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.
- May Lammot du Pont married Willard Saulsbury U.S. Senator from Delaware (elected 1912).
- Renée de Pelleport du Pont married LeRoy Harvey, mayor of Wilmington, Delaware.
- Ethel du Pont (1916-1965) married Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr., son of Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945) and Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962).
- Pierre Samuel du Pont IV (born 1935) was a congressman from Delaware (1971-1974) & Governor of Delaware (1977-1985).
- Henry Algernon du Pont (1838-1926) was senator from Delaware 1905-1916.
- Thomas Coleman du Pont (1863-1930) was Senator from Delaware (1921-1928).
The Harrisons
Main article: Harrison family
- Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
- Carter Bassett Harrison (son of Benjamin V), member of Virginia state legislature, U.S. Representative from Virginia
- William Henry Harrison (son of Benjamin V), the 9th President
- John Scott Harrison (son of William Henry), U.S. Representative from Ohio
- Benjamin Harrison (son of John Scott), 23rd President
- William Henry Harrison (grandson of Benjamin), U.S. Representative from Wyoming
- Benjamin Harrison (son of John Scott), 23rd President
- John Scott Harrison (son of William Henry), U.S. Representative from Ohio
The Hearsts
Main article: Hearst family
- George Hearst, U.S. Senator from California.
- William Randolph Hearst (son of George), U.S. Representative from New York, newspaper baron.
The Johnsons
- Lyndon B. Johnson, President from 1963 - 1969. Father-in-law of Charles S. Robb.
- Charles S. Robb, Governor of Virginia from 1982 - 1986. U.S. Senator from Virgina from 1989 - 2001.
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
- Kathleen Kennedy Townsend (daughter of Robert F. Kennedy), Lieutenant Governor of Maryland
- Joseph P. Kennedy II (son of Robert F. Kennedy), Representative from Massachusetts
- Jean Kennedy Smith (daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.), Ambassador to Ireland
- Edward M. Kennedy (son of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.), Senator from Massachusetts
- Patrick J. Kennedy (son of Edward M. Kennedy), Representative from Rhode Island
The Kennedys have also made marriages with political figures:
- Eunice Kennedy (daughter of Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.) is married to Sargent Shriver, who was a Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 1972.
- Television journalist Maria Shriver (daughter of Eunice Kennedy) is married to Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California.
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:
- George Long (brother of Huey and Earl Long), Representative
- Huey Long (brother of George and Earl Long), governor of Louisiana, U.S. senator, and Presidential candidate
- Rose McConnell Long (wife of Huey Long), U.S. senator
- Russell B. Long (son of Huey and Rose McConnell Long), U.S. senator
- Earl Long (brother of Huey and George Long), governor of Louisiana
- Gillis Long (cousin of the above), Representative
- Catherine Small Long (wife of Gillis Long), Representative
- Speedy Oteria Long (cousin of the above), Representative
The Rockefellers
Main article: Rockefeller family
- Nelson Aldrich, Senator from Rhode Island from 1881 to 1911. Grandfather of Nelson A. Rockefeller
- Richard S. Aldrich, son of Nelson Aldrich and uncle of Nelson A. Rockefeller. U.S. Representative from Rhode Island from 1923 - 1933.
- Nelson A. Rockefeller, Governor of New York, Vice-President under Gerald Ford. Brother of Winthrop Rockefeller.
- Winthrop Rockefeller, Governor of Arkansas.
- Jay Rockefeller (John D. Rockefeller, IV), Governor and later Senator of West Virginia, grandson of John D. Rockefeller and nephew of Nelson Rockefeller
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.
- James Roosevelt, (1907 - 1991), U.S. Representative from California, son of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr., (1914 - 1988), U.S. Representative from New York, son of Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The Stevensons
Main article: Stevenson family
The Stevensons of Illinois have produced a number of important political figures:
- Adlai E. Stevenson, (1835 - 1914), Vice-President under Grover Cleveland.
- Adlai Ewing Stevenson II, (1900 - 1965), Governor of Illinois, 1952 and 1956 Democratic candidate for U.S. President, grandson of Adlai E. Stevenson.
- Adlai Ewing Stevenson III, U.S. Senator from Illinois, son of Adlai Ewing Stevenson II.
The Talmadges
- Eugene Talmadge, Governor of Georgia 1933-1937, 1941-1943
- Herman Talmadge, Governor of Georgia 1947, 1948-1955, Senator for Georgia, 1957-1981
The Tafts
Main article: Taft family
The Tafts of Ohio have produced a number of leaders on the national stage, including:
- Alphonso Taft, Secretary of War and Attorney General under Ulysses S. Grant;
- William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States and Chief Justice of the United States;
- Robert A. Taft, Unites States Senator from Ohio
- Robert Taft, Jr., United States Senator from Ohio
- Bob Taft, current Governor of Ohio
- Robert Taft, Jr., United States Senator from Ohio
- Charles Phelps Taft, publisher of the Cincinnati, Ohio Times-Star
- Robert A. Taft, Unites States Senator from Ohio
- William Howard Taft, 27th President of the United States and Chief Justice of the United States;