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Blue Dog Coalition

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Blue Dogs" redirects here. For the American band formed in 1987, see The Blue Dogs (band).

Blue Dog Coalition
Co-Chairs
FoundedFebruary 14, 1995; 31 years ago (1995-02-14)
Ideology
Political positionCenter-right[1][B]
National affiliationDemocratic Party
Colors  Blue
Seats in the House Democratic Caucus
10 / 212
Seats in the House
10 / 435
Website
bluedogs-gluesenkampperez.house.gov
bluedogdems.com
^ A: The Blue Dog Coalition is now described as both socially conservative[2] and socially liberal.[3]
^ B: Sources also described the position of the Blue Dog Coalition as centrist[4] and center-left[5]

The Blue Dog Coalition, or Blue Dog Caucus,[6] commonly known as the Blue Dogs or Blue Dog Democrats, is a caucus of moderate[7][8] and conservative[9][10][11] members from the Democratic Party in the United States House of Representatives. The caucus was founded as a group of conservative Democrats in 1995 in response to defeats in the 1994 elections. Historically, the Blue Dog Coalition has been conservative, both fiscally and socially. At its peak in 2009, the Blue Dog Coalition numbered 54 members, accounting for 21% of the entire Democratic caucus at the time.[12] As of 2026, it has 10 members, 6 of which are also members of the New Democrat Coalition.[13][14]

In the late 2010s and early 2020s, the coalition's focus shifted towards ideological centrism and constituency-based politics;[15][16][17] however, the coalition maintained an emphasis on fiscal responsibility.[18] The Blue Dog Coalition remains the most conservative grouping of Democrats in the House.[12]

Electoral results

[edit]

House of Representatives

[edit]
Congress Democratic seats ±
104th (1994)
29 / 204
 Steady
105th (1996)
28 / 207
 Decrease 1
106th (1998)
34 / 211
 Increase 6
107th (2000)
35 / 212
 Increase 1
108th (2002)
38 / 205
 Increase 3
109th (2004)
38 / 202
 Steady
110th (2006)
56 / 233
 Increase 18
111th (2008)
65 / 257
 Increase 9
112th (2010)
28 / 193
 Decrease 37
113th (2012)
19 / 201
 Decrease 9
114th (2014)
15 / 188
 Decrease 4
115th (2016)
18 / 193
 Increase 3
116th (2018)
27 / 235
 Increase 9
117th (2020)
19 / 222
 Decrease 8
118th (2022)
11 / 213
 Decrease 8
119th (2024)
10 / 215
 Decrease 1

Overview and history

[edit]

The Blue Dog Coalition was formed in 1995[19][20] during the 104th Congress to give members from the Democratic Party representing conservative-leaning districts a unified voice after the Democrats' loss of Congress in the 1994 Republican Revolution.[21]

The term "Blue Dog Democrat" is credited to Texas Democratic Representative Pete Geren (who later joined the George W. Bush administration). Geren opined that the members had been "choked blue" by "extreme" Democrats on the left.[22] It is related to the political term "Yellow Dog Democrat", a reference to Southern Democrats said to be "so loyal they would even vote for a yellow dog before they would vote for any Republican". The term also refers to the "Blue Dog" paintings of Cajun artist George Rodrigue of Lafayette, Louisiana as the original members of the coalition would regularly meet in the offices of Louisiana representatives Billy Tauzin and Jimmy Hayes, both of whom later joined the Republican Party – both also had Rodrigue's paintings on their walls.[23][24] An additional explanation for the term cited by members is "when dogs are not let into the house, they stay outside in the cold and turn blue", a reference to the Blue Dogs' belief they had been left out of a party that they believed had shifted to the political left.[25] At one time, first-term Blue Dogs were nicknamed 'Blue Pups'.[23] Starting in the twenty-first century, the caucus began shifting its ideology and began adopting more socially liberal stances in order to align more closely with mainstream Democratic Party political values.[15]

Disputes within the Democratic Party

[edit]

Many Blue Dogs voted for George W. Bush's tax cuts.[26] In 2007, 15 Blue Dogs in safe seats rebelled, and refused to contribute party dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. An additional 16 Blue Dogs did not pay any money to the DCCC, but were exempt from party-mandated contributions because they were top GOP targets for defeat in 2008. One reason for the party-dues boycott was contained in remarks made by Rep. Lynn Woolsey of California, encouraging leaders of anti-war groups to field primary challenges to any Democrat who did not vote to end the war in Iraq. Woolsey later stated that she was misunderstood, but the Blue Dogs continued the boycott. Donations to party congressional committees are an important source of funding for the party committees, permitting millions of dollars to be funneled back into close races.[27]

Role in the passage of the ACA

[edit]
President Barack Obama meets with Blue Dog Democrats on February 10, 2009.

In the summer of 2009, The Economist said the following regarding the Blue Dog Coalition: "The debate over health care ... may be the pinnacle of the group's power so far." The Economist quoted Charlie Stenholm, a founding Blue Dog, as stating that "This is the first year for the new kennel in which their votes are really going to make a difference".[28] In July 2009, Blue Dog members, who were committee members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, successfully delayed the House vote on the Health Insurance Reform Bill (HR3200) until after the summer recess.[29][30] It was during this recess that the term 'Obamacare' was first derisively adopted by Republicans on Capitol Hill.[31] Blue Dog opposition to a potential "public option" within Obamacare, together with the contentious town hall meetings faced by House members during the 2009 summer recess, gave the healthcare bill's Republican opponents the opportunity to further escalate their attacks on Obamacare. The Blue Dog's refusal to include the pre-recess bill's public option, subsequently forced that central feature to be dropped from ACA's final text.[32] On Nov. 7, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act 220 - 215[33] - a bill that would "provide health coverage to almost every American.”[34] While, a majority of the Blue Dogs actually voted for that final healthcare bill, by a 28 to 24 margin, they did so with that central public option removed from the ACA's final passage.[35]

The Washington Post stated that the Blue Dogs, with over 50 members, were the most influential voting bloc in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010.[36]

2010s decline

[edit]

The Blue Dog Coalition suffered serious losses in the 2010 midterm elections, losing over half of its seats to Republican challengers. Its members, who were roughly one quarter of the Democratic Party's caucus in the 111th Congress, accounted for half of the party's midterm election losses.[37] Including retirements, Blue Dog numbers in the House were reduced from 59 members in 2009 to 26 members in 2011.[38] Two of the coalition's four leaders (Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Baron Hill) failed to secure re-election.[39][40]

The caucus shrank even more in the 2012 House of Representatives elections, decreasing in size from 27 to 14 members. Speculation ensued that the centrist New Democrat Coalition would fill the power vacuum created by the Blue Dog Coalition's decline.[41] Opposition to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and climate change legislation are believed to have contributed to the defeat of two conservative Democrats in the 2012 House elections in Pennsylvania by more liberal opponents.[42]

In the 2016 elections, future Blue Dogs accounted for over half of the Democrats' gains in the House.[43] In 2018, for the first time since 2006, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee partnered with the Blue Dog PAC (the Blue Dog Coalition's political organization) to recruit candidates in competitive districts across the country.[44] After the 2018 House of Representatives elections, the caucus grew from 18 members to 24.[38] All incumbents were re-elected and Rep. Kyrsten Sinema was elected to the U.S. Senate from Arizona.[45] The caucus also added 11 new members who defeated Republican incumbents in the 2018 election in districts that had voted for Donald Trump in 2016.[46]

2020s

[edit]

The Democratic Party lost seats in the 2020 and 2022 House of Representatives elections, including the Blue Dog Coalition. As of April 2024, during the 118th Congress, the coalition had 10 members.[47]

At the start of the 118th Congress in January 2023, six of the 15 members of the Coalition departed following a failed attempt to rename the group to the "Common Sense Coalition".[48] Freshman representative Don Davis, who was expected to join the Blue Dogs, also chose not to do so.[13] After this split, the group reorganized and began an effort to stabilize, rebuild, and maintain influence on policy proposals in the closely divided 118th Congress.[49] The effort included a recruitment drive which prompted Mary Peltola (AK-AL), Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez (WA-03), and Wiley Nickel (NC-13) to join, bringing the number of members back up to 10.[50] Under the leadership of Peltola, Perez, and Representative Jared Golden, the caucus shifted its focus towards ideological centrism and pragmatic, constituency-based (especially rural and working-class) politics.[16]

Prior to the 2026 House of Representatives elections, the Blue Dog PAC endorsed five candidates: Jasmeet Bains for CA-22, Jamie Ager for NC-11, Bob Brooks for PA-07 Bobby Pulido for TX-15, Johnny Garcia for TX-35, and Rebecca Cooke for WI-03.[51][52][53][54][55] WelcomePAC, a Blue Dog Coalition-aligned political action committee, is actively supporting and has endorsed the candidacy of former U.S. representative Ben McAdams, who is running for Utah's 1st congressional district and was a member of the Blue Dog Coalition whilst in Congress.[56]

Policy positions

[edit]

The Blue Dog Coalition is considered conservative[57] with positions spanning from socially liberal[3] to socially conservative.[1] Economically, it is fiscally conservative[58] and it historically adhered to social conservatism.[15][59] Although its members have evolved on social issues over time,[38] the group has never taken a position on social issues as a caucus.[15] Scholars and journalists positioned the group as center-right,[1] centrist,[4] or center-left.[5] Historically, the grouping was considered exclusively center-right.[11]

The Blue Dog Coalition is the most conservative grouping of Democrats in the House. It "advocates for fiscal responsibility, a strong national defense and bipartisan consensus rather than conflict with Republicans". It opposes legislation that its members perceive to be too far to the right or to the left on the political spectrum.[18] The coalition has self-described itself as pragmatic, moderate, and "fiscally-responsible" and supports a strong military.[60][61] In the 2010s, the Blue Dogs became more demographically diverse and less conservative.[15]

The Blue Dog Coalition is often involved in searching for a compromise between liberal and conservative positions, including classically liberal policies. Most of its members represent competitive swing districts, and are thus inclined to appeal to swing voters.[62]

Membership

[edit]
See also: List of members of the Blue Dog Coalition
Blue Dog Coalition in the 119th United States Congress

In the early years of the caucus, the Blue Dogs were viewed by some as the political successors to Southern Democratic groups such as the Boll Weevils or conservative coalition.[63][64] The Boll Weevils may, in turn, be considered the descendants of the Dixiecrats and the "states' rights" Democrats of the 1940s through the 1960s, and even the Bourbon Democrats of the late 19th century.[65]

In 2014, there was no mention of social issues in the official Blue Dog materials.[66] By January 2019, McClatchy reported a transformation of the Blue Dogs from a coalition of 'southern white men' to 'a multi-regional, multicultural group.' At that time, the coalition included two African-American members, one Vietnamese-American, one Mexican-American, and only five members from Southern states.[38]

As of April 2024, the coalition included 10 members. At that point, the coalition's membership was smaller than it had ever been since its formation.[13][62]

Co-chairs

[edit]

The co-chairs of the Blue Dog Coalition for the 119th Congress are U.S. representatives Lou Correa, Vicente Gonzalez, and Marie Gluesenkamp Pérez.

Start End Chair for Administration Chair for Communications Chair for Policy
February 14, 1995 April 11, 1995 Gary Condit (CA) John Tanner (TN) Nathan Deal (GA)
April 11, 1995 January 3, 1999 Collin Peterson (MN)
January 3, 1999 January 3, 2001 Bud Cramer (AL) Chris John (LA) Charlie Stenholm (TX)
January 3, 2001 January 3, 2003 Chris John (LA) Jim Turner (TX) Allen Boyd (FL)
January 3, 2003 January 3, 2005 Jim Turner (TX) Baron Hill (IN) Charlie Stenholm (TX)
January 3, 2005 January 3, 2007 Jim Matheson (UT) Dennis Cardoza (CA) Jim Cooper (TN)
January 3, 2007 January 3, 2009 Allen Boyd (FL) Mike Ross (AR) Dennis Moore (KS)
January 3, 2009 October 7, 2009 Stephanie Herseth (SD) Charlie Melancon (LA) Baron Hill (IN)
October 7, 2009 January 3, 2011 Jim Matheson (UT)[67]
January 3, 2011 January 3, 2013 Heath Shuler (NC) Mike Ross (AR) John Barrow (GA)
January 3, 2013 January 3, 2015 John Barrow (GA) Kurt Schrader (OR) Jim Cooper (TN)
January 3, 2015 January 3, 2017 Kurt Schrader (OR) Jim Costa (CA)
January 3, 2017 January 3, 2019 Jim Costa (CA) Henry Cuellar (TX) Dan Lipinski (IL)
January 3, 2019 January 3, 2021 Stephanie Murphy (FL) Lou Correa (CA) Tom O'Halleran (AZ)
January 3, 2021 January 3, 2023 Tom O'Halleran (AZ) Ed Case (HI)
January 3, 2023 May 24, 2023 Jared Golden (ME) Jim Costa (CA)
May 24, 2023 January 3, 2025 Jared Golden (ME) Marie Pérez (WA) Mary Peltola (AK)
January 3, 2025 present Marie Pérez (WA) Vicente Gonzalez (TX) Lou Correa (CA)

Current members

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State District CPVI[68] Member Also a member of
California CA-4 D+17 Mike Thompson
CA-13 R+1 Adam Gray New Democrat Coalition
CA-21 D+4 Jim Costa New Democrat Coalition
Problem Solvers Caucus
CA-46 D+11 Lou Correa New Democrat Coalition
Problem Solvers Caucus (former)
Georgia GA-02 D+4 Sanford Bishop
Maine ME-02 R+4 Jared Golden Problem Solvers Caucus
New Jersey NJ-05 D+2 Josh Gottheimer New Democrat Coalition
Problem Solvers Caucus
Texas TX-28 R+2 Henry Cuellar New Democrat Coalition
Problem Solvers Caucus
TX-34 EVEN Vicente Gonzalez New Democrat Coalition
Problem Solvers Caucus (former)
Washington WA-03 R+2 Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Problem Solvers Caucus

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c
    • Riis Damstrup, Anne Sophie; Tosti Madsen, Sofie; Coscia, Michele (2024). "Unsupervised Learning via Network-Aware Embeddings". p. 16. arXiv:2309.10408 [cs.LG]. This should not be a surprise, because Cuellar is considered one of the most conservative Democrats and he is part of the Blue Dog caucus, representing the center-right in the Democratic Party whose members are mostly elected in Republican-leaning districts.
    • Kuttner, Robert (December 10, 2024). "Rapacious Capitalism and Upside-Down Politics". The American Prospect. On the other hand, Golden is a member of the center-right Blue Dog caucus, and he refused to endorse Harris over Trump.
    • Budryk, Zack (August 8, 2024). "Walz's history of green-friendly governance follows mixed House record". The Hill. Democratic opposition to the rule was largely concentrated among the right-leaning Blue Dog Coalition, though Walz was not associated with that caucus during his time in Congress.
    • Monserud, Andy (August 8, 2020). "Minnesota Voters Prepared to Determine Winners in Primary". Courthouse News Service. Peterson, a moderate founder of the Blue Dog Coalition of right-leaning Democrats, faces two primary challengers but the GOP contest has drawn more attention.
    • Sammon, Alexander (June 26, 2023). "Adam Schiff Is Crying All the Way to the Bank". Slate. And Schiff, a former member of the center-right Blue Dog caucus, is the most conservative member of the group of contenders for the sought-after seat.
    • Budryk, Zack (September 19, 2019). "Pelosi to introduce plan to lower cost of prescription drugs: report". The Hill. "We appreciate that Speaker Pelosi took the time to meet with the Blue Dogs to discuss a path forward to lower the cost of prescription drugs," Rep. Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), co-chair of the center-right Blue Dog Democrats, said after a meeting with Pelosi Tuesday on the proposal, NPR noted.
    • Caine, Eric (January 6, 2022). "Was the (not) Adam Gray Tweet a Trial Balloon?". The Valley Citizen. Harder's win and subsequent cruise to victory over Republican Ted Howze in 2020 upset the conventional wisdom about Valley politics, which dictates that, in order to win, Democrats must become "Blue Dogs" who follow the lead of former Congressman Gary Condit, one of the founders of the Democratic Blue Dog Coalition in 1995. Gray was formerly married to Condit's daughter, Cadee Condit Gray. They are now divorced. Blue Dog Democrats lean to the right.
    • "In Memoriam: Former Congressman Charlie Stenholm (D-TX)". Concord Action. June 23, 2023. He was first elected to Congress in 1979, aligning himself with the Boll Weevils before co-founding the House Blue Dog Coalition, a group of center-right, fiscally conservative Democrats.
  2. ^ Allan, James (2021). Democratic Digital Campaign Strategies in the Age of Trump: Circulation Theory, Digital Networks, and Memes (Master of Arts thesis). Baylor University. p. 6. The socially conservative factions, such as the Blue Dog Coalition, and the socially liberal faction, like the Congressional Progressive Caucus, disagree on matters of social and fiscal policy.
  3. ^ a b Scheckner, Jesse (October 16, 2024). "Direct mail round-up: In HD 113 GOP incumbent depicted as a 'Blue Dog Progressive'". Florida Politics. "Blue dog" is a reference to the Blue Dog Coalition, also known as the Blue Dogs or Blue Dog Democrats, a caucus of moderate congressional Democrats who generally hold socially liberal but fiscally conservative views.
  4. ^ a b
  5. ^ a b
    • Heather Caygle; Anthony Adragna (May 10, 2019). "House panel yanks Curbelo invite amid furor from top Democrats". Politico. "This is a mistake & very disappointing. Addressing climate change requires bipartisan cooperation & solutions," tweeted Rep. Stephanie Murphy, a moderate Democrat who represents Orlando and leads the center-left Blue Dog Coalition. "I hope @WaysMeansCmte reconsiders its decision to disinvite him."
  6. ^ Jenkins, Jeffery A.; Stewart III, Charles (August 28, 2023). "Fighting for the Speakership: An Update". p. 44. doi:10.2139/ssrn.4553501. SSRN 4553501. The Blue Dog Caucus, which originated in 1995 after the Republicans took control of the House, had been a growing problem for Speaker Pelosi, before they had their ranks cut in half in the 2010 midterms.
  7. ^ Davis, Susan. "U.S. House has fewer moderate Democrats". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  8. ^ "Lobbying from the center". The Hill. January 26, 2021. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
  9. ^ Duncan, Philip P.; Nutting, Brian (1999). CQ's politics in America: 2000, the 106th Congress. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. p. 18. ISBN 9781568024714.
  10. ^ Solomon, Norman (May 24, 2010). "When the Leaders Lead, the People Have Sorrow". HuffPost. Archived from the original on November 30, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Elections A to Z. SAGE. 2012. ISBN 9780872897694. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  12. ^ a b Miller, Jonathan (May 23, 2018). "The Blue Dogs Are Barking Again". Roll Call. Archived from the original on October 8, 2025. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  13. ^ a b c Mutnick, Ally; Ferris, Sarah (January 24, 2023). "Blue Dog Coalition Membership". Blue Dog Coalition. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  14. ^ "Members | Blue Dog Coalition". bluedogcaucus-golden.house.gov. September 6, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d e Mendoza, Jessica (June 4, 2019). "Centrist Democrats are back. But these are not your father's Blue Dogs". Christian Science Monitor. Archived from the original on December 29, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Dwindling Blue Dog Democrats look to stage a comeback for moderates". The Washington Post. August 8, 2023. Archived from the original on August 6, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  17. ^ Ruth Bloch Rubin, ed. (2017). Building the Bloc: Intraparty Organization in the US Congress. Cambridge University Press. p. 188. ISBN 9781316510421. In contrast to the halting mobilization of Insurgent Republicans and southern Democrats, the Blue Dogs' adoption of ... ideological bonafides, the Coalition worked to establish a Blue Dog brand and associate it with support for centrist policies.
  18. ^ a b Weiner, Mark (February 1, 2019). "Anthony Brindisi to co-chair Blue Dogs, caucus of moderate House Democrats". syracuse.com. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  19. ^ Dumain, Emma (May 12, 2015). "20 years in, Blue Dogs not ready to roll over". rollcall.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
  20. ^ "History". ross.house.gov/BlueDog/. Blue Dog Coalition. Archived from the original on April 5, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  21. ^ Bendavid, Naftali (July 28, 2009). "'Blue Dog' Democrats hold health care overhaul at bay". The Wall Street Journal.
  22. ^ "Wordcraft Archives, November 2004". Wordcraft.infopop.cc. Archived from the original on February 2, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  23. ^ a b Suddath, Claire (July 28, 2009). "A Brief History of Blue Dog Democrats". Time. Archived from the original on July 31, 2009. Retrieved September 7, 2009.
  24. ^ Safire, William (April 23, 1995). "On Language; Blue Dog Demo". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2009.
  25. ^ "Blue Dog Democrats". Bluedogs.us. November 4, 2008. Archived from the original on July 14, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  26. ^ Kitchener, Caroline (December 19, 2017). "What the Decline of Blue Dog Democrats Tells Us About American Politics". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 16, 2025.
  27. ^ Bresnahan, John (October 24, 2007). "Blue Dogs refuse to pony up for DCCC". Politico. Archived from the original on October 26, 2007. Retrieved November 1, 2007.
  28. ^ "The Democratic Party's centrists: Blue Dog days". The Economist. July 30, 2009.
  29. ^ "Are the Blue Dogs really working for you?". Silverbuzzcafe.com. Silver Buzz Cafe. August 20, 2009. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
  30. ^ "Two House Committees Approve Health Reform Bill". Child Welfare League of America. July 27, 2009. Archived from the original on June 16, 2010. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
  31. ^ Wallace, Gregory (June 25, 2012). "'Obamacare': The word that defined the health care debate". CNN. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
  32. ^ Stolberg, Sheryl Gay. "'Public Option' in Health Plan may be dropped". The New York Times.
  33. ^ "FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 887". U.S. HOUSE CLERK. November 7, 2009. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  34. ^ O'Connor, Patrick (November 7, 2009). "House passes historic health bill". Politico.
  35. ^ Ostermeier, Dr Eric (November 10, 2009). "All About the 39 Democrats Voting 'No' to the Affordable Health Care for America Act". Smart Politics. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  36. ^ Kane, Paul (January 15, 2014). "Blue Dog Democrats, whittled down in number, are trying to regroup". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014. Four years ago, they were the most influential voting bloc on Capitol Hill, more than 50 House Democrats pulling their liberal colleagues to a more centrist, fiscally conservative vision on issues such as health care and Wall Street reforms.
  37. ^ "Blue Dogs shaved in half – Blue Dog Democrats". Fox Nation. Fox News. November 3, 2010. Archived from the original on July 26, 2011.
  38. ^ a b c d "Shutdown, health care, budget: How moderate House Democrats will influence the party". mcclatchydc.
  39. ^ Allen, Jonathan (November 3, 2010). "Blue Dog wipeout: Half of caucus gone". Politico. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  40. ^ "A vanishing breed: Blue Dogs". Los Angeles Times. November 3, 2010.
  41. ^ "New Dems hope to be a force in 113th Congress". The Hill. November 17, 2012.
  42. ^ "Why the Blue Dogs' decline was inevitable". The Washington Post. April 25, 2012. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
  43. ^ "The Blue Dog map is changing. It may even help Democrats win Republican districts". Politico. 2017. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  44. ^ "Blue Dogs eye comeback in 2018". Politico. 2017. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved January 3, 2019.
  45. ^ "House Democratic Factions All See Gains After Midterms". Roll Call. November 13, 2018. Archived from the original on November 13, 2018.
  46. ^ Rogin, Josh (December 13, 2018). "Blue Dog Democrats are poised to play a crucial role in the next Congress". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  47. ^ Ferris, Sarah (May 24, 2023). "The Blue Dog Coalition is adding a new member to their centrist ranks, alongside a fresh 'fishing states' leadership group". Politico. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  48. ^ "Blue Dogs Devour Themselves Over Effort to Rebrand as 'Common Sense Coalition' | Common Dreams". www.commondreams.org. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  49. ^ Mariana Sotomayor (August 8, 2023). "Dwindling Blue Dog Democrats look to stage a comeback for moderates in Congress". The Washington Post.
  50. ^ Meyer, Theodoric; Caldwell, Leigh Ann (August 8, 2023). "Analysis | Meet the new Blue Dogs". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  51. ^ "Blue Dog PAC Endorses Dr. Jasmeet Bains for Congress in California's 22nd District – Blue Dog PAC". bluedogdems.com. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  52. ^ "Blue Dog PAC Endorses Fourth Generation Farmer Jamie Ager in Western North Carolina (NC-11) – Blue Dog PAC". bluedogdems.com. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  53. ^ "Weekly Score". POLITICO. May 20, 2026. Retrieved May 20, 2026.
  54. ^ "DHS funding and a shutdown: What you need to know". Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  55. ^ Releases, Wisconsin Press (June 4, 2025). "Cooke campaign: Blue Dog PAC endorses Rebecca Cooke in Wisconsin's third Congressional District". WisPolitics. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
  56. ^ "Utah Democrats got a gift. Now comes the headache". POLITICO. November 17, 2025. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  57. ^
    • Best, Samuel J.; Ladewig, Jeffrey W. (2024). Toppling Trump: How Party Elites Steered Joe Biden to the Democratic Nomination and Victory in the 2020 Presidential Election. Springer Series in Electoral Politics. p. 39. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-55401-8. ISBN 978-3-031-55401-8. ISSN 2524-8111. In the 116th U.S. Congress that took power after the 2018 midterms, 44% of the 233 Democratic members of the House of Representatives participated in the ideologically moderate New Democratic Coalition, 41% of the members aligned with the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and 11% belonged to the ideologically conservative Blue Dog Coalition.
    • Keppel, Emmanuel (2023). "New Americans and the New Right: Hispanic Voting Trends in the Trump Era of Politics". Political Science Honors Projects (9). Macalester College: 34. All three were on the conservative end of the Democratic party, with all three serving as part of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition of mostly rural Democrats (Blue Dog Coalition 2023).
    • Gachon, Nicolas (2021). Bernie Sanders's Democratic Socialism: Holding Utopia Accountable. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 89. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-69661-0. ISBN 978-3-030-69661-0. Some of them, like Charlie Stenholm (D-Texas), a leader of the conservative Blue Dog Democrats, considered that having a socialist in the caucus may meet with fierce opposition from their constituents.
    • Moody, Kim (2022). Breaking the Impasse: Electoral Politics, Mass Action and the New Socialist Movement in the United States. Ingram Publisher Series. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-64259-726-4. While the liberal Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC)—only 9 of whose "progressive" members endorsed Sanders in 2020, compared to 32 for Biden before Bernie withdrew—grew by 24 percent from 78 to 97 members in the House (plus Bernie alone in the Senate), the militantly centrist New Democrat Coalition shot up from 59 members to 103 or by 75 percent, with the conservative Blue Dog Democrats making a comeback from 15 to 27 members or by 80 percent.
    • Perez, Andrew (2021). "Bg Pharma's Demo Crats". AMASS. 26 (1). Society For Popular Democracy. Stephanie Murphy (Fla.), the co-chair of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, who is the House's fifth largest recipient of donations from the pharmaceutical and health products…
  58. ^
  59. ^ Blake, Aaron (April 25, 2012). "Why the Blue Dogs' decline was inevitable". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 10, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  60. ^ "ABOUT US". bluedogs-gluesenkampperez.house.gov. Archived from the original on March 14, 2026. Retrieved April 25, 2026. The Blue Dog Coalition is an official caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives comprised of fiscally-responsible Democrats. They are pragmatic Democrats, appealing to the mainstream values of the American public. The Blue Dogs are dedicated to pursuing fiscally-responsible policies, ensuring a strong national defense, and transcending party lines to get things done for the American people.
  61. ^ "Blue Dog PAC – bold leadership. commonsense solutions". bluedogdems.com. Retrieved May 21, 2026. The Blue Dog Coalition was created in 1995 to represent the commonsense, moderate voice of the Democratic Party, appealing to mainstream American values. The Blue Dogs are leaders in Congress who are committed to pursuing fiscally-responsible policies, ensuring a strong national defense, and transcending party lines to do what's best for the American people.
  62. ^ a b Mariana Sotomayor (August 8, 2023). "Dwindling Blue Dog Democrats look to stage a comeback for moderates in Congress". The Washington Post.
  63. ^ Parties, Rules, and the Evolution of Congressional Budgeting, Lance T. LeLoup, 2005, pp. 185
  64. ^ Encyclopedia of American Parties, Campaigns, and Elections, William C. Binning et al, 1999, pp. 307.
  65. ^ Thomson, Alex (2007). A Glossary of U.S. Politics and Government. Stanford University Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-8047-5730-0.
  66. ^ Parton, Heather Digby (November 12, 2014). "Bye-bye, blue dog "Democrats": What the end of conservative Dems means for America". Salon. Archived from the original on December 23, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2016. Not that the members weren't traditional values types. Most were. And they surely ran for office on those issues as well. But there is not one word in the official Blue Dog materials about social issues.
  67. ^ https://www.ksl.com/article/8217852/matheson-joins-leadership-of-conservative-blue-dog-group
  68. ^ "2025 Cook PVI℠: District Map and List (119th Congress)". Cook Political Report. April 3, 2025. Archived from the original on May 9, 2025. Retrieved April 8, 2025.
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