Party switching in the United States

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In the United States politics, party switching is any change in party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one who is currently holding elected office. Use of the term "party switch" can also connote a transfer of held power in an elected governmental body from one party to another.

Motivations

There are a number of reasons that an elected official, or someone seeking office, might choose to switch parties. One reason is ethical obligation when the person has views that are no longer aligned with those of the current party.

A second reason is to gain powers and influences. The incumbent may be a member of the minority party in a legislature and would like to gain the advantages of being in the majority party, such as the potential to chair a committee. A disaffected incumbent who might not hold a leadership position or feels ignored or mistreated by the majority party might join the minority party with the expectation of holding a leadership position in the minority party and if currently elected, having the complete support of the minority party for re-election, who would certainly want to have more elected officials in their ranks. These people are usually looked down upon by the media and in popular culture.

Another reason is simply to get elected. This may be the primary reason when the opposing party's base in a constituency is reaching a size that threatens the safe reelection of the incumbent or the elected official fears being primaried.

History

The 19th century

The first two major parties in the United States were the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. The Federalists experienced success in the 1790s but lost power in the 1800 elections and collapsed after the War of 1812. Many former Federalists, including John Quincy Adams, became members of the Democratic-Republican Party. After the 1824 presidential election, the Democratic-Republicans fractured between supporters of Adams and supporters of Andrew Jackson. Jackson's followers formed the Democratic Party, while those who supported Adams formed the National Republican Party. Two short-lived but significant third parties, the Anti-Masonic Party and the Nullifier Party, also arose during this period. In the 1830s, opponents of Jackson coalesced into the Whig Party.

The United States experienced another period of political realignment in the 1850s. The Whigs collapsed as a national party due to sectional tensions regarding slavery. The Republican Party and the American Party both sought to succeed the Whigs as the main opposition to the Democratic Party, and the Republicans eventually became the most popular party in the Northern United States. The Republicans absorbed many Northern Whigs, as well as some anti-slavery Democrats and much of the Free Soil Party. Notable Whigs who joined the Republican Party include Abraham Lincoln and William Seward, while notable Democrats who joined the Republican Party include Hannibal Hamlin and Galusha A. Grow. Many Southern Whigs became Democrats, though some formed the Constitutional Union Party to contest the 1860 presidential election. After the American Civil War, the Republican Party generally dominated the North while the Democratic Party dominated the South. Republicans dissatisfied with President Ulysses S. Grant formed the Liberal Republican Party for the 1872 presidential election, and many of these Liberal Republicans later joined the Democratic Party.

By the late 19th century, as the Democratic and Republican parties became more established, party switching became less frequent. Nonetheless, a major conflict in the Republican Party occurred in 1890s, largely over the issue of monetary policy. Republican supporters of free silver formed the Silver Republican Party, and many, including Henry M. Teller and Fred Dubois, later joined the Democratic Party.

The 20th century

Two progressive Republicans, Theodore Roosevelt and Robert M. La Follette Sr., launched strong third party presidential candidacies in the early 20th century, but neither founded a durable political party. A period of realignment commenced following the onset of the Great Depression, as President Franklin D. Roosevelt constructed the successful New Deal coalition. Over the ensuing decades, Roosevelt's Democrats embraced several tenets of modern American liberalism, while the Republican Party tended to favor conservatism.

Beginning in the 1960s, the Democrats lost their dominant position in the South, as prominent Democrats such as Strom Thurmond joined the Republican Party. In the ensuing decades, additional Southern Democratic Congressmen such as Phil Gramm and Richard Shelby would switch to the Republican Party. During the same period, Northern Republicans such as John Lindsay and Arlen Specter joined the Democratic Party.

Notable party switchers

Notable party switchers of the modern era include:

Democratic to Republican

1800s

• 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 – 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)
• 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)

1900–1949

• 1911 – Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, later Governor of New Mexico (1919–1921) and U.S. Senator from New Mexico (1928–1929)
• 1921 – Theodore A. Bell, former U.S. Representative from California (1903–1905)
• 1933 – Raymond Moley, adviser to President Franklin D. Roosevelt
• 1939 – Wendell Willkie, Republican nominee for President in 1940
• 1942 – Martin F. Howard, former member of Wisconsin State Assembly
• 1942 – Max Galasinski, former member of Wisconsin State Senate
• 1946 – Rudolph G. Tenerowicz, former U.S. Representative from Michigan (1939–1943)
• 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)

1950s

• 1952 – Henry Hyde, later became U.S. Representative from Illinois (1975–2007)
• 1956 – Cora Brown, Michigan State Senator
• 1958 – Odell Pollard
• 1959 – Francis Grevemberg, former Louisiana State Police Superintendent
• 1959 – Dud Lastrapes, later mayor of Lafayette, Louisiana

1960s

• 1960s – Arthur Ravenel, Jr., South Carolina State Representative, later U.S. Representative from South Carolina (1987–1995)
• 1960s – James F. Byrnes, former Governor of South Carolina (1951–1955) and United States Secretary of State (1945–1947)
• 1960 – Claude R. Kirk, Jr., later Governor of Florida (1967–1971)
• 1960 – Charlton Lyons
• 1961 – Perle Mesta, former United States Ambassador to Luxembourg (1949–1953)
• 1962 – Dave Treen, later U.S. Representative from Louisiana (1973–1980) and Governor of Louisiana (1980–1984)
• 1962 – Jack M. Cox, former Texas State Representative
• 1962 – James D. Martin, later U.S. Representative from Alabama (1965–1967)
• 1962 – Ronald Reagan, while an actor and former Screen Actors Guild president. Later 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)
• 1963 – Rubel Phillips, former Mississippi Public Service Commissioner
• 1963 – Stanford Morse, Mississippi State Senator
• 1963 – James H. Boyce
• 1964 – Alfred Goldthwaite, Alabama State Representative
• 1964 – Clarke Reed
• 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 – Albert W. Watson, while U.S. Representative from South Carolina (1963–1971) (resigned before switching parties and regained his seat in a special election)
• 1965 – Roderick Miller, Louisiana State Representative
• 1966 – Marshall Parker, South Carolina State Senator
• 1966 – Joseph O. Rogers, Jr., South Carolina State Representative
• 1966 – Thomas A. Wofford, former U.S. Senator from South Carolina (1956)
• 1966 – Len E. Blaylock, later U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Arkansas (1975–1978)
• 1966 – Jerry Thomasson, Arkansas State Representative
• 1966 – Henry Grover, Texas State Representative
• 1967 – Thad Cochran, U.S. Senator from Mississippi 1978–present, US Representative from Mississippi's 4th District
• 1967 – William E. Dannemeyer, later U.S. Representative from California (1979–1992)
• 1967 – Allison Kolb, former Louisiana State Auditor (1952–1956)
• 1968 – William Reynolds Archer, Jr., while a Texas State Senator, later U.S. Representative from Texas (1971–2001)
• 1968 – Will Wilson, former Attorney General of Texas (1957–1963)
• 1968 – James L. Bentley, Comptroller General of Georgia (1963–1971)
• 1968 – Gerald J. Gallinghouse, later United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana (1970–1978)

1970s

• 1970 – Jesse Helms, later U.S. Senator from North Carolina (1973–2003)
• 1970 – A. C. Clemons, Louisiana State Senator
• 1970 – William Oswald Mills, later U.S. Representative from Maryland (1971–1973)
• 1970 – Bob Barr, later U.S. Representative from Georgia (1995–2003)
• 1971 – Tillie K. Fowler, later U.S. Representative from Florida (1993–2001)
• 1972 – Ed Karst, Mayor of Alexandria
• 1972 – Robert R. Neall
• 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 – 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 – Rob Couhig
• 1977 – A. J. McNamara, Louisiana State Representative
• 1977 – Lane Carson, Louisiana State Representative
• 1978 – Robert G. Jones, Louisiana State Senator
• 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)
• 1978 – Michael F. "Mike" Thompson, Louisiana State Representative
• 1979 – Charles Grisbaum, Jr., Louisiana State Representative
• 1979 – Ed Scogin, Louisiana State Representative
• 1979 – Armistead I. Selden, Jr., former U.S. Representative from Alabama (1953–1969) and United States Ambassador to New Zealand (1974–1979)

1980s

• 1980s – S. S. DeWitt, Louisiana State Representative
• 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 – J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert, Louisiana State Representative
• 1981 – Bob Stump, while U.S. Representative from Arizona (1977–1003)
• 1981 – Eugene Atkinson, while U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1979–1983)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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 – Jock Scott, Louisiana State Representative
• 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 (1972–1980)
• 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, Chicago Alderman.
• 1987 – Sam Panayotovich, Illinois State Representative.
• 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)

1990s

• 1990 – Eli Bebout, Wyoming State Representative
• 1990 – Tom Vandergriff, former U.S. Representative from Texas (1983–1985). Later elected as a County Judge (1991–2007)
• 1990 – Joseph F. Toomy, Louisiana State Representative
• 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 – Don W. Williamson, Louisiana State Senator
• 1994 – Ron Gomez, Louisiana State Representative
• 1994 – Woody Jenkins, Louisiana State Representative
• 1994 – Dan Richey, former Louisiana State Senator
• 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–present)
• 1994 – Ed Whitfield, the day before filing as a candidate for the U.S. House in Kentucky. U.S. Representative from Kentucky (1995–present)
• 1994 – Ron Gomez, Louisiana State Representative
• 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 (1994–present)
• 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–present)
• 1995 – Mike Parker, while U.S. Representative from Mississippi (1989–1999)
• 1995 – Susana Martinez, later Governor of New Mexico (2011–present)
• 1995 – Mike Foster, later Governor of Louisiana (1996–2004)
• 1995 – Donald Ray Kennard, Louisiana State Representative
• 1995 – Rusty Crowe, Tennessee State Senator
• 1995 – Milton H. Hamilton, Jr, Tennessee State Senator
• 1996 – Ronnie Culbreth, Georgia State Representative.
• 1996 – Norm Coleman, while Mayor of St Paul. Later U.S. Senator from Minnesota (2003–2009)
• 1996 – Jay Blossman, later Louisiana Public Service Commissioner (1997–2008)
• 1996 – John Hoeven, later Governor of North Dakota (2000-2010), later U.S. Senator from North Dakota (2011–present)
• 1997 – Steve Windom, Alabama State Senator, later Lieutenant Governor of Alabama (1999–2003)
• 1997 – Kevin Mannix, Oregon State Representative
• 1997 – Michael J. Michot, Louisiana House of Representatives
• 1997 – Chip Bailey, Alabama State Senator
• 1997 – H. Mac Gipson and Ronald "Ron" Johnson, Alabama State Representatives
• 1998 – Harry C. Goode, Jr., Florida State Representative
• 1998 – George Wallace, Jr., former Alabama State Treasurer (1987-1995)
• 1998 – Gerald Allen, Steve Flowers, and Tim Parker, Jr., Alabama State Representatives
• 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 Governor of Georgia (2003–2011)
• 1999 – Nancy Larraine Hoffmann, New York State Senator
• 1999 – Joel Giambra, City Comptroller of Buffalo

2000s

• 2000 – Robert J. Barham, Louisiana State Senator
• 2000 – Matthew G. Martinez, while U.S. Representative from California (1983–2001)
• 2000 – Tom McVea, Louisiana State Representative
• 2001 – Blaine Galliher, Alabama State Representative
• 2001 – Clinton LeSueur
• 2001 – Michael Bloomberg, before running for Mayor of New York City (2002–2014)
• 2001 – Hunt Downer, Louisiana 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 – Virgil Goode, while U.S. Representative from Virginia (1997–2009)
• 2002 – Terry Burton and Videt Carmichael, Mississippi State Senators
• 2003 – James David Cain, Louisiana State Senator
• 2003 – Travis Little, Mississippi State Senator
• 2003 – Larry Baker, Jim Barnett, Herb Frierson, Frank Hamilton, and John Read, Mississippi State Representatives
• 2003 – Melinda Schwegmann, former Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana (1992–1996)
• 2003 – Rick Sheehy, Mayor of Hastings, Nebraska
• 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
• 2005 – Michael Diven, Pennsylvania State Representative
• 2005 – Dan Morrish, Louisiana State Representative
• 2006 – Sheri McInvale, Florida 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
• 2007 – James Walley, Mississippi State Senator
• 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
• 2007 – Robert Adley, Louisiana State Senator
• 2008 – Nolan Mettetal, Mississippi State Senator
• 2008 – Sid Bondurant, Mississippi State Representative
• 2008 – Gil Pinac, former Louisiana State Representative
• 2009 – Billy Nicholson, Mississippi State Representative
• 2009 – Tom Salmon, Vermont Auditor of Accounts
• 2009 – Chuck Hopson, Texas State Representative
• 2009 – Parker Griffith, while U.S. Representative from Alabama (2009–2011)

2010s

• 2010 – Steve Levy, County Executive of Suffolk County, New York
• 2010 – John C. Andrews, Sheriff of Pepin County Wisconsin.
• 2010 – C. Scott Bounds, Mississippi State Representative
• 2010 – Scott Angelle, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana (2010-2010)
• 2010 – Jane C. Smith, Alabama Circuit Clerk from Madison County
• 2010 – Alan Boothe, Steve Hurst, Mike Millican, and Lesley Vance, Alabama State Representatives
• 2010 – Ashley Bell, Georgia Hall County Commissioner
• 2010 – Ellis Black, Amy Carter, Mike Cheokas, Bubber Epps, Gerald Greene, Bob Hanner, Doug McKillip, and Alan Powell, Georgia State Representatives
• 2010 – Tim Golden, Georgia State Senator
• 2010 – Chris Steineger, Kansas State Senator
• 2010 – Simone B. Champagne, Noble Ellington, Walker Hines, and Fred Mills, Louisiana State Representatives
• 2010 – Jim Preuitt, Alabama State Senator
• 2010 – John Alario and John Smith, Louisiana State Senators
• 2010 – Mike Willette, Maine State Representative
• 2010 – Bobby Shows, Mississippi State Representative
• 2010 – Cindy Hyde-Smith, Mississippi State Senator
• 2010 – Christine Schaumburg, New Jersey Mayor of Clinton
• 2010 – Eldon Nygaard, South Dakota State Senator
• 2010 – Aaron Pena and Allan Ritter, Texas State Representatives
• 2011 – Tom Butler, Alabama State Senator
• 2011 – Buddy Caldwell, Louisiana Attorney General
• 2011 – Russ Nowell, Margaret Rogers, and Jeff Smith, Mississippi State Representatives
• 2011 – Ezell Lee, Mississippi State Senator
• 2011 – Charles Graddick, Alabama Circuit Judge and former Attorney General of Alabama (1979-1987)
• 2011 – Charles "Bubba" Chaney and Billy Chandler, Louisiana State Representatives
• 2011 – Mike "Pete" Huval, Louisiana State Representative
• 2011 – Bob Hensgens, Mayor of Gueydan, Louisiana
• 2011 – Jody Amedee and Norby Chabert, Louisiana State Senators
• 2011 – Jennifer Champion, Jefferson County (Alabama) Treasurer
• 2011 – Brad Warren, Chairman of the Mobile County, Alabama
• 2011 – Mark Grisanti, New York State Senator
• 2011 – D. Bruce Goforth, North Carolina State Representative
• 2011 – Linda Collins-Smith, 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
• 2011 – Sarah Maestas-Barnes, New Mexico 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 – Artur Davis, former U.S. Representative from Alabama (2003–2011)
• 2012 – Alan Harper, Alabama State Representative
• 2012 – Jerry Fielding, Alabama State Senator
• 2013 – Lindsey Holmes, Alaska State Representative
• 2013 – Nickey Browning, Mississippi State Senator
• 2013 – Elbert Guillory, Louisiana State Senator
• 2013 – Evan Jenkins, West Virginia State Senator. Later U.S. Representative for West Virginia (2015–present)
• 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 – 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
• 2015 – Mike Holcomb, Arkansas State Representative
• 2015 – Kim Davis, Rowan County, Kentucky, Clerk
• 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–present)
• 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–present)
• 2017 – Michelle Rehwinkel Vasilinda, former Florida State Representative
• 2017 – Mariellen MacKay, New Hampshire State Representative
• 2017 – Jim Justice, Governor of West Virginia (2017–present), had been a Republican prior to 2015
• 2017 – Dan Pope, Mayor of Lubbock, Texas
• 2017 – William Brisson, North Carolina Assemblyman
• 2018 – Mike Oliverio, former West Virginia State Senator
• 2018 – Bobby Bright, former U.S. Representative from Alabama

Democratic to third party/independent or third party to Democratic

• 1848 – The anti-slavery "Barnburner" faction of the Democratic Party, along with members of the Liberty Party, splintered into creating the Free Soil Party in 1848 including former Democratic President Martin Van Buren who was the party's presidential nominee the same year. Most returned to the Democratic Party after it dissolved.
• 1878 – Hendrick Bradley Wright, U.S Representative from Pennsylvania (1853–1855, 1861–1863 and 1877–1881), ran for reelection on the Greenback Party
• 1880s – Brigadier General Absolom M. West
• 1890 – Thomas E. Watson switched to the Populist Party. Later U.S. Senator for Georgia (1921–1922)
• 1946–48 – Henry A. Wallace, Vice President of the United States (1941–1945), United States Secretary of Commerce (1945–1946) & United States Secretary of Agriculture (1933–1940)
• 1948 – The States' Rights Democratic Party
• 1955 – Wayne Morse, U.S. Senator from Oregon (1945–1969), changed from an Independent to a Democrat on February 17, 1955
• 1964 – The Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party was founded.
• 1970 – Harry F. Byrd, Jr., U.S. senator from Virginia (1965–1983), became an independent.
• 1974 – D. French Slaughter, Jr., while serving in the Virginia House of Delegates. Later elected to Congress as a Republican (1985–1991).
• 1980 – Lyndon LaRouche
• 1994 – Wes Watkins, Democratic U.S Congressman from Oklahoma (1977–1991), Democratic (1990) & Independent (1994) candidate for Governor of Oklahoma & Republican U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma (1997–2003)
• 1998 – Jerry Brown, former Governor of California (1975–1983)
• 2000 – Virgil Goode, U.S Representative from Virginia (1997–2009) became an independent. He joined the Republican Party in 2002.
• 2000 – Matt Gonzalez
• 2000 – Audie Bock, California State Assemblyman joined the Green.
• 2002 – Tim Penny, former U.S Representative from Minnesota (1983–1995) to Independence Party of Minnesota
• 2003 – Matt Ahearn, New Jersey State Representative to the Green Party
• 2004 – Peter Clavelle, Mayor of Burlington
• 2005 – Jim Lendall, Arkansas State Representative to Green Party
• 2006 – Joe Lieberman, U.S. Senator from Connecticut (1989–2013), to run as an independent (on the Connecticut for Lieberman ticket) for US Senate in Connecticut, after losing to challenger Ned Lamont in the Democratic Primary.
• 2006 – David Segal
• 2006 – Avel Gordly, Oregon State Senater
• 2006 – William M. Paparian, former Mayor Pasadena, California to Green Party
• 2006 – Barbara Becnel, to the Green Party
• 2006 – Ben Westlund, later became Oregon State Treasurer (2009–2010)
• 2007 – Eric Eidsness, joins Democratic Party
• 2007 – Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia (1993–2003 and 2005–2007) switched to Green Party, became their presidential candidate in 2008
• 2008 – Mike Gravel, former U.S. Senator from Alaska (1969–1981) and 2008 presidential candidate switched from Democrat to Libertarian.
• 2008 – Rick Singleton, Rhode Island State Representative
• 2008 – Michael L. Jackson, Louisiana State Representative, switched to Independent
• 2009 – Juan Arambula, California State Assemblyman
• 2009 – Timothy P. Cahill, Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts (2003–2011)
• 2009 – Richard Carroll, Arkansas Representative. The only Green Party state legislator in the U.S., switched to the Democratic Party.
• 2009 – Kathleen Curry, Colorado State Representative
• 2010 – Bob Ziegelbauer, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• 2011 – Andrew Nunez, New Mexico State Representative. Later switched to Republican.
• 2012 – Charlie Crist, former Republican Governor of Florida (2007–2011) and Independent senatorial candidate in 2010, switched to Democrat
• 2012 - Adolfo Carrión, Jr., Director of the Office of Urban Affairs
• 2013 – John Olumba, Michigan State Representative becomes an independent.
• 2013 – Richard Laird, Alabama State Representative
• 2013 – Nathan Fletcher, California State Assemblyman, became an independent, later joined the Democrats.
• 2013 – Lincoln Chafee, Governor of Rhode Island (2011–2015), former Republican U.S. Senator for Rhode Island (1999–2007), switched to Democrat
• 2014 – Lori Saldaña, California State Assemblywoman
• 2014 – Terry Hayes, Maine State Treasurer
• 2015 – Paul Tine, North Carolina State Representative
• 2015 – Keith English, Missouri State Representative
• 2015 – Ben Chipman, Maine House of Representatives, Independent switched to Democrat
• 2016 – Mike Huether, Mayor of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Democrat switched to Independent
• 2017 – Rupert Phillips, West Virginia State Delegate, Democrat to Independent, sat as an Independent until his membership with the Republican Party was approved
• 2017 – Denise Harlow, Maine State Representative, Democrat to Independent
• 2017 – Ralph Chapman, Maine State Representative, Democrat to Independent to Green
• 2017 – Martin Grohman, Maine State Representative, Democrat to Independent
• 2017 – Henry John Bear, nonvoting delegate of the Maliseet people in the Maine House of Representatives, Democrat to Green
• 2017 – Joseph Stallcop, New Hampshire State Representative, switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2017 – Cheri Jahn, Colorado State Senator, Democrat switched to Independent

Republican to Democratic

Before 1960

• 1860s – Henry George
• 1860s – Salmon P. Chase, former Senator from (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)
• 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)
• 1872 – Edmund G. Ross, former U.S. Senator from Kansas (1866–1871)
• 1877 - James B. Weaver, later U.S. Congressman from Iowa (1879-1889)
• 1880 - Benjamin Butler, former Congressman from Massachusetts (1867-1879), later Governor of Massachusetts (1883-1884)
• 1932 - Phelps Phelps, New York Assemblyman, later Governor of American Samoa (1951–1952)
• 1932 – Arthur W. Mitchell, later U.S. Congressman from Illinois (1935–1943)
• 1933 – Henry A. Wallace, later United States Secretary of Agriculture (1933-1940), Vice President of the United States (1941–1945) and United States Secretary of Commerce (1945-1946)
• 1936 – Ellis E. Patterson, California State Assemblyman, later Lieutenant Governor of California (1939-1943) and U.S. Congressman from California (1945-1947)
• 1939 – William L. Dawson, later U.S. Congressman from Illinois (1943–1970)
• 1939 – Corneal A. Davis, later a member of the Illinois House of Representatives (1943-1979)

1960s

• 1960s – Pete Stark, later served as U.S. Representative from California (1973–2013)
• 1960s – Howard Dean, later served as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont (1987–1991), Governor of Vermont (1991–2003) and Chairman of the Democratic National Committee (2005–2009)
• 1960s – Archibald Carey, Jr.
• 1962 – Calhoun Allen, Commissioner of Public Utilities in Shreveport
• 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.

1970s

• 1970 – Ralph Neas
• 1970 – Floyd K. Haskell, Colorado State Representative and later U.S. Senator from Colorado (1973–1979)
• 1971 – John Lindsay, Mayor of New York City
• 1971 – Leon Panetta, later served as U.S. Representative from California (1976–1993), White House Chief of Staff (1994–1997), Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (2009–2011) and United States Secretary of Defense (2009–2013)
• 1972 – Ogden R. Reid, while U.S. Representative from New York (1963–1975)
• 1972 – Herman Goldner, Mayor of St. Petersburg
• 1973 – Joan Finney, before being elected Kansas State Treasurer, and later 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
• 1977 – Lloyd H. Kincaid, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• 1977 – Peter Peyser, U.S. Representative from New York (1971–1977 and 1979–1983)
• 1978 – John Peavey, Idaho State Senator

1980s

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

1990s

• 1991 – Mike Doyle, later served as U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1995–present)
• 1991 – Markos Moulitsas
• 1992 – Loretta Sanchez, later served as U.S. Representative from California (1997–2017)
• 1992 – Frank Pecora, Pennsylvania State Senator
• 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)
• 1997 – Betsy McCaughey Ross, Lieutenant Governor of New York (1995–1998)
• 1997 – Debra J. Mazzarelli, New York State Assemblywoman
• 1998 – Russell W. Peterson, former Governor of Delaware (1969–1973)
• 1999 – Michael Forbes, while serving as U.S. Representative from New York (1995–2001)
• 1999 – Robert R. Neall, Maryland State Senator

2000s

• 2000 – Jeff Enfinger, Alabama State Senator
• 2000 – Gabrielle Giffords, later U.S. Representative from Arizona (2007–2012)
• 2000 – Scott Heidepriem, South Dakota State Senator
• 2000 – Dean 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 – Randy Sauder, Georgia State Representative
• 2001 – John A. Lawless, Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
• 2001 – Kathy Ashe, Georgia State Representative
• 2001 – Barbara McIlvaine Smith, Pennsylvania State Representative
• 2002 – D. G. Anderson, former 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)
• 2002 – Douglas Stalnaker, West Virginia House of Delegates
• 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 U.S. Representative from Kansas (2005–2007)
• 2003 – John E. Moore, later Lieutenant Governor of Kansas (2003–2007)
• 2004 – Arthur Mayo, Maine State Senator
• 2004 – Scott Dix, Georgia State Representative
• 2005 – Tim Mahoney, later 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, former NBA basketball player, in anticipation of running for Governor of Alabama in 2014
• 2006 – Nancy Riley, Oklahoma State Senator
• 2006 – Kate Witek, Nebraska Auditor of Public Accounts (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 – Barney Giese, County Prosecutor of Richland County, South Carolina
• 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 – Paul D. Froehlich, Illinois State Representative.
• 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 – Milward Dedman, Kentucky State Representative
• 2007 – Melvin B. Henley, Kentucky State Representative
• 2007 – Kirk England, Texas State Representative
• 2007 – James Hovland, Mayor of Edina, Minnesota
• 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 – Lou Thieblemont, Mayor of Camp Hill
• 2009 – Dale Swenson, Kansas State Representative

2010s

• 2010 – Steve Fox, later California State Assemblyman
• 2011 – Daniel Boman, Alabama State Representative
• 2011 – Wade Hurt, Kentucky State Representative
• 2011 – Patrick Murphy, later served as U.S. Representative from Florida (2013–2017)
• 2012 - Ron Erhardt, Minnesota State Representative
• 2012 – Peter Koo, New York City Councilman
• 2013 – Jean Schodorf, Kansas State Senator
• 2013 – Tom O'Halleran, former Arizona State Senator, later U.S. Representative from Arizona (2017–present)
• 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 – Lawrence E. Meyers, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge.
• 2014 – Aaron Johanson, Hawaii State Representative
• 2014 – Parker Griffith, former U.S. Representative. Griffith, who left the Democratic Party in 2009, returned in 2014 to run for Governor of Alabama.
• 2015 – John Ceretto, New York State Assemblyman
• 2015 – Jim Justice, later Governor of West Virginia (2017–present), switched back to Republican in 2017.
• 2017 – Beth Fukumoto, Hawaii State Representative.
• 2018 – Ken Maddox, former California State Assemblyman
• 2018 – Bob Krist, Nebraska State Senator, switched from Republican to Independent to Democrat

Republican to third party/independent or third party to Republican

• 1872 – Republicans in frustration with the Grant administration formed the Liberal Republican Party.
• mid-1870s – James Weaver, later U.S. Representative from Iowa (1879–1881 and 1885–1889)
• 1890s – Republicans who had agreed with the Free Silver movement of the 1890s formed the Silver Republican Party
• 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 and also United States Secretary of the Interior (1882–1885)
• 1897 – Fred T. Dubois, U.S. Senator from Idaho (1891–1897 and 1901–1907) switched to Silver Republican Party.
• 1912 – Theodore Roosevelt, former President of the United States (1901–1909), Republican to Progressive
• 1913 – Miles Poindexter, U.S. Senator from Washington switched to the Progressive Party (1911–1923).
• 1924 – Robert M. La Follette, Sr., U.S. Senator from Wisconsin ran as Progressive Party presidential candidate in 1924.
• 1926 – Herman Roethel, former Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, was nominated and elected as a Republican from the same district.
• 1934 – Robert M. La Follette, Jr., U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, switched from the Republican Party to the Progressive Party (1906–1925).
• 1936 – George William Norris, U.S. senator from Nebraska (1913–1943) became an Independent
• 1937 or 1938 – Vito Marcantonio, U.S. Representative from New York (1935–1937 and 1939–1951)
• 1952 – Wayne Morse, U.S. senator from Oregon. He then switched from independent to Democrat in 1955. (1945–1969)
• 1972 – Roger MacBride
• 1980 – John Anderson, U.S. Representative from Illinois (1961–1981), left the Republican presidential primary race for an independent centrist campaign in the 1980 presidential election.
• 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).
• 1990s? – Arianna Huffington
• 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.
• 1990 – Lowell P. Weicker, Jr., former U.S. Senator for Connecticut (1971–1989) before running as the first candidate of A Connecticut Party with successful campaign for Governor of Connecticut (1991–1995)
• 1990 – Eunice Groark
• 1996 – Ed Zschau, former U.S Representative for California (1983–1987), was the vice presidential running mate to former Colorado Governor Dick Lamm, a Democrat, who challenged Ross Perot for the Reform Party presidential nomination in 1996.
• 1999 – Pat Buchanan
• 1999 – Donald Trump, businessman and real-estate developer, later 45th President of the United States.
• 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.
• 2000 – Rick Jore, Montana State Representative, to U.S. Constitution Party
• 2001 – James M. Jeffords, while U.S. senator from Vermont (1989–2007). This move changed the balance of power in the Senate from 50–50, with Republican Vice President Richard B. Cheney casting the tie-breaking vote and thus providing a "51" majority, to 50-49-1, giving the Democrats majority control of the Senate until the GOP regained control in 2003, following the 2002 midterm elections. Jeffords was given the nickname "Jumpin' Jim Jeffords". He was given a committee chairmanship by the Democratic leadership, and caucused with the Democrats until he chose not to run for re-election and left the Senate.
• 2001 – Robert J. McCabe, Sheriff, City of Norfolk, Virginia
• 2002 – Arne Carlson, former Governor of Minnesota (1991–1999)
• 2006 – Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (1999–2007)
• 2006 – Ben Westlund, Oregon State Senator. Later became a Democrat and served as Oregon State Treasurer (2009–2010)
• 2006 – Bob Barr, former U.S. Representative from Georgia (1995–2003), joined the Libertarian Party.
• 2007 – Micheal R. Williams, Tennessee State Senator, became an independent.
• 2007 – Michael Bloomberg, while Mayor of New York City (2002–2014), became an independent.
• 2007 – Lincoln Chafee, former U.S. Senator from Rhode Island (1999–2007), switched to unaffiliated.
• 2007 – Rick Singleton, Rhode Island State Representative switched to Independent
• 2008 – Jeff Wood, Wisconsin State Assemblyman
• 2008 – Ron Erhardt, Minnesota State Representative.
• 2008 – Alan Keyes, switched to the Constitution Party.
• 2008 – Richard Weldon, Maryland House of Delegates
• 2009 – Jim Campbell, Maine State Representative switched to Independent
• 2009 – Ed Thompson, Libertarian Mayor of Tomah, Wisconsin switched to Republican to run for the 31st State Senate district
• 2010 – Joel Robideaux, Louisiana State Representative, switched from Independent to Republican
• 2010 – Jenna Haggar, South Dakota State Representative, switched from Independent to Republican
• 2010 – Daniel P. Gordon, Rhode Island State Representative, switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2010 – Ernest Wooton, Louisiana State Representative, switched to Independent to run for in that state's 2010 U.S. Senate race.
• 2010 – Charlie Crist, Governor of Florida (2007–2011), switched to independent to run in that state's 2010 U.S. Senate race.
• 2010 – Tom Tancredo, former U.S. Representative from Colorado (1999–2009), switched to the Constitution Party to run for Governor of Colorado.
• 2010 – Virgil Goode, former U.S. Representative from Virginia (1997–2009), switched to the Constitution Party and became their nominee for President of the United States in the 2012 election.
• 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 and sought the party's nomination for President of the United States in the 2012 election.
• 2013 – Joe T. May, Virginia State Delegate, switched to independent after losing in the Republican primary.
• 2013 – Joe Malone, former Treasurer and Receiver-General of Massachusetts (1991-1999)
• 2014 – Sue Wagner, former Lieutenant Governor of Nevada (1991–1995)
• 2014 – Bill Walker, Alaska gubernatorial candidate, was running as a nonpartisan candidate and switched to independent when merging campaigns with Democrat Byron Mallott
• 2015 – Nate Bell, Arkansas State Representative, switched from Republican to Independent.
• 2016 – John Moore, Nevada Assemblyman switched to Libertarian Party
• 2016 – William Weld, former Governor of Massachusetts (1991–1997), switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2016 – Laura Ebke, Nebraska State Senator, switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2016 – David Johnson, Iowa State Senator, switched to Independent.
• 2016 – Mark B. Madsen, Utah State Senator, switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2016 – Patricia Farley, Nevada State Senator, switched to Independent.
• 2016 – Blake Filippi, Rhode Island State Representative, switched from Independent to Republican; he had also been Republican previously until 2012.
• 2017 – Kevin Battle, Maine State Representative, switched to Independent
• 2017 – Beth Fukumoto, Hawaii State Representative, Republican to Independent, sat as an Independent until her request to join the Democratic Party was approved
• 2017 – Caleb Dyer, New Hampshire State Representative, switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2017 – Joe Scarborough, former U.S. Congressman from Florida (1995–2001)
• 2017 – Rupert Phillips, West Virginia State Delegate, Democrat to Independent to Republican
• 2017 – Bob Krist, Nebraska State Senator, Republican to Independent to Democrat
• 2017 – Brandon Phinney, New Hampshire State Representative, switched to the Libertarian Party
• 2017 – Norm Higgins, Maine State Representative, switched to Independent
• 2018 – Aubrey Dunn Jr., New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands switched to the Libertarian Party

Democratic to Republican to Democratic

• 2003 – Tommy Dickerson, Mississippi State Senator.
• 2003 – Johnny Ford, Alabama State Representative.
• 2010 – Arlen Specter, U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania (1981–2011)
• 2010 – Jim Bradford, South Dakota State Representative
• 2014 – Parker Griffith, former U.S. Representative from Alabama (2009–2011)
• 2015 – Artur Davis, former U.S. Representative from Alabama (2003–2011)

Other

• 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.
• 1941 – Henrik Shipstead, while U.S. Senator from Minnesota, switched from the Farmer-Labor Party to the Republican Party.
• 2000 – Jesse Ventura, while governor of Minnesota, left the Reform Party, along with most of his supporters, to refound the Independence Party of Minnesota.
• 2007 – Elaine Brown, left Green Party became independent after withdrawing from Green Party presidential race.

There have been several instances of politicians continuing to be a member of a political party while running other campaigns as an independent. The most prominent examples include southern Democratic segregationists Strom Thurmond in 1948 and George Wallace in 1968, who remained in the Democratic Party for statewide campaigns but mounted national presidential campaigns as independents. Wallace later ran in the 1972 Democratic primaries. Earlier, liberal Republican Robert La Follette, Sr. ran for president as the candidate of the Progressive Party in 1924, while still remaining a Republican in the Senate. Another example is Senator Joseph Lieberman, who in 2006 ran for Senate in Connecticut under the party Connecticut for Lieberman, although still identifying as a Democrat

Former U.S. Representative Jim Leach, a Republican, speaks during the first night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Other political figures, such as Ed Koch, Jim Leach, Zell Miller, Colin Powell, did not formally leave their parties, but supported a candidate from another party. Miller and Koch, though Democrats, supported Republican George W. Bush's 2004 reelection campaign, while Powell and Leach supported Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. This received much media attention in 2004, when Democrats for Bush and Republicans for Kerry groups were formed. In New Hampshire, former Republican Governor Walter Peterson has expressly supported Democrat John Lynch in his bids for governor. In Virginia, the state's first Republican governor since Reconstruction, Linwood Holton, has since 2001 frequently supported Democrats in statewide races – his son-in-law, Tim Kaine, has been elected to the governorship and the U.S. Senate in that time, and served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President in the 2016 election – and endorsed Barack Obama in 2008. Similarly, in 1860, former Democratic President Martin Van Buren ended up supporting Abraham Lincoln due to Van Buren's disagreements with Democratic policies on secession. Other examples include former Republican Senator from Minnesota David Durenberger supporting John Kerry in 2004 and former Democratic Attorney General Griffin Bell supporting George W. Bush in 2004.

See also

• Crossover voting
• List of United States Senators who changed parties
• List of United States Congressmen who switch parties
• Republican In Name Only, Democrat In Name Only
• Red state-blue state divide
• U.S. states, with map
• Crossing the floor for the same concept in the Westminster system
• Reagan Democrat
• McCain Democrat
• Obama Republican
• People United Means Action

External links

• Senators Who Changed Parties During Senate Service (Since 1890)
• A list of party switchers (compiled in 2001)
• An overview of party switching in recent years.
• "Party switching comes with political risks"
• Oklahoma State Senator Nancy Riley switches from Republican to Democrat
• Montana State Senator switches from Republican to Democrat to break a 25 to 25 tie
• Mayor Michael Bloomberg's official homepage
• Speaker confirms Rep. Dedman's party switch
• Wave of Party Switchers Hits Republicans
• Specter Among Few Party Switchers to Lose Seat