Women Elected to Party Leadership Positions
Twenty-four women in congressional history have been elected by their peers into the Democratic and Republican Party leadership—18 in the House and six in the Senate. The first was Connecticut Representative Chase Going Woodhouse, who served a single term as Secretary of the Democratic Caucus in the 81st Congress (1949–1951). Illinois Representative Lynn Martin became the first Republican woman elected to a House leadership position when she won the vice chair post in the Republican Conference in the 99th–100th Congresses (1985–1989). The first woman elected to a Senate leadership position was Margaret Chase Smith of Maine, who chaired the Senate Republican Conference in the 90th—92nd Congresses (1967–1973). California Representative Nancy Pelosi is the highest-ranking woman in congressional history—having served as House Democratic Whip and House Democratic Leader, prior to being elected Speaker of the House in 2007.
House of Representatives
| Congress |
Member |
Caucus/Conference |
Position |
| 81st (1949–1951) |
Woodhouse, Chase Going |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 83rd (1953–1955) |
Kelly, Edna Flannery |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 84th (1955–1957) |
Kelly, Edna Flannery |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 86th (1959–1961) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 87th (1961–1963) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 88th (1963–1965) |
Kelly, Edna Flannery1 |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 88th (1963–1965) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 89th (1965–1967) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 90th (1967–1969) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 91st (1969–1971) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 92nd (1971–1973) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 93rd (1973–1975) |
Sullivan, Leonor K. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 94th (1975–1977) |
Mink, Patsy T. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 95th (1977–1979) |
Chisholm, Shirley Anita |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 96th (1979–1981) |
Chisholm, Shirley Anita |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 97th (1981–1983) |
Ferraro, Geraldine Anne |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 98th (1983–1985) |
Ferraro, Geraldine Anne |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 99th (1985–1987) |
Martin, Lynn |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 99th (1985–1987) |
Oakar, Mary Rose |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 100th (1987–1989) |
Martin, Lynn |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 100th (1987–1989) |
Oakar, Mary Rose |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 104th (1995–1997) |
Kennelly, Barbara B. |
Democratic Caucus |
Vice Chair |
| 104th (1995–1997) |
Dunn, Jennifer |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 104th (1995–1997) |
Dunn, Jennifer |
Republican Conference |
Secretary |
| 104th (1995–1997) |
Molinari, Susan |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 104th (1995–1997) |
Vucanovich, Barbara F. |
Republican Conference |
Secretary |
| 105th (1997–1999) |
Molinari, Susan |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 105th (1997–1999) |
Kennelly, Barbara B. |
Democratic Caucus |
Vice Chair |
| 106th (1999–2001) |
Fowler, Tillie Kidd |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 106th (1999–2001) |
Pryce, Deborah |
Republican Conference |
Secretary |
| 107th (2001–2003) |
Cubin, Barbara L. |
Republican Conference |
Secretary |
| 107th (2001–2003) |
Pelosi, Nancy |
Democratic Caucus |
Whip |
| 107th (2001–2003) |
Pryce, Deborah |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 108th (2003–2005) |
Pryce, Deborah |
Republican Conference |
Chair |
| 108th (2003–2005) |
Pelosi, Nancy |
Democratic Caucus |
Leader |
| 109th (2005–2007) |
Pelosi, Nancy |
Democratic Caucus |
Leader |
| 109th (2005–2007) |
Pryce, Deborah |
Republican Conference |
Chair |
| 110th (2007–2009) |
Pelosi, Nancy |
U.S. House of Representatives |
Speaker of the House |
| 110th (2007–2009) |
Granger, Kay |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 111th (2009–2011) |
McMorris Rodgers, Cathy |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 111th (2009–2011) |
Pelosi, Nancy |
U.S. House of Representatives |
Speaker of the House |
Senate
| Congress |
Member |
Caucus/Conference |
Position |
| 90th (1967–1969) |
Smith, Margaret Chase |
Republican Conference |
Chair |
| 91st (1969–1971) |
Smith, Margaret Chase |
Republican Conference |
Chair |
| 92nd (1971–1973) |
Smith, Margaret Chase |
Republican Conference |
Chair |
| 104th (1995–1997) |
Mikulski, Barbara Ann |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 105th (1997–1999) |
Mikulski, Barbara Ann |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 105th (1997–1999) |
Snowe, Olympia Jean |
Republican Conference |
Secretary |
| 106th (1999–2001) |
Mikulski, Barbara Ann |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 106th (1999–2001) |
Snowe, Olympia Jean |
Republican Conference |
Secretary |
| 107th (2001–2003) |
Hutchison, Kathryn Ann Bailey |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 107th (2001–2003) |
Mikulski, Barbara Ann |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 108th (2003–2005) |
Hutchison, Kathryn Ann Bailey |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 108th (2003–2005) |
Mikulski, Barbara Ann |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 109th (2005–2007) |
Hutchison, Kathryn Ann Bailey |
Republican Conference |
Vice Chair |
| 109th (2005–2007) |
Stabenow, Deborah A. |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
| 110th (2007–2009) |
Hutchison, Kathryn Ann Bailey |
Republican Conference |
Policy Committee Chairwoman |
| 110th (2007–2009) |
Murray, Patty |
Democratic Caucus |
Secretary |
- Kelly and Sullivan shared the Secretary post during the 88th Congress, with Kelly serving in the second session.