Blue Dog Coalition

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

Blue Dog Coalition
Co-Chairs
FoundedFebruary 14, 1995 (1995-02-14)
Ideology
Political position
National affiliationDemocratic Party
Colors  Blue
Seats in the House Democratic Caucus
10 / 213
Seats in the House
10 / 435
Website
bluedogcaucus-golden.house.gov

The Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs or Blue Dog Democrats, is a caucus of moderate members from the Democratic Party in the United States House of Representatives.[1][2] 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 both fiscally and socially conservative.[3][4][5] At its peak in 2009, the Blue Dog Coalition numbered 54 members.[6]

In the late 2010s and early 2020s, the Coalition's focus shifted towards ideological centrism and pragmatic, constituency-based politics;[7][8][9] however, the Coalition maintained an emphasis on fiscal responsibility.[10] The Blue Dog Coalition remains the most conservative grouping of Democrats in the House.[6] In the 2020s, Blue Dog members have shifted to more populist economic positions, such as advocating for higher taxes on the very wealthy and stronger antitrust enforcement.[11]

As of 2024, the caucus has ten members.[12][13]

  1. ^ Davis, Susan. "U.S. House has fewer moderate Democrats". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference auto1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Duncan, Philip P.; Nutting, Brian (1999). CQ's politics in America: 2000, the 106th Congress. Washington, DC: Congressional Quarterly, Inc. p. 18. ISBN 9781568024714.
  4. ^ Solomon, Norman (May 24, 2010). "When the Leaders Lead, the People Have Sorrow". HuffPost. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Elections A to Z was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b Miller, Jonathan (May 23, 2018). "The Blue Dogs Are Barking Again". Roll Call. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mendoza was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Dwindling Blue Dog Democrats look to stage a comeback for moderates". The Washington Post. August 8, 2023.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brindisi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2024/08/14/blue-dogs-aim-to-grow-their-ranks-00174072
  12. ^ Mutnick, Ally; Ferris, Sarah (January 24, 2023). "Blue Dog Coalition Membership". Blue Dog Coalition. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  13. ^ "Members | Blue Dog Coalition". bluedogcaucus-golden.house.gov. September 6, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2024.