Steny Hoyer

Steny Hoyer
Official portrait, 2019
House Majority Leader
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
SpeakerNancy Pelosi
WhipJim Clyburn
Preceded byKevin McCarthy
Succeeded bySteve Scalise
In office
January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2011
SpeakerNancy Pelosi
WhipJim Clyburn
Preceded byJohn Boehner
Succeeded byEric Cantor
House Minority Whip
In office
January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2019
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byEric Cantor
Succeeded bySteve Scalise
In office
January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007
LeaderNancy Pelosi
Preceded byNancy Pelosi
Succeeded byRoy Blunt
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
June 21, 1989 – January 3, 1995
LeaderTom Foley
Preceded byWilliam H. Gray III
Succeeded byVic Fazio
Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 1989 – June 21, 1989
LeaderJim Wright
Preceded byMary Rose Oakar
Succeeded byVic Fazio
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 5th district
Assumed office
May 19, 1981
Preceded byGladys Spellman
President of the Maryland Senate
In office
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1978
Preceded byWilliam S. James
Succeeded byJames Clark Jr.
Member of the Maryland Senate
from the 26th district
In office
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1978
Preceded byConstituency established
Succeeded byMike Donovan
Member of the Maryland Senate
from the 4C district
In office
January 1967 – January 1975
Preceded byconstituency established
Succeeded byconstituency abolished
Personal details
Born
Steny Hamilton Hoyer

(1939-06-14) June 14, 1939 (age 85)
New York City, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Judith Pickett
(m. 1961; died 1997)
[1]
Elaine Kamarck
(m. 2023)
Children3
Residence(s)Mechanicsville, Maryland, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Maryland, College Park (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)
Profession
  • Politician
  • lawyer
Signature
WebsiteHouse website

Steny Hamilton Hoyer (/ˈstɛni ˈhɔɪər/ STEN-ee HOY-ər; born June 14, 1939) is an American politician and retired attorney who has served as the U.S. representative for Maryland's 5th congressional district since 1981. He also served as House Majority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Hoyer first attained office through a special election on May 19, 1981. As of 2023, he is in his 22nd House term. His district includes a large swath of rural and suburban territory southeast of Washington, D.C. Hoyer is the dean of the Maryland congressional delegation and the most senior Democrat in the House.[2]

From 2003 to 2023, Hoyer was the second-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives behind Nancy Pelosi. He is a two-time House majority leader, having served in the post from 2007 to 2011 under Speaker Pelosi.[3][4] During two periods of Republican House control (2003–2007 and 2011–2019), Hoyer served as House minority whip, both times under Minority Leader Pelosi. Following the 2018 midterm elections in which the Democrats took control of the House, Hoyer was reelected majority leader in 2019 for the 116th Congress; he remained the number two House Democrat behind Speaker Pelosi. He announced on November 17, 2022, that he, along with Pelosi, would not seek a leadership position in the 118th Congress, though he would remain a member of the House.[5][6]

  1. ^ Rasmussen, Fred (February 7, 1997). "Judith Hoyer, 57, school official, congressman's wife". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
  2. ^ "Steny Hoyer for Congress". Hoyer for Congress. Retrieved September 26, 2022.
  3. ^ Ferraro, Thomas; Cowan, Richard (November 16, 2006). "Corrected - Democrats defy Pelosi, elect Hoyer House leader". Toronto Star. Reuters. Archived from the original on January 14, 2021. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  4. ^ Alexander Mooney (November 16, 2006). "Hoyer beats out Murtha for majority leader". CNN Political Ticker. CNN. Archived from the original on March 9, 2008. Retrieved November 16, 2006.
  5. ^ McPherson, Lindsey (November 28, 2018). "Steny Hoyer Elected House Majority Leader". Roll Call. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  6. ^ Barker, Jeff (November 28, 2018). "Democrats select Maryland's Steny Hoyer to return as U.S. House majority leader; Pelosi nominated for speaker". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on November 29, 2018. Retrieved November 29, 2018.