James E. Clyburn DEMDemocrat

James Enos Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is an American politician and retired educator serving as a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina. He previously served as House Majority Whip between 2007 and 2011 and between 2019 and 2023. Clyburn also served as House assistant Democratic leader from 2011 to 2019 and again from 2023 until he stepped down in 2024.Currently in his 16th term, Clyburn has served as the U.S. representative for South Carolina's 6th congressional district since 1993. His congressional district includes most of the majority-black precincts in and around Columbia and Charleston, as well as most of the majority-black areas outside Beaufort and nearly all of South Carolina's share of the Black Belt. Clyburn is the dean of South Carolina's congressional delegation. Since John Spratt's departure in 2011, aside from the single term served by Joe Cunningham, Clyburn has been the only Democrat in South Carolina’s congressional delegation. Clyburn served as the third-ranking House Democrat, behind Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, from 2007 until 2023, serving as majority whip behind Pelosi and Hoyer during periods of Democratic House control, and as assistant democratic leader behind Pelosi and Hoyer during periods of Republican control. After the Democrats took control of the House in the 2018 midterm elections, Clyburn was reelected majority whip in January 2019 at the opening of the 116th Congress, alongside the reelected Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer, marking the second time the trio has served in these roles together. In the 2022 midterm elections, Republicans gained control of the House, and Pelosi announced her retirement as leader of the House Democratic Caucus. On the same day, Hoyer announced he would not seek his leadership position.