List of Jewish American politicians

This is a list of notable Jewish American politicians, arranged chronologically. For other Jewish Americans, see Lists of Jewish Americans.

Federal government

Members of Congress

Cabinet officials

Other

State government

Governors

State Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office Notes
Georgia David Emanuel Democratic-Republican March 3, 1801 November 7, 1801 Emanuel may not have been an openly practicing Jew.
As an adult he became a Presbyterian, but modern historians accept he was Jewish.
Wisconsin Edward Salomon Republican April 19, 1862 January 4, 1864
Washington Edward Salomon Republican March 4, 1870 May 26, 1872
California Washington Bartlett Democratic January 8, 1887 September 12, 1887 California's first and only Jewish governor
Idaho Moses Alexander Democratic January 4, 1915 January 6, 1919 Idaho's first and only Jewish governor
Utah Simon Bamberger Democratic January 1, 1917 January 1, 1921 Utah's first and only Jewish governor
New Mexico Arthur Seligman Democratic January 1, 1931 September 25, 1933 New Mexico's first Jewish governor
Oregon Julius Meier Independent January 12, 1931 January 14, 1935 Oregon's first Jewish governor
New York Herbert Lehman Democratic January 1, 1933 December 3, 1942 New York's first Jewish governor
Florida David Sholtz Democratic January 3, 1933 January 5, 1937 Florida's first Jewish governor
Illinois Henry Horner Democratic January 9, 1933 October 6, 1940 Illinois' first Jewish governor
Wisconsin Julius Heil Republican January 2, 1939 January 4, 1943
Alaska Ernest Gruening Democratic December 6, 1939 April 10, 1953 Alaska's first and only Jewish governor
Connecticut Abe Ribicoff Democratic January 5, 1955 January 21, 1961 Connecticut's first and only Jewish governor
Illinois Samuel Shapiro Democratic May 21, 1968 January 13, 1969
Rhode Island Frank Licht Democratic January 7, 1969 January 2, 1973 Rhode Island's first Jewish governor
Maryland Marvin Mandel Democratic January 7, 1969 January 17, 1979 Maryland's first and only Jewish governor
*Blair Lee III served as Acting Governor from June 4, 1977, to January 15, 1979
Pennsylvania Milton Shapp Democratic January 19, 1971 January 16, 1979 Pennsylvania's first Jewish governor
Vermont Madeleine Kunin Democratic January 10, 1985 January 10, 1991 Vermont's first Jewish governor
Oregon Neil Goldschmidt Democratic January 12, 1987 January 14, 1991
Rhode Island Bruce Sundlun Democratic January 1, 1991 January 3, 1995
Hawaii Linda Lingle Republican December 2, 2002 December 6, 2010 Hawaii's first Jewish governor
Pennsylvania Ed Rendell Democratic January 21, 2003 January 18, 2011
New York Eliot Spitzer Democratic January 1, 2007 March 17, 2008
Delaware Jack Markell Democratic January 20, 2009 January 17, 2017 Delaware's first Jewish governor
Vermont Peter Shumlin Democratic January 6, 2011 January 5, 2017
Missouri Eric Greitens Republican January 9, 2017 June 1, 2018 Missouri's first Jewish governor
Colorado Jared Polis Democratic January 8, 2019 Incumbent Colorado's first Jewish governor
Illinois J. B. Pritzker Democratic January 14, 2019 Incumbent
Hawaii Josh Green Democratic December 5, 2022 Incumbent
Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro Democratic January 17, 2023 Incumbent
North Carolina Josh Stein Democratic January 1, 2025 Incumbent North Carolina's first Jewish Governor
Delaware Matt Meyer Democratic January 21, 2025 Incumbent

Lieutenant governors

State Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office
Louisiana Henry Hyams Democratic January 23, 1860 January 25, 1864
New York Herbert Lehman Democratic January 1, 1929 December 31, 1932
Illinois Samuel Shapiro Democratic January 9, 1961 May 21, 1968
Vermont Madeleine Kunin Democratic January 10, 1979 January 10, 1983
Missouri Ken Rothman Democratic January 12, 1981 January 15, 1985
Rhode Island Richard Licht Democratic January 1, 1985 January 1, 1989
Missouri Harriett Woods Democratic January 14, 1985 January 9, 1989
Maryland Melvin Steinberg Democratic January 21, 1987 January 18, 1995
Pennsylvania Robert Jubelirer Republican October 5, 2001 January 21, 2003
Ohio Lee Fisher Democratic January 8, 2007 January 10, 2011
Delaware Matthew Denn Democratic January 20, 2009 January 6, 2015
New York Richard Ravitch Democratic July 9, 2009 December 31, 2010
Louisiana Jay Dardenne Republican November 22, 2010 January 11, 2016
Hawaii Brian Schatz Democratic December 6, 2010 December 26, 2012
Connecticut Nancy Wyman Democratic January 5, 2011 January 9, 2019
Kentucky Jerry Abramson Democratic December 13, 2011 November 13, 2014
Florida Carlos Lopez-Cantera Republican February 3, 2014 January 7, 2019
Vermont David Zuckerman Vermont Progressive Party January 5, 2017 January 7, 2021
Hawaii Josh Green Democratic December 3, 2018 December 5, 2022
Vermont David Zuckerman Vermont Progressive Party January 5, 2023 January 9, 2025

State Attorneys General

State Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office
New York Simon Rosendale Democratic January 1, 1892 December 31, 1893
Maryland Isidor Rayner Democratic 1899 1903
Maryland Isaac Straus Democratic 1907 1911
New York Carl Sherman Democratic January 1, 1923 December 31, 1924
New York Albert Ottinger Republican January 1, 1925 December 31, 1928
Ohio Gilbert Bettman Republican January 14, 1929 January 12, 1933
New Jersey David Wilentz Democratic 1934 1944
New York Nathaniel Goldstein Republican January 1, 1943 December 31, 1954
Delaware Albert Young Independent 1951 1955
Massachusetts George Fingold Republican January 8, 1953 August 31, 1958
New York Jacob Javits Republican January 1, 1955 January 9, 1957
New York Louis Lefkowitz Republican January 10, 1957 December 31, 1978
California Stanley Mosk Democratic January 5, 1959 1964
New Hampshire Warren Rudman Republican 1970 1976
Rhode Island Richard Israel Republican January 5, 1971 January 7, 1975
Florida Robert Shevin Democratic January 5, 1971 January 2, 1979
Vermont Jerome Diamond Democratic 1975 1981
Rhode Island Julius Michaelson Democratic January 7, 1975 January 2, 1979
New York Robert Abrams Democratic January 1, 1979 January 31, 1993
Maryland Stephen Sachs Democratic January 17, 1979 January 21, 1987
Connecticut Joe Lieberman Democratic January 5, 1983 January 3, 1989
Connecticut Richard Blumenthal Democratic January 9, 1991 January 5, 2011
Ohio Lee Fisher Democratic January 14, 1991 January 9, 1995
New York G. Oliver Koppell Democratic January 1, 1993 December 31, 1994
Rhode Island Jeffrey Pine Republican January 5, 1993 January 2, 1999
New Jersey Deborah Poritz Republican 1994 1996
New York Eliot Spitzer Democratic January 1, 1999 December 31, 2006
New Jersey David Samson Independent January 15, 2002 February 15, 2003
New Jersey Stuart Rabner Democratic September 26, 2006 June 26, 2007
Maryland Doug Gansler Democratic January 17, 2007 January 21, 2015
Louisiana Buddy Caldwell Democratic January 14, 2008 February 2, 2011
Republican February 2, 2011 January 11, 2016
New York Eric Schneiderman Democratic January 1, 2011 May 8, 2018
Arizona Tom Horne Republican January 3, 2011 January 5, 2015
Georgia Sam Olens Republican January 10, 2011 November 1, 2016
Oregon Ellen Rosenblum Democratic June 29, 2012 December 31, 2024
Delaware Matthew Denn Democratic January 6, 2015 January 1, 2019
Maryland Brian Frosh Democratic January 21, 2015 January 3, 2023
North Carolina Josh Stein Democratic January 1, 2017 January 1, 2025
Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro Democratic January 17, 2017 January 17, 2023
Michigan Dana Nessel Democratic January 1, 2019 Incumbent
Colorado Phil Weiser Democratic January 8, 2019 Incumbent
Washington D.C. Brian Schwalb Democratic January 2, 2023 Incumbent

State Secretaries of State

State Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office
New York Samuel Koenig Republican January 1, 1909 December 31, 1910
New York Mitchell May Democratic January 1, 1913 December 31, 1914
New York Caroline Simon Republican 1959 1963
Connecticut Mildred Allen Republican January 3, 1955 January 3, 1959
Florida Richard Stone Democratic January 5, 1971 July 8, 1974
Florida George Firestone Democratic 1979 1989
Vermont Deborah Markowitz Democratic January 1999 January 2011
Louisiana Jay Dardenne Republican November 10, 2006 November 22, 2010
Missouri Jason Kander Democratic January 14, 2013 January 9, 2017
Colorado Jena Griswold Democratic January 8, 2019 Incumbent

State Treasurers

State Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office
New Jersey David Naar Democratic 1865 1865
New Jersey Katharine White
Acting
Democratic 1961 1961
Maine Samuel Shapiro Democratic 1981 1996
Rhode Island Nancy Mayer Republican 1993 1997
Delaware Jack Markell Democratic January 16, 1999 January 20, 2009
Kentucky Jonathan Miller Democratic December 1999 December 11, 2007
Massachusetts Steve Grossman Democratic January 17, 2011 January 21, 2015
Ohio Josh Mandel Republican January 10, 2011 January 14, 2019
Nevada Dan Schwartz Republican January 5, 2015 January 7, 2019
Rhode Island Seth Magaziner Democratic January 6, 2015 January 3, 2023
Massachusetts Deb Goldberg Democratic January 21, 2015 Incumbent

Other State Cabinet Positions

State Position Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried Democratic January 8, 2019 January 3, 2023

State Legislators

  • Daniel Ankeles, Member of the Maine House of Representatives
  • Simcha Felder, Member of the New York State Senate
  • Lazarus Joseph (1891–1966), Member of the New York State Senate and New York City Comptroller
  • Florence Shapiro, Member of the Texas State Senate (1993-2013)
  • Loretta Weinberg, former Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate

Municipal government

Mayors of major cities

Current mayors of major cities

City State Portrait Name Party Assumed office Left office
Austin Texas Steve Adler Democratic January 6, 2015 Incumbent
Burlington Vermont Miro Weinberger Democratic April 2, 2012 Incumbent
Chattanooga Tennessee Andy Berke Democratic April 15, 2013 Incumbent
Jersey City New Jersey Steven Fulop Democratic July 1, 2013 Incumbent
Las Vegas Nevada Carolyn Goodman Independent July 6, 2011 Incumbent
Sacramento California Darrell Steinberg Democratic December 13, 2016 Incumbent
San Antonio Texas Ron Nirenberg Independent June 21, 2017 Incumbent
St. Petersburg Florida Rick Kriseman Democratic January 2, 2014 Incumbent
San Francisco California Daniel Lurie Democratic January 8, 2025 Assuming office January 8, 2025
Minneapolis Minnesota Jacob Frey Democratic January 2, 2018 Incumbent

Former mayors of major cities

  • Jerry Abramson (D-Louisville, KY: 1986–1999; 2003–2011)
  • Moses Alexander (D-Boise, ID: 1897–1899; 1901–1903)
  • Abe Aronovitz (R-Miami, FL: 1953–1955)
  • Harry Bacharach (R-Atlantic City, NJ: 1912; 1916–1920; 1930–1935)
  • Walt Bachrach (R-Cincinnati, OH: 1960–1967
  • Abraham Beame (D-New York, NY: 1974–1977)
  • Martin Behrman (D-New Orleans, LA: 1904–1920; 1925–1926)
  • Richard Berkley (R-Kansas City, MO: 1979–1991)
  • Ethan Berkowitz (D-Anchorage, AK: 2015–2020)
  • Bruce Blakeman (R-First Presiding Officer of Nassau County, NY)
  • Michael Bloomberg (D-New York, NY: 2002–2013)
  • David Cicilline (D-Providence, RI: 2003–2011)
  • Josh Cohen (D-Annapolis, MD: 2009–2013)
  • Larry Cohen (D-Saint Paul, MN: 1972–1976)
  • Norm Coleman (R-Saint Paul, MN: 1997–2002)[citation needed]
  • Leopold David (Anchorage, AK: 1920–1923), first mayor of Anchorage
  • Rahm Emanuel (D-Chicago, IL: 2011–2019)
  • Mutt Evans (D-Durham, NC: 1951–1963)
  • Dianne Feinstein (D-San Francisco, CA: 1978–1988)
  • Bob Filner (D-San Diego, CA: 2012–2013)
  • Samuel Folz (D-Kalamazoo, MI: 1903)
  • Lois Frankel (D-West Palm Beach, FL: 2003–2011)
  • Sandra Freedman (D-Tampa, FL: 1986–1995)
  • Jeffrey Friedman (D-Austin, TX: 1975–1977)
  • Eva Galambos (R-Sandy Springs, GA: 2005–2014)
  • Eric Garcetti (D-Los Angeles, CA; 2013–2022)
  • Bailey Gatzert (I-Seattle, WA: 1875–1876)
  • Susan Golding (R-San Diego, CA: 1992–2000)
  • Neil Goldschmidt (D-Portland, OR: 1973–1979)
  • Stephen Goldsmith (R-Indianapolis, IN: 1992–2000)
  • Phil Gordon (D-Phoenix, AZ: 2004–2012)
  • Bill Gradison (R-Cincinnati, OH: 1971)
  • Robert Harris (D-Ann Arbor, MI: 1969–1973)
  • Adlene Harrison (D-Dallas, TX: 1976)
  • Max Heller (D-Greenville, SC: 1971–1979)
  • Julius Houseman (D-Grand Rapids, MI: 1872–1873; 1874–1875)
  • Vera Katz (D-Portland, OR: 1993–2005)
  • Ed Koch (D-New York, NY: 1978–1989)
  • Joseph Lazarow (R-Atlantic City, NJ: 1976–1982)
  • Oscar Leeser (D-El Paso, TX: 2013-2017, 2021-Present)
  • Henry Loeb (D-Memphis, TN: 1960–1963; 1968–1971), later converted to Episcopalianism
  • Zachariah J. Loussac (D-Anchorage, AK: 1948–1951)
  • Sophie Masloff (D-Pittsburgh, PA: 1988–1994)
  • Sam Massell (D-Atlanta, GA: 1970–1974)
  • Laura Miller (D-Dallas, TX: 2002–2007)
  • Arthur Naftalin (D-Minneapolis, MN: 1961–1969)
  • Meyera Oberndorf (D-Virginia Beach, VA: 1988–2009)
  • Ed Rendell (D-Philadelphia, PA: 1992 – 2000)
  • Jonathan Rothschild (D-Tucson, AZ: 2011–2019)
  • Libby Schaaf (D-Oakland, CA: 2015-2023)
  • Steve Schewel (D-Durham, NC: 2017–2021)
  • Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo, TX: 1993–2001)
  • Florence Shapiro (R-Plano, TX: 1990–1992)
  • Joseph Simon (R-Portland, OR: 1909–1911)
  • Paul Soglin (D-Madison, WI: 1973–1979; 1989–1997; 2011–2019)
  • Jerry Springer (D-Cincinnati, OH: 1977–1978)
  • Annette Strauss (D-Dallas, TX: 1987–1991)
  • Adolph Sutro (R-San Francisco, CA: 1895–1897)
  • Susan Weiner (R-Savannah, GA: 1992–1996)
  • Edward Zorinsky (R-Omaha, NE: 1973–1976)

Other

  • Chelsea Cook, Member of the Durham City Council

Presidential and vice presidential candidates

  • Tonie Nathan was the vice presidential nominee of the Libertarian Party in 1972. She received one electoral vote for vice president (from a faithless elector that had pledged his vote for Republicans Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew), thus becoming the first Jew to receive an electoral vote for either president or vice president.
  • Arlen Specter ran for the Republican nomination in 1996, but dropped out before the Iowa caucuses. He later became a Democrat.[citation needed]
  • Joe Lieberman was the Democratic nominee for vice president in 2000, receiving 266 electoral votes for vice president. Four years later, he ran for the Democratic presidential nomination for the 2004 election. He became an Independent in 2006.
  • Jill Stein was the Green Party nominee in 2012. She lost with 0.36% of the vote, or 470,000 votes. She ran in the 2016 Presidential Election, but lost with just over one percent.[citation needed] Stein ran for a third time in 2024 as the Green Party nominee.
  • Bernie Sanders ran for president in 2016 as a Democrat. He became the first Jewish candidate to win a Democratic party primary with a victory in New Hampshire. He lost the nomination to Hillary Clinton. He ran again in 2020. Sanders received one vote in the electoral college in 2016 from David Mulinix of Hawaii, thus making him the first Jew to receive a vote for president in the college. In addition to this, he received two invalidated votes from other voters in the electoral college.
  • Michael Bennet ran in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.
  • Michael Bloomberg ran in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries.
  • Marianne Williamson, raised in a Jewish family, ran in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries. Williamson ran again four years later in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries.
  • Dean Phillips ran in the 2024 Democratic Party presidential primaries.

See also

  • List of Jewish political milestones in the United States
  • List of Jewish American jurists

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