 |
|
In the United States, there have usually been two main political parties. Since the 1860s, these two main parties have been the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. The Republican Party has the most seats in the House of Representatives as well as a majority in the senate.
The third largest political party in the U.S. is the Libertarian Party.
Many 20th century United States Presidents such as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and the current President Barack Obama are Democrats. They have 44 out of 100 seats in the U.S. Senate and 188 out of 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Twenty-six out of 50 state governors are also Democrats. The party generally promotes liberalism and is often classed as a centre-left party. Currently, the party has 72 million registered voters across America.
The Republican Party was founded in 1854 as an anti-slavery party and its first President was Abraham Lincoln in 1861. The party has led America with such figures as Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush. The party has 54 out of 100 seats in the Senate and 247 out of 435 seats in the House of Representatives. Republican Paul Ryan became the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives on October 29, 2015. Twenty-four out of 50 states have a Republican governor. It has around 55 million registered voters across America. Currently, the Republican Party is identified as conservative and right-wing.
There are several minor parties in the United States, none of whom have any seats in the Senate or the House of Representatives.
