List of Working Families Party public officeholders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Working Families Party (WFP) is a progressive political party. WFP very rarely runs candidates solely on the WFP ballot line.[1][2] Instead, WFP has two main strategies for supporting candidates:
- In states with electoral fusion, WFP maintains a statewide ballot line, which it usually uses to cross-endorse progressive Democrats.[1][3] The Connecticut WFP,[4] New York WFP,[5] and Oregon WFP[6] pursue this strategy,[7] similar to the Vermont Progressive Party.[8]
- In other states, WFP endorses and fundraises for progressive Democrats in the primary. This is similar to Richmond Progressive Alliance[9] or the Democratic Socialists of America.[5]
The WFP endorses a very large number of candidates each cycle. The WFP endorsed "over 1,000" candidates in 2019,[10] "over 700" in 2024,[11] 766 in 2025,[12] and 730 in 2026.[13]
WFP often endorses incumbent or moderate Democrats in general elections, including some WFP had campaigned against in the primary.[9] WFP usually does so either to ensure the WFP ballot line meets a minimum-vote threshold or to avoid spoiling the liberal vote against a Republican candidate.[a]
Therefore, this page only lists candidates in three categories:
- Candidates who won on the WFP ballot line, not a Dem-WFP fusion line
- Candidates endorsed by the WFP in the primary for their first successful election
- Progressive candidates endorsed by the WFP in multiple election cycles
Rows marked in blue identify candidates who ran on the WFP line in one election, then dropped the line to run as a Democrat.
Elected on Democratic or fusion line
US Congress
| Member | Term start | Term end | Dist | Ballot line | Caucus [b] |
Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lateefah Simon | Jan 3, 2025 | Current | CA-12 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2024 primary for CA-12, California WFP endorsed Simon to succeed Barbara Lee.[18] WFP endorsed Simon again in 2026.[19] In 2025, Simon delivered the WFP's State of the Union response.[20] | ||
| Greg Casar | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | TX-35 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary for TX-35, Texas WFP endorsed Casar.[21][22] WFP endorsed Casar again in 2024[23] but not 2026.[19] | ||
| Gabriel Vasquez | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | NM-2 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary, New Mexico WFP did not endorse Vasquez. In the general, WFP endorsed Vasquez each cycle 2022–24,[24][25] but not 2026.[19] | ||
| Jasmine Crockett | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | TX-30 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary for TX-30, Texas WFP endorsed Crockett.[26][27] WFP did not endorse Crockett either cycle 2024-26.[23][19] | ||
| Delia Ramirez | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | IL-3 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary for IL-3, Illinois WFP endorsed Ramirez.[26][22] WFP endorsed Ramirez again each cycle 2024-26.[23][19] In 2023, Ramirez delivered the WFP's State of the Union response.[28] | ||
| Summer Lee | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | PA-12 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary for PA-12, Pennsylvania WFP endorsed Lee against Steve Irwin.[29] WFP endorsed Lee again each cycle 2024-26.[23][19] In 2026, Lee delivered the WFP's State of the Union response.[29] | ||
| Maxwell Frost | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | FL-10 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary for FL-10, Florida WFP canvassed and fundraised for Frost.[30] In the general, WFP endorsed Frost in 2022[22] but not either cycle 2024-26.[23][19] | ||
| Andrea Salinas | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | OR-6 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem and Prog | In the 2022 primary for OR-6, Oregon WFP endorsed Salinas.[31] WFP did not endorse Salinas either cycle 2024-26.[23][19] In the general, Salinas ran on the Dem-WFP ballot line in 2022,[32] but on the Dem line 2024–26.[33] | ||
| Becca Balint | Jan 3, 2023 | Current | VT-AL | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2022 primary, the Vermont WFP endorsed Balint against Molly Gray.[34][35][36][22] Balint also attempted to win the Vermont Progressive Party nomination, which would have yielded a Dem-VPP fusion ballot line, but was unsuccessful.[37] WFP did not endorse Balint either cycle 2024-26.[23][19] | ||
| Pat Ryan | Sep 13, 2022 | Current | NY-19; NY-18 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem | In the 2022 special primary for NY-19, New York WFP endorsed Ryan.[38][22] WFP endorsed Ryan again each cycle 2024-26.[23][19] In the general, Ryan ran on a Dem-WFP line 2022–26.[32][39] | ||
| Jamaal Bowman | Jan 3, 2021 | Jan 3, 2025 | NY-16 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | Prog | In the 2020 primary for NY-16, New York WFP endorsed Bowman over incumbent Eliot Engel,[40] who had previously run on the WFP ballot line in 2018.[41] WFP endorsed Bowman again in 2022[42][43] and 2024.[44] When Bowman lost to George Latimer, WFP did not endorse Latimer in the general.[45] In the general, Bowman ran on a Dem-WFP line over 2020–22.[46][32] In 2021, Bowman delivered the WFP's State of the Union response.[47] | ||
| Mondaire Jones | Jan 3, 2021 | Jan 3, 2023 | NY-17 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | Prog | In the 2020 primary for NY-17, New York WFP endorsed Jones.[48] In the 2020 general, Jones ran on a Dem-WFP line.[46] In 2022, after redistricting, Jones lost the District 10 Democratic primary to Dan Goldman.[32] In the 2024 District 17 election, Jones ran again. In early June 2024, Jones endorsed George Latimer against WFP endorsee Jamaal Bowman, leading WFP to withdraw fundraising and canvassing support for Jones, though it did not withdraw Jones' endorsement.[49][50] In late June, Jones lost the WFP primary to a conservative activist.[c] As a result, Jones did not appear on the WFP line in the general, which he lost to Republican Mike Lawler.[54] | ||
| Jahana Hayes | Jan 3, 2019 | Current | CT-5 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem | In the 2018 primary for CT-5, Connecticut WFP endorsed Hayes over Mary Glassman.[55] WFP endorsed Hayes again each cycle 2020-26.[56][57][58][59][19] In the general, Hayes ran on a Dem-WFP line 2018–24[41][46][32] but not 2026.[60] | ||
| Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez | Jan 3, 2019 | Current | NY-14 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | Prog | In the 2018 primary for NY-14, New York WFP endorsed AOC against incumbent Joe Crowley.[61][61] WFP endorsed AOC each cycle 2020–26.[62][63][36][42][23][19] In the general, AOC ran on a Dem-WFP line 2018–26.[41][46][32][64] | ||
| Ayanna Pressley | Jan 3, 2019 | Current | MA-7 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2018 primary for MA-7, Massachusetts WFP endorsed Pressley against incumbent Mike Capuano.[65] WFP endorsed Pressley again each cycle 2020–22[62][63][36][42] but not 2024–26.[23][19] In 2020, Pressley delivered the WFP's State of the Union response.[66] | ||
| Ilhan Omar | Jan 3, 2019 | Current | MN-5 | Democratic Party | Prog | In the 2018 primary for MN-5, Minnesota WFP did not endorse Omar.[67] WFP endorsed Omar each cycle 2020–24,[62][63][36][42][23] but not 2026.[19] | ||
| Max Rose | Jan 3, 2019 | Jan 3, 2021 | NY-11 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem | In the 2018 primary, the New York WFP endorsed Rose.[68] In the 2018 general, Rose ran on a Dem-WFP-Women's Equality ballot line.[46] In the 2020 general, WFP did not endorse Rose,[69] who ran on a Democratic-Independence ballot line, and lost to Republican Nicole Malliotakis.[46] In the 2022 primary, WFP opposed Rose, instead backing Brittany Ramos DeBarros.[70][71] Rose won the Democratic primary.[32] In the 2022 general, WFP offered its endorsement and ballot line, but Rose rejected both, citing his opposition to "defunding the police".[72] Rose again lost to Malliotakis.[32] | ||
| Joe Morelle | Nov 13, 2018 | Current | NY-25 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem | In the 2018 primary and special primary for NY-25, New York WFP endorsed Morelle.[73][43] WFP endorsed Morelle each cycle 2020–26.[69][36][23][19] In the general, Morelle ran on a Dem-WFP line 2018–26.[41][46][32][74] | ||
| Kathleen Rice | Jan 3, 2015 | Jan 3, 2023 | NY-4 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem | In the 2014 primary for NY-4, the New York WFP endorsed Rice against Kevan Abrahams.[75][76] WFP endorsed Rice again in 2014,[77] but not 2016–20.[78][61][69] In the general, Rice ran on the Dem-WFP ballot line in 2014,[79] but not 2016–20.[80][41][46] | ||
| Hakeem Jeffries | Jan 3, 2013 | Current | NY-8 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | Prog | In the 2012 primary for NY-8, New York WFP endorsed Jeffries against incumbent Ed Towns, who later dropped out.[81][82] WFP endorsed Jeffries again over 2012–20[83][77][78][61][69] but not 2022–26.[43][84][19] In the general, Jeffries ran on a Dem-WFP line 2012–22.[85][79][80][41][46][32] but not 2024–26.[86] | ||
| Chris Murphy | Jan 3, 2013 | Current | CT-Sen | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | n/a[d] | In the 2006 primary for CT-5, Murphy ran unopposed, but Connecticut WFP endorsed Murphy before a contested primary would've been held.[87] WFP endorsed Murphy again each cycle 2008–10.[88][89] In the general, Murphy ran on a Dem-WFP line 2006–10.[90][91][92] In the 2012 primary for Senate, WFP endorsed Murphy against Susan Bysiewicz.[93][94] WFP endorsed Murphy again 2018–24.[95][59] In the general, Murphy ran on a Dem-WFP line 2012–24.[85][41][96] | ||
| Jan 3, 2007 | Jan 3, 2013 | CT-5 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | New Dem | ||||
| Yvette Clarke | Jan 3, 2007 | Current | NY-11; NY-9 | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | Prog | In the 2006 primary for NY-11, New York WFP endorsed Clarke.[97] WFP endorsed Clarke each cycle from 2008–22[98][99][83][77][78][61][69][43] but not 2024–26.[84][19] In the general, Clarke ran on the WFP ballot line over 2006–2024[90][91][92][85][79][80][41][46][32] but not 2026.[100] | ||
| Hillary Clinton | Jan 3, 2001 | Jan 3, 2009 | NY-Sen | Democratic and Working Families (fusion) | n/a[e] | In the 2000 primary for Senate, New York WFP supported Clinton, who spoke at WFP's first national convention.[101] WFP endorsed Clinton again in 2006.[97] In the general, Clinton ran on a Dem-WFP line each cycle 2000–2006.[102][90] | ||
In 2022, WFP endorsed the entire "Squad".[36]
Some edge cases are noted below.[f]
Appeared on the WFP fusion line in the April 2024 special election to succeed Brian Higgins.[107]
Elected on WFP ballot line
State officials
State legislators
Former (2)
| Name | State | Chamber | District | Ballot line | Term start | Term end | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joshua M. Hall | CT | House | 7 | Working Families | Apr 28, 2017 | Sep 1, 2019 | Hall won a special election on the WFP ballot line in 2016.[108] He ran on the Democratic and WFP lines as a fusion candidate in 2018, then as a Democrat each cycle 2020–2026.[109] | |
| Ed Gomes | CT | Senate | 23 | Working Families | Feb 27, 2015 | Jan 4, 2016 | Gomes won a special election on the WFP ballot line for a seat he had previously held as a Democrat, but for which he had lost the Democratic nomination.[110][111] Gomes ran as a Democrat in 2016.[112] | |
Local officials
City councils and county commissions
Current (6)
| Name | State | Area | Office | District | Ballot line | Term start | Term end | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tamika Stewart | NY | Newburgh | City Council | 3 | Working Families | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2029 | Stewart ran solely on the WFP ballot line.[113] | |
| Nicole Watts | NY | Onondaga County | County Legislature | 9 | Working Families | Jan 1, 2026 | Dec 31, 2027 | Watts ran solely on the WFP ballot line.[113] | |
| Nicolas O'Rourke | PA | Philadelphia | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2024 | Dec 31, 2027 | O'Rourke ran solely on the WFP ballot line. The PCC reserves two seats for minor parties. After O'Rourke won, the WFP had two seats and the GOP had none.[114] In 2024, O'Rourke delivered the WFP's State of the Union response.[115] | |
| Alex Thomas | CT | Hartford | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2024 | Dec 31, 2027 | Thomas ran solely on the WFP ballot line.[116] | |
| Kendra Brooks | PA | Philadelphia | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 6, 2020 | Dec 31, 2027 | Brooks ran solely on the WFP ballot line. The PCC reserves two seats for minor parties. After Brooks won, the WFP and GOP each had one seat.[117] | |
| Joshua Michtom | CT | Hartford | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2020 | Dec 31, 2027 | Michtom ran solely on the WFP ballot line.[118] | |
Former (5)
| Name | State | Area | Office | District | Ballot line | Term start | Term end | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiana Hercules | CT | Hartford | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2022 | Dec 31, 2023 | Hercules ran solely on the WFP line.[119][116] | |
| Wildaliz Bermudez | CT | Hartford | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2016 | Dec 31, 2021 | Bermúdez ran solely on the WFP line. Bermúdez resigned in 2021 was succeeded by Tiana Hercules, also a WFP candidate.[119][120] | |
| Luis Cotto | CT | Hartford | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2008 | Jul 31, 2012 | Cotto ran solely on the WFP line. The HCC has nine seats, but prohibits any party from running more than six. Cotto resigned in 2012 and was succeeded in his term by Joel Cruz, also a WFP candidate. After Cotto and Deutsch won their seats, the WFP had two seats on the council and the GOP had one.[121][122][123] | |
| Larry Deutsch | CT | Hartford | City Council | At-Large | Working Families | Jan 1, 2008 | Dec 31, 2020 | Deutsch ran solely on the WFP line. The HCC has nine seats, but prohibits any party from running more than six. Deutsch was succeeded by Joshua Michtom, who also ran solely on the WFP ballot line. After Deutsch and Cotto won their seats, the WFP had two seats on the council and the GOP had one.[121] | |
| Letitia James | NY | New York City | City Council | 35 | Working Families | Jan 1, 2004 | Dec 31, 2009 | James won a 2003 special election for New York City's 35th City Council district running solely on the WFP ballot line, after having run as a Democrat for that seat. James ran on the Democratic and WFP lines as a fusion candidate in 2005 and 2007.[124][125] James ran solely on the Democratic line in 2009 and later elections.[126] | |
See also
- Other lists:
- List of socialist members of the United States Congress
- List of elected socialist mayors in the United States
- List of Green politicians who have held office in the United States
- List of Democratic Socialists of America public officeholders
- List of Communist Party USA members who have held office in the United States
- Working Families Party
Footnotes
- In 1998, WFP leaders endorsed Peter Vallone, in part because he roughly aligned with WFP priorities, but mainly to get 50,000 votes on the WFP ballot line and obtain automatic statewide ballot access.[14] In 2018, after strongly supporting Cynthia Nixon in the Democratic primary, WFP endorsed Andrew Cuomo for governor both because WFP members wanted to avoid spoiling the Democrats into a Republican victory and because WFP needed to get 50,000 votes in the gubernatorial election to keep its ballot line.[15][16] In 2022, Pennsylvania WFP endorsed John Fetterman for the general election after endorsing Malcolm Kenyatta in the Democratic primary.[17]
- Ideological caucus membership: New Democrat Coalition (New Dem) and/or Congressional Progressive Caucus (Prog).
- In late June 2024, conservative activist Anthony Frascone registered several hundred voters on the WFP line in order to win the ballot away from Mondaire Jones. WFP called Frascone a "MAGA plant" whose actions yielded a "surprise primary", because WFP rarely has contested primary elections, and most WFP voters are registered Democrats.[51][52] Frascone won the primary.[53]
- In the Senate, Murphy was not a member of any caucuses.
- In the Senate, Clinton was not a member of any caucuses.
- Edge cases and common misconceptions:
- In the 2024 NY-26 special election to replace Brian Higgins, there was no Democratic primary. The Erie County Democratic Committee selected Tim Kennedy at their convention.[103] Kennedy ran on a Dem-WFP fusion line in the general.[104][105]
- In the 2020 Senate elections in Georgia, the WFP did not endorse Jon Ossoff or Raphael Warnock in the jungle primary, but endorsed both in the runoff election.[106]