Shadow congressperson

{{Short description|Delegates of U.S. territories or Washington, D.C. seeking statehood}} {{distinguish|Shadow cabinet|Non-voting members of the United States House of Representatives}} {{See also|Member of Congress}} {{Use American English|date=March 2019}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2019}}

The posts of '''shadow United States senator''' and '''shadow United States representative''' are held by elected or appointed government officials from subnational polities of the United States that lack congressional vote. While these officials are not seated in either chamber of Congress, they seek recognition for their subnational polity, up to full statehood. This would enfranchise them with full voting rights on the floor of the U.S. House and Senate, alongside existing states. {{As of|2021}}, only the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have authorized shadow delegations to Congress.

This is distinct from '''shadow delegates''', who are elected or appointed from subnational polities of the United States to seek non-voting participation in the House. As of 2024, only the Cherokee Nation and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians elect shadow delegates.

==History== Historically, shadow members of Congress were elected by organized incorporated territories prior to their admission to the Union.<ref name="Strauss history">{{cite web|title=A Brief History of the Shadow Senators of the United States|first=Paul|last=Strauss|author-link=Paul Strauss|work= Paul Strauss – United States Senator for the District of Columbia|url=http://senatordc.wdcnet.net/history.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030211130256/http://senatordc.wdcnet.net/history.html|archive-date=February 11, 2003}}</ref> From its origins in Tennessee, this approach is sometimes known as the '''Tennessee Plan'''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.americanactionforum.org/insight/puerto-ricos-tennessee-plan/|title=Puerto Rico's Tennessee Plan|website=American Action Forum|language=en-US|access-date=March 10, 2019}}</ref>

The first shadow senators, William Blount and William Cocke of the Southwest Territory, were elected in March 1796 before being seated as senators representing the newly formed state of Tennessee. Michigan, California, Minnesota, Oregon, and Alaska likewise elected shadow senators before statehood. The Alaska Territory also elected the first shadow U.S. representative, Ralph Julian Rivers, in 1956. All were eventually seated in Congress as voting members, except for Alaska shadow senator William A. Egan, who instead became governor.<ref name="Strauss history" />

{|class="wikitable sortable" !Territory !Office !Name !Elected !Seated |- |rowspan=2 |Southwest {{small|(now Tennessee)}} |Senator |data-sort-value="Blount, William" |William Blount |rowspan=2 |Mar 28, 1796 |rowspan=2 |Dec 6, 1796 |- |Senator |data-sort-value="Cocke, William" |William Cocke |- |rowspan=2 |Michigan |Senator |data-sort-value="Lyon, Lucius" |Lucius Lyon |rowspan=2 |Nov 10, 1835 |rowspan=2 |Jan 26, 1837 |- |Senator |data-sort-value="Norvell, John" |John Norvell |- |rowspan=2 |California |Senator |data-sort-value="Gwin, William M." |William M. Gwin |rowspan=2 |Dec 20, 1849 |rowspan=2 |Sep 10, 1850 |- |Senator |data-sort-value="Fremont, John" |John C. Frémont |- |Minnesota |Senator |data-sort-value="Shields, James" |James Shields |Dec 19, 1857 |May 12, 1858 |- |rowspan=2 |Oregon |Senator |data-sort-value="Lane, Joseph" |Joseph Lane |rowspan=2 |Jul 5, 1858 |rowspan=2 |Feb 14, 1859 |- |Senator |data-sort-value="Smith, Delazon" |Delazon Smith |- |rowspan=3 data-sort-value="Alaska Territory" |Alaska |Senator |data-sort-value="Gruening, Ernest" |Ernest Gruening |rowspan=3|Oct 6, 1956 |Jan 7, 1959 |- |Senator |data-sort-value="Egan, William A." |William A. Egan |Elected governor in 1958 |- |Representative |data-sort-value="Rivers, Ralph J." |Ralph J. Rivers |Jan 7, 1959 |}

==District of Columbia officeholders== The election of shadow congresspersons from the District of Columbia is authorized by a state constitution ratified by D.C. voters in 1982 but was never approved by Congress.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/28/AR2008052802976.html|title=D.C. Seeks to Fund Lobbying Effort for a Voting House Member|last=Sheridan|first=Mary Beth|date=May 29, 2008|newspaper=The Washington Post|page=B01|access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref>

===District of Columbia shadow senators=== The voters of the District of Columbia elect two shadow U.S. senators who are known as senators by the District of Columbia but are not officially sworn in or seated by the U.S. Senate. Shadow U.S. senators were first elected in 1990.

The incumbent shadow United States senators from the District of Columbia are Paul Strauss and Ankit Jain.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/elections/2006/dc/candidates/Michael_D_Brown.html Election profiles Michael D. Brown (D)], ''The Washington Post'', 2006, retrieved, September 30, 2012.</ref>

{{List of United States senators heading | Left_class= 1 | Left_intro= Class 1 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle recently contested in 1994, 2000, 2006, 2012, 2018, and 2024. The next election will be in 2030. | Right_class= 2 | Right_intro= Class 2 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle recently contested in 1996, 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026.}}

|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=8 | 1 | rowspan=8 align=left | '''Florence Pendleton''' | rowspan=8 {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | rowspan=8 nowrap width=14% | Jan 3, 1991 – Jan 3, 2007 | rowspan=2 width=12% | Elected in 1990. | rowspan=2 | 1 | {{List of United States senators Congress|102}} | rowspan=3 | 1 | rowspan=3 width=12% | Elected in 1990. Retired. | rowspan=3 nowrap width=14% | Jan 3, 1991 – Jan 3, 1997 | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | rowspan=3 align=right | 100px '''Jesse Jackson''' ! rowspan=3 | 1

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|103}}

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1994. | rowspan=3 | 2 | {{List of United States senators Congress|104}}

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|105}} | rowspan=3 | 2 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 1996. | rowspan=15 nowrap wdith=14% | Jan 3, 1997 – present | rowspan=15 {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | rowspan=15 align=right | 100px '''Paul Strauss''' ! rowspan=15 | 2

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|106}}

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2000. Was not re-nominated as a Democrat. Lost re-election bid as an independent. | rowspan=3 | 3 | {{List of United States senators Congress|107}}

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|108}} | rowspan=3 | 3 | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2002.

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|109}}

|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=9 | 2 | rowspan=9 align=left | 100px '''Mike Brown''' | rowspan=4 {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | rowspan=9 nowrap width=14% | Jan 3, 2007 – Jan 3, 2025 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 2006. | rowspan=3 | 4 | {{List of United States senators Congress|110}}

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|111}} | rowspan=3 | 4 | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2008.

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|112}}

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2012. | rowspan=3 | 5 | {{List of United States senators Congress|113}}

|- style="height:2em" | {{Party shading/Independent}}| Independent | {{List of United States senators Congress|114}} | rowspan=3 | 5 | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2014.

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4 {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | {{List of United States senators Congress|115}}

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2018. Retired. | rowspan=3 | 6 | {{List of United States senators Congress|116}}

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|117}} | rowspan=3 | 6 | rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2020.

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|118}}

|- style=height:2em" ! 3 | align=left | '''Ankit Jain''' | {{Party shading/Democratic}} | Democratic | nowrap width=14% | Jan 3, 2025 – present | Elected in 2024. | 7 | {{List of United States senators Congress|119}}

{{List of United States senators footer | Left_class=1 | Right_class=2 }}

===District of Columbia shadow representatives=== The voters of the District of Columbia elect one shadow representative who is recognized as equivalent to U.S. representatives by the District of Columbia but is not recognized by the U.S. government as an actual member of the House of Representatives. A shadow representative was first elected in 1990. Inaugural office-holder Charles Moreland held the seat for two terms. In November 2020, Oye Owolewa was elected to succeed retiring shadow representative Franklin Garcia.

D.C.'s shadow U.S. representative should not be confused with the non-voting delegate who represents the district in Congress.

{|class=wikitable style="text-align:center" |- valign=bottom !Representative !Party !Term !Congress !Electoral history

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |'''Charles Moreland''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 1991 – January 3, 1995 |{{USCongressOrdinal |102 |103}} |Elected in 1990. Re-elected in 1992. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |100px '''John Capozzi''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 1995 – January 3, 1997 |{{USCongressOrdinal |104 |104}} |Elected in 1994. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |'''Sabrina Sojourner''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 1997 – January 3, 1999 |{{USCongressOrdinal |105 |105}} |Elected in 1996. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |'''Tom Bryant''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2001 |{{USCongressOrdinal |106 |106}} |Elected in 1998. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |'''Ray Browne''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007 |{{USCongressOrdinal |107 |109}} |Elected in 2000. Re-elected in 2002. Re-elected in 2004. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |100px '''Mike Panetta''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013 |{{USCongressOrdinal |110 |112}} |Elected in 2006. Re-elected in 2008. Re-elected in 2010. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |'''Nate Fleming''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015 |{{USCongressOrdinal |113 |113}} |Elected in 2012. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |100px '''Franklin Garcia''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2021 |{{USCongressOrdinal |114 |116}} |Elected in 2014. Re-elected in 2016. Re-elected in 2018. Retired.

|- style="height:3em" |align=left |100px '''Oye Owolewa''' |{{Party shading/Democratic}} |Democratic |nowrap |January 3, 2021 – present |{{USCongressOrdinal |117 |119}} |Elected in 2020. Re-elected in 2022. Re-elected in 2024. |}

==Puerto Rico officeholders== The posts of shadow representatives and senators for Puerto Rico were created in 2017 as part of a newly formed Puerto Rico Equality Commission<ref>{{cite act|type=Act|number=40-2017|date=June 5, 2017|article=|article-type=|legislature=|title=Ley por la Igualdad y Representación Congresional de los Ciudadanos Americanos de Puerto Rico|trans-title=Act for Equality and Congressional Representation of the United States Citizens of Puerto Rico|page=|url=http://www.oslpr.org/download/en/2017/A-030-2017.pdf|language=es|format=PDF}}</ref> to fulfill campaign promises made by the New Progressive Party, which gained control of both the executive and legislative branch in the 2016 elections in part with calls for a status referendum in 2017. Pro-statehood governor Ricardo Rosselló appointed five shadow representatives and two shadow senators<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/latino/346633-puerto-rico-swears-in-congressional-delegation/|title=Puerto Rico swears in congressional delegation|first=Rafael|last=Bernal|work=The Hill|date=August 15, 2017|location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> with the advice and consent of the Senate of Puerto Rico.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://caribbeanbusiness.com/puerto-rico-governor-designates-four-members-for-equality-commission/|title=Puerto Rico governor designates four members for Equality Commission|work=Caribbean Business|location=Guaynabo, Puerto Rico|date=July 3, 2017}}</ref>

Following the pro-statehood vote in the 2020 Puerto Rican status referendum, the Puerto Rican legislature passed in a lame duck session [http://www.agencias.pr.gov/ogp/Bvirtual/leyesreferencia/PDF/167-2020.pdf Law 167 of 2020],<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ley Núm. 167 de 2020 -Ley para crear la Delegación Congresional de Puerto Rico.|url=http://www.lexjuris.com/Lexlex/Leyes2020/lexl2020167.htm|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=LexJuris Puerto Rico}}</ref> replacing the Puerto Rico Equality Commission with the new Commission to the Congressional Delegation of Puerto Rico and establishing an electoral process for shadow delegates to Congress. Although an effort to overturn Law 167 passed the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico in early 2021 after the Popular Democratic Party gained control of the legislature, it did not have enough votes to sustain a threatened veto from pro-statehood governor Pedro Pierluisi.<ref>{{cite news|title=Peligra elección pro estadidad por falta de fondos y el PPD|language=es|trans-title=Statehood election in danger due to lack of funds and PPD|last=de Jesús Salamán|first=Adriana|date=January 29, 2021|work=NotiCel|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|url=https://www.noticel.com/legislatura/ahora/top-stories/20210129/peligra-eleccion-pro-estadidad-por-falta-de-fondos-y-el-ppd/|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Radicarán medida para atender el estatus|language=es|trans-title=They Will File a Measure to Amend the Status|last=Rivera Clemente|first=Yaritza|date=February 22, 2021|work=El Vocero|location=San Juan, Puerto Rico|url=https://www.elvocero.com/noticia_rotary/article_c4f0049c-7560-11eb-ac5b-f39de1a83d0a.html|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>

Popular elections for two shadow senators and four shadow members of Congress will be held on a nonpartisan basis every four years, with the first election held on May 16, 2021, so the delegates can take office on July 1. The law also appropriated funds for the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration to cover the wages of the delegates and serve as their headquarters in Washington, D.C., where they will work on the statehood process with the island's resident commissioner in Congress.<ref>{{cite news|title=Puerto Rico governor plan for a 'shadow delegation' draws criticism amid pandemic|last1=Padró Ocasio|first1=Bianca|last2=Ortiz-Blanes|first2=Syra|last3=Daugherty|first3=Alex|date=January 28, 2021|work=Miami Herald|location=Miami, Florida|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/article248799180.html|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref>

===Puerto Rico shadow senators=== {{List of United States senators heading | Left_class= | Left_intro=The terms for Puerto Rico's shadow senators are not aligned with the classes of United States senators. | Right_class= | Right_intro=The terms for Puerto Rico's shadow senators are not aligned with the classes of United States senators.}}

|- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=4 | 1 | rowspan=4 align=left | '''Zoraida Fonalledas''' | rowspan=4 {{Party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} | New Progressive/ Republican | rowspan=4 nowrap width=14% | Aug 15, 2017 – Jul 1, 2021 | rowspan=4 width=14% | Appointed in 2017. Successor elected. | rowspan=4 | 1 | {{List of United States senators Congress|115}} | rowspan=3 | 1 | rowspan=3 width=14% | Appointed in 2017. Died. | rowspan=3 nowrap width=14% | Aug 15, 2017 – May 2, 2021 | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} | New Progressive/ Democratic | rowspan=3 align=right | 100px '''Carlos Romero Barceló''' ! rowspan=3 | 1

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|116}}

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=3 {{List of United States senators Congress|117}}

|- style="height:2em" | rowspan=4 | 2 | rowspan=1 nowrap width=14% | May 2, 2021 – Jul 1, 2021 | rowspan=1 colspan=4 | ''Vacant'' |- style="height:2em" ! rowspan=3 | 2 | rowspan=3 align=left | '''Melinda Romero Donnelly''' | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} | New Progressive/ Democratic | rowspan=3 | Jul 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2024 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 2021. Term expired | rowspan=3 | 2 | rowspan=3 | Elected in 2021. Term expired | rowspan=3 nowrap width=14% | Jul 1, 2021 – Dec 31, 2024 | rowspan=3 {{Party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} | New Progressive/ Republican | rowspan=3 align=right | 100px '''Zoraida Buxó''' ! rowspan=3 | 2

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|118}}

|- style="height:2em" | {{List of United States senators Congress|119}} {{List of United States senators footer | Left_class= | Right_class= }}

===Puerto Rico shadow representatives=== {|class=wikitable style="text-align:center; font-size:85%" |- !rowspan=2 |Years !rowspan=2 |Cong. !rowspan=13 | !colspan=47 |Shadow House members |- !Member !Party !rowspan=11 | !Member !Party !rowspan=11 | !Member !Party !rowspan=11 | !Member !Party !rowspan=11 | !Member !Party |- |August 15, 2017 – January 6, 2018 |rowspan=2 |{{USCongressOrdinal|115}} |rowspan=6 align=left |100px '''Luis Fortuño''' |rowspan=6 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Republican |rowspan=6 align=left |100px '''Charlie Rodríguez''' |rowspan=6 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Democratic |rowspan=2 align=left |100px '''Iván Rodríguez''' |rowspan=2 {{party shading/Independent}} |Independent |rowspan=3 align=left |100px '''Pedro Rosselló''' |rowspan=3 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Democratic |align=left |100px '''Felix A. Santoni''' |{{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Republican |- |January 6, 2018 – August 20, 2018 |rowspan=3 align=left |100px '''Alfonso Aguilar''' |rowspan=3 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Republican |- |August 20, 2018 – July 22, 2019 |115th {{USCongressOrdinal|116}} |rowspan=4 align=left |100px '''Luis Berríos-Amadeo''' |rowspan=4 {{party shading/Independent}} |Independent |- |July 22, 2019 – February 26, 2020 |rowspan=2 |116th |rowspan=3 colspan=2 |''Vacant'' |- |rowspan=2 |February 26, 2020 – July 1, 2021 |rowspan=2 colspan=2 |''Vacant'' |- |rowspan=2 |116th {{USCongressOrdinal|117}} |- |rowspan=2 |July 1, 2021 – June 26, 2023 |rowspan=2 align=left |'''Elizabeth Torres Rodriguez''' |rowspan=2 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Republican |rowspan=4 align=left |100px '''Ricardo Rosselló''' |rowspan=4 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Democratic |rowspan=4 align=left |'''Roberto Lefranc Fortuño''' |rowspan=4 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Republican |rowspan=3 align=left |100px '''María Meléndez''' |rowspan=3 {{party shading/New Progressive Party (Puerto Rico)}} |New Progressive/ Democratic |rowspan=5 colspan=2 |''Seat eliminated'' |- |rowspan=3 |117th {{USCongressOrdinal|118}} |- |June 26, 2023 – July 17, 2023 |rowspan=2 colspan=2 |''Vacant''<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ruiz Kuilan |first=Gloria |date=2023-06-26 |title=Tribunal ordena la destitución de Elizabeth Torres como delegada congresional por la estadidad |language=es |trans-title=Court orders dismissal of Elizabeth Torres as congressional shadow delegate |work=El Nuevo Día |location=Guaynabo, Puerto Rico |url=https://www.elnuevodia.com/noticias/tribunales/notas/tribunal-ordena-la-destitucion-de-elizabeth-torres-como-delegada-congresional-por-la-estadidad/ |access-date=2023-06-29}}</ref> |- |July 17, 2023 – December 31, 2024 |colspan=2 |''Vacant'' |- |January 1, 2025 – present | {{USCongressOrdinal|119}} |colspan=12 |''Term expired'' |} {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20030211130256/http://senatordc.wdcnet.net/history.html A Brief History of the Shadow Senators of the United States] *[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/15/AR2007011501055.html Washington Post article on shadow delegation] *[http://government.dc.gov/DC/Government Official Site of District of Columbia] *[http://government.dc.gov/DC/Government/Data+&+Transparency/DC+Statehood/Meet+the+Congressional+Delegation Shadow Congressional Representatives contact information] *[http://statehood4puertorico.com/ Puerto Rico Equality Commission] *[https://prfaa.pr.gov/ Puerto Rico Federal Affair Administration]

Category:Home rule and voting rights of the District of Columbia Category:Politics of Puerto Rico Category:Legislative branch of the United States government Category:Officials of insular areas of the United States