Republican Whips (1897 to present)
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Collection of the U.S. House of RepresentativesAbout this object Before serving as Chairman of Appropriations, James Tawney of Minnesota served as the first Republican Whip.
The first Republican Whip was James A. Tawney of Minnesota who kept track of the whereabouts of Republican members for Speaker Thomas B. Reed of Maine. With only a slim majority, Reed relied upon Tawney to let him know when bills could be brought up for vote when more Republicans were in attendance than Democrats. Since then, subsequent Whips have served as a two-way bridge between the leadership and the rank-and-file members.
The Republican Whip has been an elective post for most of its history (Tawney may have been appointed by Reed). The selection usually comes during the organizing conference of Representatives-elect meeting just prior to the start of a new Congress. If the position becomes vacant during a Congress, a new Whip is elected at a subsequent conference.
When in the majority, the Whip is the third highest post in the conference. When in the minority the Whip is the second highest position behind the Republican Leader. Of the 17 members who have served as Republican Whip, one later became House Speaker, another Vice President, four served as Republican Leader, and three others as Senators.
Representative Steve Scalise of Louisiana is the current Republican Whip. Information on the current activities of the Republican Whip is available at the House Republican Whip's website.
| Congress and Years | Name | State or Territory |
|---|---|---|
| 55th (1897–1899) | TAWNEY, James Albertus | MN |
| 56th (1899–1901) | TAWNEY, James Albertus | MN |
| 57th (1901–1903) | TAWNEY, James Albertus | MN |
| 58th (1903–1905) | TAWNEY, James Albertus | MN |
| 59th (1905–1907) | WATSON, James Eli | IN |
| 60th (1907–1909) | WATSON, James Eli | IN |
| 61st (1909–1911) | DWIGHT, John Wilbur | NY |
| 62nd (1911–1913) | DWIGHT, John Wilbur | NY |
| 63rd (1913–1915) | BURKE, Charles Henry | SD |
| 64th (1915–1917) | HAMILTON, Charles Mann | NY |
| 65th (1917–1919) | HAMILTON, Charles Mann | NY |
| 66th (1919–1921) | KNUTSON, Harold | MN |
| 67th (1921–1923) | KNUTSON, Harold | MN |
| 68th (1923–1925) | VESTAL, Albert Henry | IN |
| 69th (1925–1927) | VESTAL, Albert Henry | IN |
| 70th (1927–1929) | VESTAL, Albert Henry | IN |
| 71st (1929–1931) | VESTAL, Albert Henry | IN |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | VESTAL, Albert Henry 1 | IN |
| 72nd (1931–1933) | BACHMANN, Carl George 2 | WV |
| 73rd (1933–1935) | ENGLEBRIGHT, Harry Lane | CA |
| 74th (1935–1937) | ENGLEBRIGHT, Harry Lane | CA |
| 75th (1937–1939) | ENGLEBRIGHT, Harry Lane | CA |
| 76th (1939–1941) | ENGLEBRIGHT, Harry Lane | CA |
| 77th (1941–1943) | ENGLEBRIGHT, Harry Lane | CA |
| 78th (1943–1945) | ENGLEBRIGHT, Harry Lane 3 | CA |
| 78th (1943–1945) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius 4 | IL |
| 79th (1945–1947) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 80th (1947–1949) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 81st (1949–1951) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 82nd (1951–1953) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 83rd (1953–1955) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 84th (1955–1957) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 85th (1957–1959) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 86th (1959–1961) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 87th (1961–1963) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 88th (1963–1965) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 89th (1965–1967) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 90th (1967–1969) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 91st (1969–1971) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 92nd (1971–1973) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | ARENDS, Leslie Cornelius | IL |
| 94th (1975–1977) | MICHEL, Robert Henry | IL |
| 95th (1977–1979) | MICHEL, Robert Henry | IL |
| 96th (1979–1981) | MICHEL, Robert Henry | IL |
| 97th (1981–1983) | LOTT, Chester Trent | MS |
| 98th (1983–1985) | LOTT, Chester Trent | MS |
| 99th (1985–1987) | LOTT, Chester Trent | MS |
| 100th (1987–1989) | LOTT, Chester Trent | MS |
| 101st (1989–1991) | CHENEY, Richard Bruce 5 | WY |
| 101st (1989–1991) | GINGRICH, Newton Leroy 6 | GA |
| 102nd (1991–1993) | GINGRICH, Newton Leroy | GA |
| 103rd (1993–1995) | GINGRICH, Newton Leroy | GA |
| 104th (1995–1997) | DELAY, Thomas Dale | TX |
| 105th (1997–1999) | DELAY, Thomas Dale | TX |
| 106th (1999–2001) | DELAY, Thomas Dale | TX |
| 107th (2001–2003) | DELAY, Thomas Dale | TX |
| 108th (2003–2005) | BLUNT, Roy | MO |
| 109th (2005–2007) | BLUNT, Roy | MO |
| 110th (2007–2009) | BLUNT, Roy | MO |
| 111th (2009–2011) | CANTOR, Eric | VA |
| 112th (2011–2013) | MCCARTHY, Kevin | CA |
| 113th (2013–2015) | MCCARTHY, Kevin 7 | CA |
| 113th (2013–2015) | SCALISE, Steve 8 | LA |
| 114th (2015–2017) | SCALISE, Steve | LA |
| 115th (2017–2019) | SCALISE, Steve | LA |
Footnotes
1Died in office, April 1, 1932.
2Elected Republican Whip on April 8, 1932, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Republican Whip Albert Vestal.
3Died in office, May 13, 1943.
4Elected Republican Whip on June 2, 1943.
5Resigned from the House of Representatives on March 17, 1989, to serve as Secretary of Defense in the presidential administration of George H. W. Bush of Texas.
6Elected Republican Whip on March 22, 1989, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Republican Whip Richard Cheney.
7Elected Majority Leader on June 19, 2014, and assumed office on July 31, 2014, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Majority Leader Eric Cantor.
8Elected Republican Whip on June 19, 2014, and assumed office on July 31, 2014, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Republican Whip Kevin McCarthy.