Political family

Presidential

Four noted U.S. political families — Adams, Harrison, Roosevelt, Bush — have had two members that served as President of the United States

Four noted U.S. political families — Adams, Harrison, Roosevelt, Bush — have had two members that served as President of the United States.

• The first dynasty with presidential connections was the Adams family. John Adams served as the second President (after serving as the first vice president), and his son John Quincy Adams served as the sixth. John Quincy's son Charles served as U.S. ambassador (then called minister) to the United Kingdom and as a U.S. congressman. A fourth-generation member of the family (John Quincy Adams II) served as a state representative in Massachusetts, and his son Charles was mayor of Quincy, Massachusetts and secretary of the Navy in the Hoover administration.
• Another early political dynasty was the Harrison family, of which six generations served in public office from the late 18th through mid 20th centuries. Benjamin Harrison V was one of the early governors of Virginia and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His son William Henry Harrison was the eighth U.S. President. William's son John Scott Harrison serve as a U.S. congressman, while his son Benjamin Harrison became the 23rd President (marking the first and only grandfather and grandson to serve as president). Benjamin's son Russell Benjamin Harrison served as a state representative and state senator from Indiana in the 1920s, and Russell's son William served as a U.S. congressman in the 1950s and '60s.

Theodore Roosevelt and family

The Kennedys

• The Cincinnati, Ohio-based Taft family has had a legacy of public service ranging from the late 19th through early 21st century. Alphonso Taft served in President Ulysses S. Grant's cabinet. Two of his sons followed him into public service: Charles Phelps Taft served as a U.S. congressman, and William Howard Taft was the 27th President and later U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice (the only one to hold both offices). William Howard's sons: Robert A. Taft was a long-serving U.S. senator (and for a time Senate Majority Leader), and Charles Phelps Taft II served as mayor of the family's hometown of Cincinnati. The fourth generation of Tafts includes Robert Taft Jr., who served as a U.S. congressman and senator, and Seth Taft, who was commissioner of Cuyahoga County (Cleveland area). Robert III (better known as Bob) served as governor of Ohio at the turn of the 21st century.
• The New York-based Roosevelt family produced two presidents. Theodore (#26), and Franklin (aka FDR, the 32nd president and the only one to serve more than two terms), were fifth cousins by blood but uncle and nephew by FDR’s marriage to Theodore's niece Eleanor Roosevelt, daughter of Theodore's younger brother Elliott. Eleanor had a political role of her own, serving as an informal advisor to her husband during his presidency, and served as a diplomat in her own right after he died in office. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. served as governor of Puerto Rico and The Philippines and as a New York state assemblyman. Theodore III served as Pennsylvania's secretary of Commerce. FDR and Eleanor's sons, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr. and James Roosevelt served in the U.S. House of Representatives; and Elliott Roosevelt served as mayor of Miami Beach, Florida.
• In the early to mid 20th century, the Massachusetts-based Kennedy family became one of the most prominent political dynasties in American history. Patriarch Patrick Joseph Kennedy served as a Massachusetts state representative and state senator. His son Joseph P. Kennedy served as U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. The children of Joseph P. Kennedy include John F. Kennedy (aka JFK, 35th President of the United States), Robert F. Kennedy (aka RFK, U.S. Senator and Attorney General), Ted Kennedy (U.S. Senator), and Jean Kennedy Smith, U.S. ambassador to Ireland. The next generation includes former U.S. congressmen Joseph Patrick Kennedy II and Patrick Joseph Kennedy II, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, former Maryland Lt. Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, former Maryland House of Delegates member Mark Shriver, Connecticut state Sen. Edward Kennedy Jr., and former Santa Monica, California mayor Bobby Shriver. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who at the time was married to Maria Shriver (niece of JFK, RFK, and Ted), served as governor of California (Maria Shriver served as First Lady and founded the California Museum) throughout most of the 2000s. The fifth generation includes Congressman Joseph Kennedy III^[1]

The Bush Family

• Peter Schweizer describes the Bush family as "the most successful political dynasty in American history."^[2] Four generations have served in elective office: Prescott Bush served in the U.S. Senate. His son George H.W. Bush served as the 41st U.S. President. George H.W.'s oldest son George W. was the 43rd President. Another of George H.W.'s sons, Jeb Bush, served as governor of Florida, and Jeb's son George P. Bush serves as Texas Land Commissioner.

The Trumps

• The current U.S. First Family, the Trumps, initially gained fame as a New York City-based business dynasty, but can be considered a political dynasty as well, as Donald Trump is the 45th and current U.S. President, his sister Maryanne is a retired federal judge, and daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner serve as White House senior advisers.

Note: Though the family of 42nd U.S. President Bill Clinton has been referred to as a dynasty because his wife, Hillary Clinton, is a former U.S. Secretary of State and former U.S. senator, and was the 2016 Democratic nominee for President of the United States,^[3] they are more accurately described as a power couple.

Other

Other notable U.S. political dynasties include:

• The Lodge family: Henry Cabot Lodge was a U.S. congressman and later Senate Majority Leader. His grandson, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., was a senator from Massachusetts and an ambassador to Germany, South Vietnam, and the United Nations. Another grandson, John Davis Lodge, was Governor of Connecticut.

• The Rockefeller family: Nelson Rockefeller was Governor of New York and later Vice President of the United States. His brother, Winthrop, was Governor of Arkansas. Their nephew, Jay Rockefeller, was a U.S. senator from West Virginia. Winthrop's son, "Win" Rockefeller, was lieutenant governor of Arkansas.

• The Romneys: George W. Romney was a former Michigan governor and Nixon administration cabinet official. His son Mitt was governor of Massachusetts and the 2012 Republican presidential nominee. Mitt's niece Ronna Romney McDaniel currently serves as chair of the Republican National Committee.

• The Browns: Edmund "Pat" Brown and his son, Jerry Brown, both served as governor of California. Jerry's sister, Kathleen, was a member of the Los Angeles Board of Education and later California State Treasurer. Jerry and Kathleen's cousin, Hal Brown, served on the Marin County Board of Supervisors.

• The Udall family: David King Udall Sr. was a representative to the Arizona Territorial Legislature. Four of his sons served in public office: Jesse Addison Udall was a member of the Arizona House of Representatives and later served as chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court; John Hunt Udall and Don Taylor Udall served in the Arizona State Legislature; Levi Stewart Udall served on the Arizona Supreme Court. Stewart Udall, son of Levi, was a U.S. congressman from Arizona and later Secretary of the Interior. Mo Udall, another son of Levi, was also a U.S. congressman from Arizona. John Nicholas Udall, son of John Hunt Udall, was mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. Tom Udall, son of Stewart Udall, is a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Mexico. Mark Udall, son of Mo Udall, was a U.S. congressman and senator from Colorado.

• The Cuomos: Mario Cuomo was a three-term governor of New York in the 1980s and '90s. His son Andrew was a Clinton administration cabinet official and is the current governor of New York.

• The Rooneys: While more prominently known as the owners of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers, they also have served in public office: Dan Rooney (who won six Super Bowls as an owner/executive of the team) served as U.S. ambassador to Ireland during the Obama administration. His nephews: Tom Rooney, is a member of the U.S. Congress; Patrick is a state representative in Florida.

• The Cheneys: Dick Cheney served as a U.S. congressman, cabinet official for Presidents Ford and George H.W. Bush, and Vice President under George W. Bush. His daughter Liz is currently a U.S. congresswoman representing Wyoming.

• The Pauls: Ron Paul served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives; his son Rand is a U.S. senator. Both also ran for President (Ron in 2008 and 2012, Rand in 2016).

• The D'Alesandros: Thomas D'Alesandro Jr. served three terms as mayor of Baltimore, Maryland and five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. His daughter Nancy (Pelosi) has served 15 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, is a former Speaker of the House (the highest political office a woman has held in U.S. history), and current House Minority Leader. Her brother Thomas III served a term as mayor of Baltimore.

• The Kyl family: John Henry Kyl served as a congressman throughout the 1960s and into the 70s, while his son Jon is a former congressman and current U.S. senator.

• The Ashcrofts: John Ashcroft served as a U.S. senator and later U.S. attorney general during the George W. Bush administration, while his son Jay serves as the attorney general of Missouri

• The Celebrezze family: Frank D. Celebrezze served as safety director for the City of Cleveland and as a municipal court judge. His younger brother Anthony served as mayor of Cleveland, was a JFK/LBJ cabinet official, and a federal judge. Frank's sons: Frank Jr. (who went by simply "Frank") was chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, and James was a municipal court judge. Anthony's son Anthony Jr. (more commonly called "Tony") served as an Ohio state senator, Ohio secretary of state, and state attorney general. Third generation: Frank III (more commonly called "Frank Jr.") is an appeals court judge and former Ohio Supreme Court justice. James Celebrezze's daughter Leslie is a municipal court judge in Cleveland, and her younger brother Nicholas is an Ohio state representative.

• The Paynes: Henry B. Payne was an Ohio state senator and later U.S. congressman. His son Nathan P. Payne served as mayor of Cleveland.

• The Gilligans: John J. Gilligan served as a U.S. congressman in the 1960s and governor of Ohio in the early 1970s. His daughter Kathleen (Sebelius) served as governor of Kansas in the 2000s, and as an Obama administration cabinet official.

• The LaTourettes: Steve LaTourette was a nine-term U.S. congressman representing the eastern suburbs of Cleveland. His daughter Sarah is an Ohio state representative.

• The DeWines: Mike DeWine is the current Ohio Attorney General and was previously a U.S. senator and lieutenant governor of Ohio,. His son Pat is a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court.