Here you will find the number of Democratic and Republican presidents the United States has had, as well as the longest-serving president in U.S. history.
Democratic Presidents
The Democratic Party, one of the oldest active political parties in the world, has produced 16 U.S. presidents. The party’s origins date back to the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s. The modern Democratic Party emerged in the 1820s under the leadership of Andrew Jackson, who became the party’s first president in 1829.
Notable Democratic presidents include Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Barack Obama. Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) stands out not only as a Democratic leader, but also as the longest-serving president in American history. FDR served four terms, from March 4, 1933, to April 12, 1945, for a total of 12 years. His leadership during the Great Depression and World War II left an indelible mark on the nation, and his unprecedented tenure led to the passage of the 22nd Amendment, limiting a president to two terms.
- Total number of Democratic presidents: 16
- Longest serving: Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) served as president for twelve years, from March 4, 1933, to April 12, 1945. He is the only U.S. president to serve more than two terms, and he led the country through the Great Depression and World War II.
Republican Presidents
The Republican Party, often called the GOP (Grand Old Party), was founded in the mid-19th century as an anti-slavery party. The first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, was elected in 1860 and led the nation through the Civil War. Since then, 19 presidents have come from the Republican Party, making it the party that has held the presidency most times. Notable Republican presidents include Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. Although many Republican presidents served two terms, none exceeded the standard eight-year term established by George Washington’s precedent and later codified by the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. Eisenhower, a World War II hero, served two full terms from 1953 to 1961, leading the country through a period of postwar prosperity and Cold War tensions.
- Total number of Republican presidents: 19
- Longest serving: Dwight D. Eisenhower served two full terms in office, from January 20, 1953, to January 20, 1961. However, no Republican president has served longer than the usual two eight-year terms.
Presidents of other parties
Before the dominance of the Democratic and Republican parties, several other political parties produced U.S. presidents. The Whig Party, active in the early 19th century, saw four of its members rise to the presidency: William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Millard Fillmore.
The Democratic-Republican Party, active in the early years of the Republic, produced four presidents: Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe and John Quincy Adams.
The Federalist Party, the country’s first political party, had only one president, John Adams. In addition, Abraham Lincoln, during his second term, was associated with the National Union Party, a temporary name used by the Republican Party during the Civil War to attract war Democrats.
Abraham Lincoln was affiliated with the National Union Party during part of his second term.
The longest-serving US president of all time
While the Democratic and Republican parties dominated the office, early American history featured presidents from several now-defunct parties. Of all these leaders, Franklin D. Roosevelt remains the longest-serving president; his 12-year term is unprecedented in U.S. history.
