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The Vote Ledger
JT

James Strom Thurmond

Senator from South Carolina
SENATEDEMOCRAT→REPUBLICAN1955–2003ID T000254
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
10%with Dems
of 7,779 votes
Nominations
13%with Dems
of 55 · confirmations only
All contested
10%with Dems
of 7,834 · both combined
Steepest move
−28 pts
1955 → 1957
still a Democrat
Changed parties
89th
D → R · first Congress under it
votes moved first

Career arc

Legislation leads. Each point is one Congress: how often they sided with the Democratic majority on contested bills, resolutions and amendments.

100%75%50%25%0%sides with Democrats ↑sides with Republicans ↓19551961196719731979198519911997D→R · 89th
2001–02107th Congress
Sat as a Republican
4.8%with Democrats
legislation only
Votes for this Congress are open below
Steepest move: 1955 → 1957, −28 pts — while still a Democrat.
Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with
Nov 19, 2002H.J.Res. 124A joint resolution making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 2003, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 3210A bill to ensure the continued financial capacity of insurers to provide coverage for risks from terrorism.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 3210A bill to ensure the continued financial capacity of insurers to provide coverage for risks from terrorism.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Full textA bill to ensure the continued financial capacity of insurers to provide coverage for risks from terrorism.Party majoritiesDemocrats Yea · Republicans YeaCounts toward scoreNo — both party majorities voted Yea.
Where this lands
YEAVoted with both majorities — not scored
Nov 19, 2002noneDennis W. Shedd, of South Carolina, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Fourth CircuitNOMINATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005A bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005A bill to establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005To establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005To establish the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes.LEGISLATIONYEAREP MAJORITY
Nov 19, 2002H.R. 5005Of a perfecting nature.LEGISLATIONNAYREP MAJORITY
9 most recent roll calls shown · 318 contested votes scored in the 107th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation
Economics and Public Finance7.3% · 1,608 votes
Government Operations and Politics3.9% · 532 votes
Armed Forces and National Security6.8% · 513 votes
Taxation2.2% · 366 votes
International Affairs4.6% · 303 votes
Agriculture and Food6.2% · 209 votes
Energy5.5% · 201 votes
Labor and Employment4.1% · 170 votes
Foreign Trade and International Finance29% · 162 votes
Transportation and Public Works5.1% · 156 votes
Education4% · 149 votes
Crime and Law Enforcement7.1% · 141 votes
Congress10.4% · 125 votes
Finance and Financial Sector2.5% · 121 votes
Health2.6% · 115 votes
Social Welfare7.5% · 107 votes
Public Lands and Natural Resources5.2% · 96 votes
Law4.9% · 81 votes
Environmental Protection12.7% · 79 votes
Commerce6.5% · 77 votes
Immigration1.3% · 75 votes
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues6.7% · 60 votes
Science, Technology, Communications7.4% · 54 votes
Housing and Community Development8.3% · 36 votes
Animals3.2% · 31 votes
Depletion allowances13% · 23 votes
Sports and Recreation8.7% · 23 votes
Income tax10% · 20 votes
Water Resources Development10.5% · 19 votes
Power resources0% · 17 votes
Independent regulatory commissions6.3% · 16 votes
Congressional-Presidential relations0% · 11 votes
Families0% · 11 votes
Political participation0% · 10 votes
Too few contested votes to score
Political representation— · 9 votes
Automobile insurance— · 8 votes
Economic stabilization— · 8 votes
Public works— · 8 votes
Solar heating and cooling— · 8 votes
Amnesties— · 7 votes
Commemorations— · 7 votes
Age and employment— · 6 votes
Intergovernmental relations— · 6 votes
Black lung— · 5 votes
Constitutional amendments— · 5 votes
Day care— · 5 votes
Embargo— · 5 votes
Industrial relations— · 5 votes
Mortgages— · 5 votes
Native Americans— · 5 votes
Petroleum industry— · 5 votes
Credit— · 4 votes
Territories (U.S.)— · 4 votes
Heating— · 3 votes
International monetary system— · 3 votes
Mines and mineral resources— · 3 votes
Motor vehicles— · 3 votes
Range management— · 3 votes
District of Columbia— · 2 votes
Government corporations— · 2 votes
Government publications— · 2 votes
Government securities— · 2 votes
Private Legislation— · 2 votes
Congressional oversight— · 1 vote
Conservation of natural resources— · 1 vote
Dairy industry— · 1 vote
Disaster relief— · 1 vote
Federal advisory bodies— · 1 vote
Intergovernmental fiscal relations— · 1 vote
Lobbying— · 1 vote
Monuments and memorials— · 1 vote
Ships and shipping— · 1 vote
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1 vote

They also voted in 39 areas where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Emergency Management, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Blue is the share of votes siding with the Democratic majority; the tick marks 50%.

Service record

24 Congresses
84th · 195589th · 1965107th · 2001
Democrat · Senate · SC84th–88th
Republican · Senate · SC89th–107th
Term datesexact
Members · South Carolina
JT

James Strom Thurmond

Senator from South Carolina
SENATED→R1955–200324 CONGRESSES
Compare
LegislationHEADLINE
9.8%with Democrats
of 7,779 votes · 90.2% with Republicans
Nominations13%of 55 votes
All contested10%of 7,834 · combined
Steepest move−28 pts1955→57, as a Democrat
Changed parties89thD→R · votes moved first

Career arc

100500D→R19552001
2001–02 · 107th · Republican4.8%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

Democratic majorityYea
Republican majorityYea
Counts toward scoreNo
Open roll call
Latest 6 shown · 318 contested votes scored in the 107th

By policy area

career
Economics and Public Finance7.3% · 1,608
Government Operations and Politics3.9% · 532
Armed Forces and National Security6.8% · 513
Taxation2.2% · 366
International Affairs4.6% · 303
Agriculture and Food6.2% · 209
Energy5.5% · 201
Labor and Employment4.1% · 170
Foreign Trade and International Finance29% · 162
Transportation and Public Works5.1% · 156
Education4% · 149
Crime and Law Enforcement7.1% · 141
Congress10.4% · 125
Finance and Financial Sector2.5% · 121
Health2.6% · 115
Social Welfare7.5% · 107
Public Lands and Natural Resources5.2% · 96
Law4.9% · 81
Environmental Protection12.7% · 79
Commerce6.5% · 77
Immigration1.3% · 75
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues6.7% · 60
Science, Technology, Communications7.4% · 54
Housing and Community Development8.3% · 36
Animals3.2% · 31
Depletion allowances13% · 23
Sports and Recreation8.7% · 23
Income tax10% · 20
Water Resources Development10.5% · 19
Power resources0% · 17
Independent regulatory commissions6.3% · 16
Congressional-Presidential relations0% · 11
Families0% · 11
Political participation0% · 10
Political representation— · 9
Automobile insurance— · 8
Economic stabilization— · 8
Public works— · 8
Solar heating and cooling— · 8
Amnesties— · 7
Commemorations— · 7
Age and employment— · 6
Intergovernmental relations— · 6
Black lung— · 5
Constitutional amendments— · 5
Day care— · 5
Embargo— · 5
Industrial relations— · 5
Mortgages— · 5
Native Americans— · 5
Petroleum industry— · 5
Credit— · 4
Territories (U.S.)— · 4
Heating— · 3
International monetary system— · 3
Mines and mineral resources— · 3
Motor vehicles— · 3
Range management— · 3
District of Columbia— · 2
Government corporations— · 2
Government publications— · 2
Government securities— · 2
Private Legislation— · 2
Congressional oversight— · 1
Conservation of natural resources— · 1
Dairy industry— · 1
Disaster relief— · 1
Federal advisory bodies— · 1
Intergovernmental fiscal relations— · 1
Lobbying— · 1
Monuments and memorials— · 1
Ships and shipping— · 1
Vietnamese Conflict— · 1

Also voted in 39 areas where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Arts, Culture, Religion, Auditing, Awards, medals, prizes, Child abuse, Child welfare, Congressional-executive relations, Disabled, Droughts, Electronic surveillance, Emergency Management, Executive reorganization, Explosives, Gambling, Gold, Home repair and improvement, Human experimentation in medicine, Import restrictions, Interest, Investment guaranty insurance, Lakes, Land use, Lead poisoning, Livestock, Medical supplies, Mobile homes, Municipal finance, Nuclear facilities, Nuclear weapons, Postal rates and revenues, Postal service, Reclamation of land, Refugees, Revenue sharing, Right of privacy, Rivers, Salaries, Social Sciences and History, Strategic materials, Terrorism.

Service record

84th · 1955107th · 2001
Democrat84th–88th
Republican89th–107th

Other party switchers

John Alexander LoganD→R · IL · 40thWesley Wade WatkinsD→R · OK · 105thBen Nighthorse CampbellD→R · CO · 104th
AD320 × 50 · Anchor