Blue Dog Coalition

The Blue Dog Coalition, commonly known as the Blue Dogs or Blue Dog Democrats, is a caucus of moderate members from the Democratic Party in the United States House of Representatives. The caucus was founded as a group of conservative Democrats in 1995 in response to defeats in the 1994 elections. Historically, the Blue Dog Coalition has been fiscally and socially conservative, representing the center-right in the Democratic Party. At its peak in 2009, the Blue Dog Coalition numbered 54 members. In the late 2010s and early 2020s, the Coalition's focus shifted towards ideological centrism and pragmatic, constituency-based politics; however, the Coalition maintained an emphasis on fiscal responsibility. The Blue Dog Coalition remains the most conservative grouping of Democrats in the House. As of 2023, the caucus has ten members.