Few elected officials at the federal level have as limited job security as members of the House of Representatives. Unlike their counterparts in the Senate, who are up for reelection every six years, House members have to be voted in by their district every two years. Facing such frequent reckoning, holding office for more than six years is a feat most of the 437 sitting U.S. Congressional Representatives have not achieved.

Still, there are many lawmakers who have managed to defy the odds and win the approval of their constituents election after election. By reviewing the term history of each sitting member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 24/7 Wall St. identified the Democratic Reps. who have served the most consecutive and non consecutive terms. There are currently 46 Democratic lawmakers who have spent more than 10 calendar years in office.

Click here to see the longest-serving Democrats in the U.S. House.
Click here to see the longest-serving Republicans in the U.S. House.

Job security on Capitol Hill appears to be a product of popularity for many representatives. Lawmakers who represent the interests of the majority of their constituents are more likely to win reelection. The Democrats on this list have not only won numerous elections in the past, but the majority also claimed decisive victories in the 2020 election, winning their seat by a margin of 30 percentage points or more.

Of course, a representative’s reason for leaving office is not limited to losing an election. House members may decide to end their career in public service and move to the private sector, or simply retire. Others choose to run for other public offices, like the Senate, or accept appointments to positions in the executive branch. Here is a list of the 48 people who became vice president.