J.Michael Martinez

A March 2019 Rolling Stone story on Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar summarized her place in American culture during the third year of...

As I discuss in my forthcoming book, Congressional Pathfinders: “First” Members of Congress and How They Shaped American History, Stephan...

In 2017, the first Indian-American woman to serve in the United States House of Representatives swore an oath to represent the seventh co...

Catherine Cortez Masto became the first Latina United States senator when she won the election in 2016 to succeed Harry Reid, a long-serv...

Ladda Tammy Duckworth is a trailblazer in many ways. She is the first Thai-American and the first disabled woman elected to the United St...

As I discuss in my forthcoming book Congressional Pathfinders: “First” Members of Congress and How They Shaped American History, Daniel K...

Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy was one of those public figures that engenders strong emotions. He is loved and hated in almost equal measure ...

Republican Arthur Hendrick Vandenberg served as a United States senator representing Michigan from 1928 until his death in 1951. During h...

Robert Ferdinand Wagner served as a Democratic United States senator from New York from 1927 until 1949. He was well-known for his effort...

George William Norris of Nebraska served five terms in the United States House of Representatives (1903-1913) as well as five terms in th...

Robert Marion La Follette, Sr., was nicknamed “Fighting Bob” for a reason: he was an outspoken and tenacious supporter of numerous progre...

Carter Glass, a white southern politician in the age of Jim Crow, was an ardent racist and apologist for segregation, but he was much mor...

I am pleased to announce the publication of my 13th book, Congressional Lions: Trailblazing Members of Congress and How They Shaped Ameri...

One commentator characterized Benjamin Franklin Wade, the Radical Republican from Ohio, as “pugnacious,” and indeed he was. Other descrip...

Charles Sumner was an erudite, haughty senator from Massachusetts, a man confident in his superior intellect and legislative acumen. He a...

Thaddeus Stevens, a nineteenth century “Radical Republican,” was one of the most effective and passionate men to ever serve in the United...

He is not a household name, but Justin Smith Morrill was one of the most important members of Congress in American history. I discuss his...

Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, nicknamed the “Little Giant” owing to his diminutive physical stature but his outsized political ...

Thomas Hart Benton served as a United States senator from Missouri for 30 years—from 1821 until 1851. His service stretched roughly from ...