Digging Deeper: 2018 Senate Democratic Caucus Diversity Numbers

On July 16, 2018, the Senate Democratic Caucus released an update of demographic data on their staffs (their 2017 numbers are here). Our press release analyzed those offices with the greatest and least diversity among mid-level and top staff that represent states with diverse populations. The analysis below ranks the offices on their total diversity in the following categories:

Top Three Racially Diverse Personal Offices
1. Sen. Schatz (HI)–72%
2. Sen. Harris (CA)–66%
3. Sen. Booker (NJ)–63%

Top Three Racially Diverse Committee Offices
1. Indian Affairs, Ranking Member Udall (NM)–100%
2. Joint Economic Committee, Ranking Member Heinrich (NM)–50%
3. Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Ranking Member McCaskill (MO)–35%

Top Senators with Black Staff
1. Senators Booker (NJ), Jones (AL), Van Hollen (MD)–33%
2. Senator Cardin (MD)–31%
3. Senator Peters (MI)–25%

Top Three Senators with Latino/a Staff
1. Senator Udall (NM)–44%
2. Senator Heinrich (NM)–40%
3. Senator Cortez Masto (NV)–29%

Top Three Senators with AAPI Staff
1. Senator Schatz (HI)–59%
2. Senator Hirono (HI)–54%
3. Senator Gillibrand (NY)–15%

Top Senators with Women Staff
1. Senator Van Hollen (MD), Senator Hassan (NH)–67%
2. Senator Nelson (FL)–66%
3. Senator Brown (OH), Senator Gillibrand (NY), Senator Sanders (VT)–64%

Three Least Racially Diverse Personal Offices
1. Senator King (ME)–5%
2. Senator Tester (MT)–7%
3. Senator Manchin (WV)–8%

Three Least Racially Diverse Committee Offices
1. Agriculture, Ranking Member Stabenow (MI)–0%
2. Appropriations, Ranking Member Leahy (VT)–5%
3. Finance, Ranking Member Wyden (OR)–6%

Senators Up by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Racial Diversity
Senator Carper (DE) (+13)
Senator McCaskill (MO) (+9)
Senator Menendez (NJ) (+8)
Senator Wyden (OR) (+8)
Senator Coons (DE) (+7)
Senator Booker (NJ) (+6)
Senator Brown (OH) (+6)
Senator Hassan (NH) (+6)
Senator Schatz (HI) (+6)
Senator Udall (NM) (+6)

Senators Down by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Racial Diversity
Senator Whitehouse (RI) (-14)
Senator Reed (RI) (-7)
Senator King (ME) (-6)

Senators Up by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Black Staff
Senator Booker (NJ) (+7)
Senator Brown (OH) (+6)
Senator Carper (DE) (+6)
Senator Donnelly (IN) (+6)
Senator Wyden (OR) (+6)

Senators Down by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Black staff
Senator Murphy (CT) (-9)
Senator Gillibrand (NY) (-7)
Senator Whitehouse (RI) (-6)

Committees Up by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Racial Diversity
Joint Economic Committee, Ranking Member Heinrich (NM) (+18)
Banking, Ranking Member Brown (OH) (+9)
HELP, Ranking Member Murray (WA) (+8)
Rules, Ranking Member Klobuchar (MN) (+8)

Committees Down by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Racial Diversity
Veterans’ Affairs, Ranking Member Tester (MT) (-23)
Energy, Ranking Member Cantwell (WA) (-21)
Budget, Ranking Member Sanders (VT) (-18)
Finance, Ranking Member Wyden (OR) (-9)
Agriculture, Ranking Member Stabenow (MI) (-7)
Judiciary, Ranking Member Feinstein (CA) (-6)

Committees Up by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Black Staff
Banking, Ranking Member Brown (OH) (+9)
Joint Economic Committee, Ranking Member Heinrich (NM) (+8)

Committees Down by More Than 5 Points From 2017 in Black Staff
Aging, Ranking Member Casey (PA) (-13)
Energy, Ranking Member Cantwell (WA) (-13)
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, Ranking Member McCaskill (MO) (-9)
Small Business, Ranking Member Cardin (MD) (-9)

Three Senators With Greatest Gap Between Black Staff and Black State Population (2017 Census Estimates)
Senator Coons (DE) 14% Black staff, 23% Black state population
Senator Reed (RI) 0% Black staff, 8% Black state population
Senator Menendez (NJ) 9% Black staff, 15% Black state population