Hill Diversity
Digging Deeper: 2023 Senate Democratic Caucus Diversity Numbers
By Dr. LaShonda Brenson and Kimberly Victor
On July 13, 2023, the Senate Democratic Caucus released an update of its demographic data on Democratic staff (find 2023 numbers here and 2022 numbers here). The analysis below ranks the offices on their total diversity in the following categories:
- Overall Senate Personal Office Chart
- Most & Least Diverse Staff in Senate Personal Offices (by Race, Gender & Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity)
- Most Improved & Least Improved in Staff Diversity (by Personal Office)
- Overall Committee Office Chart
- Most & Least Diverse Staff in Senate Committee Offices (by Race)
- Most Improved & Least Improved in Staff Diversity (by Committee Office)
The point of index, which ranks senators based on diversity of their staff, is calculated by subtracting the percentage of a senator’s constituents who are people of color from the percentage of top staff of color in the senator’s office. For example, a senator with 0% top staff of color and a 75% POC state would be at a -75 point of index (poor performing). A senator with a top staff that is 66% POC who represents a 33% POC state would be at a 33 point of index (high performing). The table is set to be sorted by the point of index.
AAPI = Asian American/Pacific Islander
MENA = Middle Eastern/North African
NA/H/A – Native American, Hawaiian, or Alaskan