List of United States political families (L)

The following is an alphabetical list of political families in the United States whose last name begins with L.

Lafargues and the Irions Pierre-Adolphe Lafargue (1818–1869), superintendent of schools for Avoyelles Parish, mayor of Marksville, father of Adolphe Lafargue, grandfather of Alvan Lafarge, and great-grandfather of Malcolm Lafargue Alfred Briggs Irion (1833–1902), U. S. representative from Louisiana's 6th congressional district 1885–87; Louisiana state appeals court judge 1880–84, member of the Louisiana House of Representatives 1864–65, grandfather of Alvan Lafargue, great-grandfather of Malcolm Lafargue, father-in-law of Adolphe Lafargue Adolphe Jolna Lafargue (1855–1917), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Avoyelles Parish and state district court judge, father of Alvan Lafargue, grandfather of Malcolm Lafargue, and son-in-law of Alfred Irion Arnaud D. Lafargue (1845–1917), member of the Louisiana House from 1916 to 1917; died in office, brother of Adolphe Lafargue, uncle of Alvan Lafargue, and great-uncle of Malcolm Lafargue Alvan Lafargue (1883–1963), country physician and mayor of Sulphur, Louisiana, 1926–38, son of Adolphe Lafargue and uncle of Malcolm Lafargue Malcolm Lafargue (1908–1963), U.S. Attorney for the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in Shreveport, 1941–50; defeated candidate for the United States Senate in 1950, grandson of Adolphe Lafargue, nephew of Alvan Lafargue, great-grandson of Alfred Briggs Irion

La Follettes

Laffoons Polk Laffoon (1844–1906), U.S. Representative from Kentucky 1885–89. Father of Polk Laffoon. Polk Laffoon (1877–1945), delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1932. Son of Polk Laffoon. Ruby Laffoon (1869–1941), Treasurer of Kentucky 1907, Kentucky Circuit Court Judge 1921–31, Governor of Kentucky 1931–35, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1932 1940, Democratic National Committeeman 1936. Nephew of Polk Laffoon. Mary Laffoon (1874–1972), delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1944 1948 1952 1960. Wife of Ruby Laffoon.

LaFortunes and Bynums

Robert J. LaFortune (1927-2024), Delegate to the Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 1972; 31st Mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1970-1978. Bill LaFortune (born 1957), District Attorney of Tulsa County, 1995-1998; 37th Mayor of Tulsa, 2002-2006; District Judge of Oklahoma's 14th Judicial District, 2015-present. Nephew of Robert J. LaFortune. G. T. Bynum (born 1977), Member of the Tulsa City Council, 2008-2016; 40th Mayor of Tulsa, 2016-2024. Grandson of Robert J. LaFortune and nephew of Bill LaFortune.

NOTE: G. T. Bynum is also the paternal great-great-grandson of R. N. Bynum, who served as the 2nd Mayor of Tulsa from 1899 to 1900.

LaHoods Ray LaHood (born 1945), United States Secretary of Transportation 2009–13 and U.S. House Representative 1995–2009 from Illinois Darin LaHood (born 1968), Illinois State Senator 2011–15, U.S. House Representative from Illinois 2015–present. Son of Ray LaHood.

Laidleys John Laidley (1791–1863), delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention 1829 1830, Prosecuting Attorney of Cabell County, Virginia. Father of William S. Laidley. William S. Laidley (1839–1917), West Virginia House Delegate 1872–73. Son of John Laidley. George W. Summers (1804–1868), Virginia House Delegate 1830–32 1834–36, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1841–45, delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention 1850, candidate for Governor of Virginia 1851, Circuit Court Judge in Virginia 1852–58. Son-in-law of John Laidley. John B. Laidley, West Virginia House Delegate 1885. Grandson of John Laidley.

Lairds, Connors, and Doyles Robert Connor (1837–1896), Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly 1889. Republican. Father of William D. Connor.'Wisconsin Blue Book 1889, Biographical Sketch of Robert Connor, pg. 522 William D. Connor (1864–1944), delegate to the Wisconsin Republican State Convention 1892 1894 1896 1902 1904, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin 1907–09. Father of Helen Connor Laird. Helen Connor Laird (1888–1982), delegate to the Republican National Convention 1948. Daughter of William D. Connor. Melvin R. Laird Sr. (1877–1946), Wisconsin State Senator 1941–46. Husband of Helen Connor Laird. Melvin R. Laird (1922–2016), Wisconsin State Senator 1945–52, U.S. Representative from Wisconsin 1953–69, U.S. Secretary of Defense 1969–73. Son of Helen Connor Laird and Melvin R. Laird Sr. James E. Doyle (born 1945), Dane County, Wisconsin District Attorney 1977–82; Attorney General of Wisconsin 1991–2003; Governor of Wisconsin 2003–11. Nephew by marriage of Melvin R. Laird.

NOTE: James E. Doyle is also the son of federal judge James Edward Doyle and Wisconsin Assemblywoman Ruth Bachhuber Doyle, both were founders of the modern Democratic Party in Wisconsin. Ruth Bachhuber Doyle's father, Frank E. Bachhuber, grandfather, Andrew Bachhuber, and great-grandfather, Max Bachhuber also served in the Wisconsin Assembly.

Lamars Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (1797–1834), Judge of the Georgia Superior Court. Brother of Mirabeau B. Lamar. Mirabeau B. Lamar (1798–1859), candidate for Georgia State Senator, withdrew nomination, candidate for U.S. Representative from Georgia 1833; Vice President of the Republic of Texas 1836–38; President of the Republic of Texas 1838–42; member of the Texas Legislature; U.S. Minister to Nicaragua 1858–59; U.S. Minister to Costa Rica 1858–59. Brother of Lucius Quinuts Cincinnatus Lamar. Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar (1825–1893), Georgia State Representative 1853, U.S. Representative from Mississippi 1857–60 1873–77, U.S. Senator from Mississippi 1877–85, U.S. Secretary of the Interior 1885–88, Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1888–93. Nephew of Mirabeau B. Lamar. Absalom Harris Chappell (1801–1878), member of the Georgia Legislature, U.S. Representative from Georgia 1843–45. Cousin of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar. William Bailey Lamar (1853–1928), Judge in Florida 1883–86, Florida State Representative 1887, Attorney General of Florida 1889–99, U.S. Representative from Florida 1903–09. Nephew of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar. Joseph Rucker Lamar (1857–1916), Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court 1910–16. Cousin of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar.

Lambs Thomas F. Lamb (1922–2015), Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1959–1966, Pennsylvania Senate 1969–1974. Michael Lamb (born 1962), Controller of the City of Pittsburgh, 2008–present; candidate for Pennsylvania Auditor General in 2020. Son of Thomas F. Lamb, uncle of Conor Lamb. Conor Lamb (born 1984), member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district, 2018–2023; Democratic primary candidate in the 2022 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania. Grandson of Thomas F. Lamb, nephew of Michael Lamb.

Lambeths John Walter Lambeth (1868–1934), Mayor of Thomasville, North Carolina 1901–07. Father of Walter Lambeth. Walter Lambeth (1896–1961), North Carolina State Senator 1921, Mayor of Thomasville, North Carolina 1925; U.S. Representative from North Carolina 1931–39; delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1944. Son of John Walter Lambeth.

Lances Wesley Lance (1908–2007), New Jersey Assemblyman 1937–41, New Jersey State Senator 1942–62 Leonard Lance (born 1952), New Jersey Assemblyman 1991–2002, New Jersey State Senator 2002–09, U.S. Representative from New Jersey 2009–19. Son of Wesley Lance.

Landers Franklin Landers (1825–1901), Indiana State Senator 1860, U.S. Representative from Indiana 1875–77, candidate for Governor of Indiana 1880. Father of Julia E. Landers. Julia E. Landers (1872–1953), Democratic National Committeewoman 1920. Daughter of Franklin Landers.

Landis Charles B. Landis (1858–1922), U.S. Representative from Indiana 1897–1909. Brother of Kenesaw Mountain Landis and Frederick Landis. Kenesaw Mountain Landis (1866–1944), Federal Judge in Illinois 1905–22. Brother of Charles B. Landis and Frederick Landis. Frederick Landis (1872–1934), U.S. Representative from Indiana 1903–07, delegate to the Progressive Party National Convention 1912, candidate for Governor of Indiana 1912, candidate for Republican nomination for Governor of Indiana 1928. Brother of Charles B. Landis and Kenesaw Mountain Landis.

Landons Alf Landon (1887–1987), Governor of Kansas 1933–37; Republican candidate for president, 1936. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (born 1932), U.S. Senator from Kansas 1978–97. Daughter of Alf Landon. Married to former United States Senator Howard Baker. William Kassebaum (born 1962) Kansas House of Representatives 2002–04. Son of Nancy Landon Kassebaum.

Landrieus

Moon Landrieu (born 1930), Mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, 1970–78; United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under Jimmy Carter, 1977–80; judge, Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, 1991–2000. Mary Landrieu (born 1955), U.S. Senator from Louisiana, 1997–2015; daughter of Moon Landrieu. Mitch Landrieu (born 1960), Mayor of New Orleans, 2010–18; Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, 2004–10; son of Moon Landrieu

Lanes Joel Lane (1740–1795), North Carolina State Senator 1782–94, delegate to the North Carolina Constitutional Convention 1788 1789. Granduncle of Joseph Lane. Joseph Lane (1801–1881), Territorial Governor of Oregon, 1948–1850, 1853; Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Oregon Territory, 1851–59; U.S. Senator from Oregon, 1859–61; Southern Democratic vice presidential nominee, 1860. David L. Swain (1801–1868), Governor of North Carolina 1832–35. Grandnephew of Joel Lane. Lafayette Lane (1842–1896), U.S. Representative from Oregon, 1875–77; son of Joseph Lane. Lafayette F. Mosher (1824–1890), Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court 1872–74. Son-in-law of Joseph Lane. James L. Robinson (1838–1887), North Carolina State Representative, Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina 1881–84. Grandnephew of David L. Swain. Harry Lane (1855–1917), Mayor of Portland, Oregon, 1905–09; U.S. Senator from Oregon, 1913–17; grandson of Joseph Lane, nephew of Lafayette Lane.

NOTE: Joseph Lane was also first cousin by marriage of U.S. Senator Walter T. Colquitt.

Lanes of Indiana Henry S. Lane (1811–1881), Indiana State Senator 1837, Indiana State Representative 1838–39, U.S. Representative 1840–43, Governor of Indiana 1861, U.S. Senator from Indiana 1861–67. Brother of Higgins Lane. Higgins Lane (1812–1877), Indiana State Representative 1849–50 1861 1865. Brother of Henry S. Lane. Edwin T. Lane (1851–1???), Indiana State Representative 1877. Son of Higgins Lane.

Lanes of Indiana and Kansas Amos Lane (1778–1849), Indiana State Representative, U.S. Representative from Indiana 1833–37. Father of George W. Lane and James H. Lane. George W. Lane (1812–1891), Indiana State Representative 1847 1856. Son of Amos Lane. James H. Lane (1814–1866), U.S. Representative from Indiana 1853–55, U.S. Senator from Kansas 1861–66. Son of Amos Lane.

NOTE: James H. Lane was also grandson-in-law of Continental Congressional Delegate Arthur St. Clair.

Lanes of Maryland William Preston Lane Jr. (1892–1967), Attorney General of Maryland 1930–34, Democratic National Committeeman 1940–50, delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1940 1944 1948, Governor of Maryland 1947–51. Relative of LeRoy Preston. LeRoy Lane (1915–1987), Maryland House Delegate 1948–52, Maryland State Senator 1952–56. Relative of William Preston Lane Jr.

Lanes of North Carolina Joel Lane (1740–1795), member of the North Carolina Legislature, North Carolina State Senator 1782–94, delegate to the North Carolina Constitutional Convention 1788 1789. Granduncle of Joseph Lane and David Lowry Swain.