User:Mklally/sandbox

In a governmental system, a party leader acts as the official representative of their political party. The party leader is typically responsible for managing the party's relationship with the general public. As such, they will take a leading role in developing and communicating party policy, especially election platforms, to the electorate. They are also typically the public face of the respective party and the principal media contact.

In many representative democracies, party leaders compete directly for high political office. It is thus typical in such states (e.g., in the Westminster system) for the party leader to seek election to the legislature, and, if elected, to simultaneously serve as the party's parliamentary leader.

United States
The United States government has party leaders in both the executive and legislative branches. The President, currently Donald Trump, becomes the de facto leader of the party they represent once elected, and the Vice President, currently Mike Pence, likewise holds a leadership role as both the second-highest executive officer as well as being the President of the Senate.

The legislative branch, otherwise known as the United States Congress, is made up of the upper chamber, the Senate, and the lower chamber, the House of Representatives, with party-elected leaders in each. The leader of the party with most the representation (sometimes called the party-in-power) in each case is known as the majority leader, whereas the leader of the opposing party with the most members is known as the minority leader.

Party leaders in the United States Senate have been elected by popular vote since 1913. They currently include President of the Senate Mike Pence, President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate Orrin Hatch, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn on the Republican side, and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin.

The Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives are elected by their respective parties in the House by secret ballot. The Republican Party is currently represented in the House by Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Majority Whip Steve Scalise, whereas the Democratic Party is represented by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer. In the House of Representatives, the most powerful official is the House-elected Speaker, currently Paul Ryan of the Republican Party.

The Democratic Party is currently chaired by Tom Perez.[1]