Georgetown University College Democrats is a political organization at Georgetown affiliated with the Democratic Party. GUCD aims to promote Democratic values and policies on Georgetown's campus1. Although its initial founding is not clear, the College Democrats can be traced back to the 1950s, when they were called the Young Democrats' Club.
Activities
GUCD participates in two annual debates with the Georgetown University College Republicans, moderated by Georgetown Bipartisan Coalition2. GUCD also organizes various speaker events; past speakers include Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL)3. The club engages in a range of political activities off-campus, including lobbying and campaigning for Democratic candidates and causes4.
GUCD also has a tradition of engaging in friendly spars with the College Republicans. In 1956, the Young Club Democrats and Young Club Republicans engaged in a friendly tug-of-war game, as part of half-time festivities.5
Notable Alumni
Although not directly involved in GUCD during their undergraduate careers, many Georgetown undergraduate alumni have had distinguished political careers in the Democratic Party. Former president Bill Clinton (SFS '68) is easily Georgetown's most famous Democratic alumnus. More recently, Ron Klain (CAS '83) served as Chief of Staff for President Biden from 2021 to 2023. Sen. Jon Ossoff (SFS '09) has served as the senior senator from Georgia since 2021, making him the youngest Democratic senator since Joe Biden6. Pat Quinn (SFS '71) served as Governor of Illinois from 2009-2015.
- 1Georgetown University College Democrats, Constitution. http://georgetowndemocrats.com/constitution.
- 2Olson, Todd A. and Gjalt R. Smit. "Liberal Democracy In Peril: Where We Stand, Where We Must Go." p. 39.
- 3Georgetown University College Democrats, Departments. http://georgetowndemocrats.com/sections.
- 4Georgetown University College Democrats, Departments. http://georgetowndemocrats.com/sections.
- 5"Rally Group Makes Plans." The Hoya. Oct 18, 1956.
- 6O'Kane, Caitlin. "Jon Ossoff becomes the youngest Democrat elected to the Senate since Joe Biden in 1973." CBS News. 6 January 2021.
