For the first time in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives, both the Republican and Democratic cloakrooms are led by women. Ella Gunn became floor director of the House Republican Cloakroom three years after she started as an intern for former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, while Rosemary Keating was named manager of the House Democratic Cloakroom following Bob Fischer’s retirement in September.
Keating is the first woman to hold her position on the Democratic side. “That’s historical,” Keating said about her new role. “I feel very proud to work here.” Gunn, at 25, is also notable for being the youngest to manage the Republican cloakroom, though not the first woman—Sarah Coyle previously held that distinction from 2021 to 2022.
Their appointments highlight a broader trend of increasing female representation in Congress and its staff ranks. The number of women serving in Congress has more than doubled over two decades; there are now 151 women in the House and Senate, compared to 74 two decades ago. However, Kelly Ditmar from the Center for American Women in Politics noted that while gender balance exists among office staff overall, women remain underrepresented in senior roles.
“In any of these roles, usually you can find some ways in which having a different perspective or lived experiences as women might influence how they do their job, who they hire, who they bring into the fold to help and support the work that they do, how they interact with members,” Ditmar said.
Ohio Rep. Marcy Kaptur commented on this milestone: “Let’s hope that, with women in leadership in the actual bowels of the institution, that we will have a better cooperative effort by both sides of the aisle.”
Keating began her career with Democrats’ floor team before joining the cloakroom as assistant manager in 2014. She now leads an all-women team—a first for either party’s cloakroom—and followed family footsteps; three of her brothers worked at the Capitol, including one who served as assistant cloakroom manager.
Bob Fischer expressed confidence in Keating before his retirement: “As a father of two daughters, I couldn’t be prouder for some of these milestone accomplishments that I’ve either witnessed or been a small part of.”
The role of cloakrooms has evolved from spaces where members stored personal items to hubs providing information and communication about floor activity. They also serve as informal gathering places for lawmakers. While each retains distinct decor—the Republican side is red-carpeted; Democrats use blue—both have seen updates and changes over time.
Gunn emphasized her sense of responsibility: no member has missed a vote during her tenure so far. “I would feel enormous guilt if that happened, and it hasn’t happened yet, thank goodness,” she said.
Keating described her team’s focus on service and discretion: “We’re here for one purpose… It’s their place to come and to be able to talk freely and not, you know, have to worry about something being repeated.”
This leadership change comes amid ongoing efforts toward greater gender equity within Congressional staff roles.
