Described as an "endangered species", Doggett was one of only three white male Democratic House members from Texas in the 113th Congress (the others being Gene Green and Beto O'Rourke) in a state with mostly Republicans and minority members of the Democratic Party.
Following the retirements of Green and O'Rourke in the 2018 election, Doggett is the only white male Democrat representing Texas in Congress.
He is one of the most liberal white Democrats from a Southern district, and one of the most liberal congressmen ever to represent Texas in Congress.
His tax and environmental policies were described as "muscular progressivism" by David Hawkings of Roll Call.

Doggett was a frequent critic of Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker, while allying with David Bonior, the Democratic Minority Whip, when Bonior was leading "an effort to diminish Gingrich's power by raising continual questions about his ethics."
He has been a close ally of Nancy Pelosi.
In 2002, he supported her successful bid for Party House leader over fellow Texan Martin Frost, a more moderate candidate.

On the local level, Doggett helped ensure the development of the Austin Outpatient Clinic, which opened in 2011 as the largest veterans' clinic of its kind in the country.
In 2014, he secured passage of legislation to expand the Missions National Park and supported it being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Described as an "endangered species", Doggett was one of only three white male Democratic House members from Texas in the 113th Congress (the others being Gene Green and Beto O'Rourke) in a state with mostly Republicans and minority members of the Democratic Party. Following the retirements of Green and O'Rourke in the 2018 election, Doggett is the only white male Democrat representing Texas in Congress. He is one of the most liberal white Democrats from a Southern district, and one of the most liberal congressmen ever to represent Texas in Congress. His tax and environmental policies were described as "muscular progressivism" by David Hawkings of Roll Call.
Doggett was a frequent critic of Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker, while allying with David Bonior, the Democratic Minority Whip, when Bonior was leading "an effort to diminish Gingrich's power by raising continual questions about his ethics." He has been a close ally of Nancy Pelosi. In 2002, he supported her successful bid for Party House leader over fellow Texan Martin Frost, a more moderate candidate.
On the local level, Doggett helped ensure the development of the Austin Outpatient Clinic, which opened in 2011 as the largest veterans' clinic of its kind in the country. In 2014, he secured passage of legislation to expand the Missions National Park and supported it being named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Lloyd Doggett