Catherine Durant was an American politician, most recently serving as the 68th United States Secretary of State. Prior to leading the State Department, she served as a United States Senator from Louisiana.
Biography[]
Durant was a Democratic U.S. Senator from Louisiana who had served in her position for some years as of 2013, with experience on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and as an ally of House Majority Whip Frank Underwood. In Congress, she became a friend of Margaret Tilden, the owner of the Washington Herald. During the 2012 presidential election, she actively opposed then Colorado Governor Garrett Walker in the Democratic primaries. However, Walker would win the nomination and later, the Presidency.
Season 1[]

Cathy Durant as Secretary of State
Initially, President-elect Walker nominated Senator Michael Kern as Secretary of State, after deciding not to nominate Underwood, who had been promised the post. As a result, Underwood decided to enact revenge on Walker and devised a plot to take the Presidency for himself. The first stage of this involved derailing Kern's nomination as revenge, namely by having Congressman Peter Russo and his own Chief of Staff, Doug Stamper uncover damaging information about Kern. The information uncovered concerned Kern being the editor of a college newspaper that ran an editorial strongly condemning Israel. Underwood leaking this information to journalist Zoe Barnes who published it, and the resulting media storm forced Kern's nomination to be withdrawn.
Due to Durant being a key ally of Underwood's from their time in Congress and as she agreed to his plan of replacing Walker, Underwood again leaked information to Barnes that Durant was being considered as the new nominee. The resulting positive media coverage resulted in Underwood being able to persuade White House Chief of Staff Linda Vasquez and the President that nominating Durant was the right course. As a result, Durant was nominated and confirmed as the new Secretary of State.
Later on in 2013, Durant would be approached by Claire Underwood for State Department assistance in removing water tanks that Claire's foundation had trapped in Sudan. However, Durant was unable to provide any official assistance due to severing of diplomatic ties.
Season 2[]
Durant would later meet with the newly sworn in Vice President Frank Underwood in December 2013 as they attended a meeting on China with Walker and Raymond Tusk, a billionaire technology magnate who served as Walker's adviser and guiding hand. Durant stated a need to confront the Chinese on cyber attacks, but was rebuffed in the meeting by the others, although Underwood later said he supported her but disagreed publicly to ensure Tusk could not gang up on them both. At Underwood's insistence, she ordered her diplomats to confront the Chinese on cyber attacks anyway, leading to sabotage of diplomatic talks and allowing Underwood room to manoeuvre his way into taking the talks over.
In late 2014, when Walker was facing impeachment charges after illegal money laundering of political contributions was discovered on the part of Tusk and prominent Chinese diplomat and businessman Xander Feng, Durant was unsure of whether she could still support Underwood's play for President, however was persuaded to continue supporting him. She was later present as Walker announced his resignation and witnessed President Underwood's swearing in, along with advising him during his first meeting on China.
Season 5[]
Cathy planned on testify in a special committee. Because her testimony would be damning to Frank, when she and Frank are discussing this while at the White House, Frank waits until they're away from the security camera's view to push her down the stairs.
Season 6[]
Cathy met with now president Claire Underwood at the White House, where she told Claire about her new job offer. Claire became convinced that Cathy had been bought by the Shepherd Family and asked Jane Davis to kill her, and make it look like a complication of an injury from her fall. Cathy went to meet with Jane at a D.C. restaurant, where she realized what was happening, and retreated to her car, where she called and cursed Jane. Cathy later faked her own death with the help of her husband, and fled to the French Alps, where she was shot by an assassin hired by Claire.
Behind the Scenes[]
Appearances[]
Season 1 | ||||
"Chapter 1" | "Chapter 2" | "Chapter 3" | "Chapter 4" | "Chapter 5" |
"Chapter 6" | "Chapter 7" | "Chapter 8" | "Chapter 9" | "Chapter 10" |
"Chapter 11" | "Chapter 12" | "Chapter 13" |
Season 2 | ||||
"Chapter 14" | "Chapter 15" | "Chapter 16" | "Chapter 17" | "Chapter 18" |
"Chapter 19" | "Chapter 20" | "Chapter 21" | "Chapter 22" | "Chapter 23" |
"Chapter 24" | "Chapter 25" | "Chapter 26" |
Season 3 | ||||
"Chapter 27" | "Chapter 28" | "Chapter 29" | "Chapter 30" | "Chapter 31" |
"Chapter 32" | "Chapter 33" | "Chapter 34" | "Chapter 35" | "Chapter 36" |
"Chapter 37" | "Chapter 38" | "Chapter 39" |
Season 4 | ||||
"Chapter 40" | "Chapter 41" | "Chapter 42" | "Chapter 43" | "Chapter 44" |
"Chapter 45" | "Chapter 46" | "Chapter 47" | "Chapter 48" | "Chapter 49" |
"Chapter 50" | "Chapter 51" | "Chapter 52" |
Season 5 | ||||
"Chapter 53" | "Chapter 54" | "Chapter 55" | "Chapter 56" | "Chapter 57" |
"Chapter 58" | "Chapter 59" | "Chapter 60" | "Chapter 61" | "Chapter 62" |
"Chapter 63" | "Chapter 64" | "Chapter 65" |
Season 6 | ||||
"Chapter 66" | "Chapter 67" | "Chapter 68" | "Chapter 69" | "Chapter 70" |
"Chapter 71" | "Chapter 72" | "Chapter 73" |