List of United States senators from Rhode Island
Rhode Island ratified the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790 and elects its U.S. senators to Class 1 and Class 2. The state's current U.S. senators are Democrats Jack Reed (since 1997) and Sheldon Whitehouse (since 2007). Claiborne Pell was Rhode Island's longest-serving senator (1961–1997).
List of senators
Class 1 Class 1 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018. The next election will be in 2024. |
C |
Class 2 Class 2 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Vacant | May 29, 1790 – Jun 7, 1790 |
Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790. | 1 | 1st | 1 | Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790. | May 29, 1790 – Jun 7, 1790 |
Vacant | ||||
1 | Theodore Foster |
Pro- Admin. |
Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1803 |
Elected in 1790. | Elected in 1790. | Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1793 |
Anti-Admin. | Joseph Stanton Jr. | 1 | |||
Re-elected in 1791. | 2 | 2nd | ||||||||||
3rd | 2 | Elected in 1793.Resigned. | Mar 4, 1793 – Oct 1797 |
Pro-Admin. | William Bradford | 2 | ||||||
Federalist | 4th | Federalist | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1797.Retired. | 3 | 5th | ||||||||||
Oct 1797 – Nov 13, 1797 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1797 to finish Bradford's term. | Nov 13, 1797 – Mar 5, 1801 |
Federalist | Ray Greene |
3
| ||||||||
6th | 3 | Re-elected in 1798.Resigned. | ||||||||||
7th | ||||||||||||
Mar 5, 1801 – May 6, 1801 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1801 to finish Greene's term.Lost re-election. | May 6, 1801 – Mar 3, 1805 |
Democratic- Republican |
Christopher Ellery |
4 | ||||||||
2 | Samuel J. Potter | Democratic- Republican |
Mar 4, 1803 – Oct 14, 1804 |
Elected in 1802.Died. | 4 | 8th | ||||||
Vacant | Oct 14, 1804 – Oct 29, 1804 |
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3 | Benjamin Howland | Democratic- Republican |
Oct 29, 1804 – Mar 3, 1809 |
Elected in 1804 to finish Potter's term.Retired. | ||||||||
9th | 4 | Elected in 1804.Resigned. | Mar 4, 1805 – Sep 1807 |
Democratic- Republican |
James Fenner |
5 | ||||||
10th | ||||||||||||
Sep 1807 – Oct 26, 1807 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Fenner's term. | Oct 26, 1807 – Mar 3, 1811 |
Democratic- Republican |
Elisha Mathewson |
6 | ||||||||
4 | Francis Malbone | Federalist | Mar 4, 1809 – Jun 4, 1809 |
Elected in 1808.[1]Died. | 5 | 11th | ||||||
Vacant | Jun 4, 1809 – Jun 26, 1809 |
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5 | Christopher G. Champlin |
Federalist | Jun 26, 1809 – Oct 12, 1811 |
Elected in 1809 to finish Malbone's term.Resigned. | ||||||||
12th | 5 | Elected in 1810.Retired. | Mar 4, 1811 – Mar 3, 1817 |
Democratic- Republican |
Jeremiah B. Howell |
7 | ||||||
Vacant | Oct 12, 1811 – Oct 28, 1811 |
|||||||||||
6 | William Hunter |
Federalist | Oct 28, 1811 – Mar 3, 1821 |
Elected in 1811 to finish Champlin's term. | ||||||||
13th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1814. | 6 | 14th | ||||||||||
15th | 6 | Elected in 1816.Died. | Mar 4, 1817 – Dec 25, 1820 |
Federalist | James Burrill Jr. |
8 | ||||||
16th | ||||||||||||
Dec 25, 1820 – Jan 9, 1821 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1821 to finish Burrill's term. | Jan 9, 1821 – Mar 3, 1841 |
Democratic- Republican |
Nehemiah R. Knight |
9 | ||||||||
7 | James DeWolf |
Democratic- Republican |
Mar 4, 1821 – Oct 31, 1825 |
Election date unknown.Resigned. | 7 | 17th | ||||||
18th | 7 | Re-elected in 1823. | ||||||||||
National Republican |
19th | National Republican | ||||||||||
8 | Asher Robbins |
National Republican |
Oct 31, 1825 – Mar 3, 1839 |
Elected in 1825 to finish DeWolf's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1827. | 8 | 20th | ||||||||||
21st | 8 | Re-elected in 1829. | ||||||||||
22nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1833.[data unknown/missing] | 9 | 23rd | ||||||||||
24th | 9 | Re-elected in 1835.[data unknown/missing] | ||||||||||
Whig | 25th | Whig | ||||||||||
9 | Nathan F. Dixon I |
Whig | Mar 4, 1839 – Jan 29, 1842 |
Election date unknown.Died. | 10 | 26th | ||||||
27th | 10 | Elected in 1841.Lost re-election. | Mar 4, 1841 – Mar 3, 1847 |
Whig | James F. Simmons |
10 | ||||||
Vacant | Jan 29, 1842 – Feb 18, 1842 |
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10 | William Sprague III |
Whig | Feb 18, 1842 – Jan 17, 1844 |
Elected in 1842 to finish Dixon's term.Resigned. | ||||||||
28th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | Jan 17, 1844 – Jan 25, 1844 |
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11 | John Brown Francis |
Law and Order | Jan 25, 1844 – Mar 3, 1845 |
Elected in 1844 to finish Sprague's term.Retired. | ||||||||
12 | Albert C. Greene |
Whig | Mar 4, 1845 – Mar 3, 1851 |
Election date unknown.Retired. | 11 | 29th | ||||||
30th | 11 | Election date unknown.[data unknown/missing] | Mar 4, 1847 – Mar 3, 1853 |
Whig | John Hopkins Clarke |
11 | ||||||
31st | ||||||||||||
13 | Charles T. James |
Democratic | Mar 4, 1851 – Mar 3, 1857 |
Election date unknown.Retired. | 12 | 32nd | ||||||
33rd | 12 | Mar 4, 1853 – Jul 20, 1853 |
Vacant | |||||||||
Elected late.Retired. | Jul 20, 1853 – Mar 3, 1859 |
Democratic | Philip Allen |
12 | ||||||||
34th | ||||||||||||
14 | James F. Simmons |
Republican | Mar 4, 1857 – Aug 15, 1862 |
Elected in 1856.Resigned. | 13 | 35th | ||||||
36th | 13 | Elected in 1858. | Mar 4, 1859 – Sep 2, 1884 |
Republican | Henry B. Anthony |
13 | ||||||
37th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | Aug 15, 1862 – Dec 1, 1862 |
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15 | Samuel G. Arnold |
Republican | Dec 1, 1862 – Mar 3, 1863 |
Elected in 1862 to finish Simmons's term.[data unknown/missing] | ||||||||
16 | William Sprague IV |
Republican | Mar 4, 1863 – Mar 3, 1875 |
Elected in 1862. | 14 | 38th | ||||||
39th | 14 | Re-elected in 1864. | ||||||||||
40th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1868.Retired. | 15 | 41st | ||||||||||
42nd | 15 | Re-elected in 1870. | ||||||||||
43rd | ||||||||||||
17 | Ambrose Burnside |
Republican | Mar 4, 1875 – Sep 13, 1881 |
Elected in 1874. | 16 | 44th | ||||||
45th | 16 | Re-elected in 1876. | ||||||||||
46th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1880.Died. | 17 | 47th | ||||||||||
Vacant | Sep 13, 1881 – Oct 5, 1881 |
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18 | Nelson W. Aldrich |
Republican | Oct 5, 1881 – Mar 3, 1911 |
Elected in 1881 to finish Burnside's term. | ||||||||
48th | 17 | Re-elected in 1882.Died. | ||||||||||
Sep 2, 1884 – Nov 19, 1884 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Anthony's term. | Nov 19, 1884 – Jan 20, 1885 |
Republican | William P. Sheffield |
14 | ||||||||
Elected in 1885 to finish Anthony's term. | Jan 20, 1885 – Apr 9, 1889 |
Republican | Jonathan Chace |
15 | ||||||||
49th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1886. | 18 | 50th | ||||||||||
51st | 18 | Re-elected in 1888.Resigned. | ||||||||||
Elected in 1889 to finish Chace's term.Retired. | Apr 10, 1889 – Mar 3, 1895 |
Republican | Nathan F. Dixon III |
16 | ||||||||
52nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1892. | 19 | 53rd | ||||||||||
54th | 19 | Elected in 1894. | Mar 4, 1895 – Mar 3, 1907 |
Republican | George P. Wetmore |
17 | ||||||
55th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1898. | 20 | 56th | ||||||||||
57th | 20 | Re-elected in 1900. | ||||||||||
58th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected Jan 18, 1905.[2]Retired. | 21 | 59th | ||||||||||
60th | 21 | Legislature failed to elect. | Mar 4, 1907 – Jan 22, 1908 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected in 1908 to finish the vacant term.Retired. | Jan 22, 1908– Mar 3, 1913 |
Republican | George P. Wetmore | |||||||||
61st | ||||||||||||
19 | Henry F. Lippitt |
Republican | Mar 4, 1911 – Mar 3, 1917 |
Elected in 1910.Lost re-election. | 22 | 62nd | ||||||
63rd | 22 | Elected in 1913. | Mar 4, 1913 – Aug 18, 1924 |
Republican | LeBaron Bradford Colt |
18 | ||||||
64th | ||||||||||||
20 | Peter G. Gerry |
Democratic | Mar 4, 1917 – Mar 3, 1929 |
Elected in 1916. | 23 | 65th | ||||||
66th | 23 | Re-elected in 1918.Died. | ||||||||||
67th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1922.Lost re-election. | 24 | 68th | ||||||||||
Aug 18, 1924 – Nov 4, 1924 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1924 to finish Colt's term. | Nov 4, 1924 – Jan 3, 1937 |
Republican | Jesse H. Metcalf |
19 | ||||||||
69th | 24 | Elected in 1924. | ||||||||||
70th | ||||||||||||
21 | Felix Hebert |
Republican | Mar 4, 1929 – Jan 3, 1935 |
Elected in 1928.Lost re-election. | 25 | 71st | ||||||
72nd | 25 | Re-elected in 1930Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
73rd | ||||||||||||
22 | Peter G. Gerry |
Democratic | Jan 3, 1935 – Jan 3, 1947 |
Elected in 1934. | 26 | 74th | ||||||
75th | 26 | Elected in 1936. | Jan 3, 1937 – Jan 3, 1961 |
Democratic | Theodore F. Green |
20 | ||||||
76th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1940.Retired. | 27 | 77th | ||||||||||
78th | 27 | Re-elected in 1942. | ||||||||||
79th | ||||||||||||
23 | J. Howard McGrath |
Democratic | Jan 3, 1947 – Aug 23, 1949 |
Elected in 1946.Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. | 28 | 80th | ||||||
81st | 28 | Re-elected in 1948. | ||||||||||
24 | Edward L. Leahy |
Democratic | Aug 24, 1949 – Dec 10, 1950 |
Appointed to continue McGrath's term.Retired. | ||||||||
Vacant | Dec 10, 1950 – Dec 19, 1950 |
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25 | John Pastore |
Democratic | Dec 19, 1950 – Dec 28, 1976 |
Elected in 1950 to finish McGrath's term. | ||||||||
82nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1952. | 29 | 83rd | ||||||||||
84th | 29 | Re-elected in 1954.Retired. | ||||||||||
85th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1958. | 30 | 86th | ||||||||||
87th | 30 | Elected in 1960. | Jan 3, 1961 – Jan 3, 1997 |
Democratic | Claiborne Pell |
21 | ||||||
88th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1964. | 31 | 89th | ||||||||||
90th | 31 | Re-elected in 1966. | ||||||||||
91st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1970.Retired and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. |
32 | 92nd | ||||||||||
93rd | 32 | Re-elected in 1972. | ||||||||||
94th | ||||||||||||
26 | John Chafee |
Republican | Dec 29, 1976 – Oct 24, 1999 |
Appointed to finish Pastore's term, having been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected in 1976. | 33 | 95th | ||||||||||
96th | 33 | Re-elected in 1978. | ||||||||||
97th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1982. | 34 | 98th | ||||||||||
99th | 34 | Re-elected in 1984. | ||||||||||
100th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1988. | 35 | 101st | ||||||||||
102nd | 35 | Re-elected in 1990.Retired. | ||||||||||
103rd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1994.Died, having planned to retire at the end of term. | 36 | 104th | ||||||||||
105th | 36 | Elected in 1996. | Jan 3, 1997 – Present |
Democratic | Jack Reed |
22 | ||||||
106th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | Oct 24, 1999 – Nov 2, 1999 |
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27 | Lincoln Chafee |
Republican | Nov 2, 1999 – Jan 3, 2007 |
Appointed to finish his father's term. | ||||||||
Elected in 2000 to a full term.Lost re-election. | 37 | 107th | ||||||||||
108th | 37 | Re-elected in 2002. | ||||||||||
109th | ||||||||||||
28 | Sheldon Whitehouse |
Democratic | Jan 3, 2007 – Present |
Elected in 2006. | 38 | 110th | ||||||
111th | 38 | Re-elected in 2008. | ||||||||||
112th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2012. | 39 | 113th | ||||||||||
114th | 39 | Re-elected in 2014. | ||||||||||
115th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2018. | 40 | 116th | ||||||||||
117th | 40 | Re-elected in 2020. | ||||||||||
118th | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2024 election. | 41 | 119th | ||||||||||
120th | 41 | To be determined in the 2026 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 1 | Class 2 |
Living former senators
As of November 2022[update], there is one living former U.S. senator from Rhode Island. The most recent senator to die was Claiborne Pell (served 1961–1997) on January 1, 2009. The most recently serving senator to die was John Chafee (served 1976–1999), who died in office on October 24, 1999.
Senator | Term of office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Lincoln Chafee | November 2, 1999 – January 3, 2007 | March 26, 1953 |
Superlatives
Longest service
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Claiborne Pell | January 3, 1961 | January 3, 1997 | 36 years, 0 days (13,149 days) |
Nelson W. Aldrich | October 5, 1881 | March 3, 1911 | 29 years, 149 days (10,740 days) |
John Pastore | December 19, 1950 | December 28, 1976 | 26 years, 9 days (9,506 days) |
Henry B. Anthony | March 4, 1859 | September 2, 1884 | 25 years, 182 days (9,314 days) |
Jack Reed | January 3, 1997 | Present | 27 years, 180 days (10,041 days) |
Shortest service
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
William Paine Sheffield Sr. | November 19, 1884 | January 20, 1885 | 2 months and 1 day (62 days) |
Francis Malbone | March 4, 1809 | June 4, 1809 | 3 months (92 days) |
Samuel G. Arnold | December 1, 1862 | March 3, 1863 | 3 months and 2 days (92 days) |
John Brown Francis | January 25, 1844 | March 3, 1845 | 1 year, 1 month and 6 days (403 days) |
Edward L. Leahy | August 24, 1949 | December 10, 1950 | 1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks and 2 days (473 days) |
Youngest at beginning of service
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
William Sprague IV | September 12, 1830 | March 4, 1863 | 32 years, 5 months and 20 days |
Christopher Ellery | November 1, 1768 | May 6, 1801 | 32 years, 6 months and 5 days |
Ray Greene | February 2, 1765 | November 13, 1797 | 32 years, 9 months and 11 days |
James Fenner | January 22, 1771 | March 4, 1805 | 34 years, 1 month and 10 days |
William Hunter | November 26, 1774 | October 28, 1811 | 36 years, 11 months and 2 days |
Oldest at end of service
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Theodore F. Green | October 2, 1867 | January 3, 1961 | 93 years, 3 months and 1 day |
LeBaron Bradford Colt | June 25, 1846 | August 18, 1924 | 78 years, 1 month and 24 days |
Claiborne Pell | November 22, 1918 | January 3, 1997 | 78 years, 1 month and 12 days |
Asher Robbins | October 26, 1761 | March 3, 1839 | 77 years, 4 months and 5 days |
John Chafee | October 22, 1922 | October 24, 1999 | 77 years and 2 days |
See also
- List of United States representatives from Rhode Island
- United States congressional delegations from Rhode Island
- Elections in Rhode Island
References
- ^ "Rhode Island 1808 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 18, 2018., citing United States' Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). Jan 14, 1809.
- ^ The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. New York: The Press Publishing Co. New York World. 1905.
External links
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