List of United States Senators from Kentucky
This is a complete list of United States Senators from Kentucky. Its senators belong to Classes 2 and 3. Kentucky is currently represented in the U.S. Senate by Republicans Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul.
List of Senators
Class 2 Class 2 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014. The next election will be in 2020. |
C o n g r e s s |
Class 3 Class 3 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1998, 2004, and 2010, and 2016. The next election will be in 2022. | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | John Brown |
Anti- Administration |
June 18, 1792 – March 3, 1805 |
Elected in 1792. | 1 | 2nd Congress | 1 | Elected in 1792. Either retired or lost re-election. |
June 18, 1792 – March 3, 1795 |
Anti-Administration | John Edwards |
1 |
Re-elected in 1792. | 2 | 3rd Congress | ||||||||||
Democratic- Republican |
4th Congress | 2 | Elected in 1794. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801 |
Federalist | Humphrey Marshall |
2 | |||||
5th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1799. Lost re-election |
3 | 6th Congress | ||||||||||
7th Congress | 3 | Elected in 1801 Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. |
March 4, 1801 – August 7, 1805 |
Democratic-Republican | John Breckinridge |
3 | ||||||
8th Congress | ||||||||||||
2 | Buckner Thruston |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1805 – December 18, 1809 |
Election date unknown. Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Circuit Court. |
4 | 9th Congress | ||||||
August 7, 1805 – November 8, 1805 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Breckinridge's term. Resigned because of participation in the Burr Conspiracy, having lost re-election. |
November 8, 1805 – November 18, 1806 |
Democratic-Republican | John Adair |
4 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Adair's term, despite being younger than the constitutional age minimum. Either retired or lost re-election. |
November 19, 1806 – March 3, 1807 |
Democratic-Republican | Henry Clay |
5 | ||||||||
10th Congress | 4 | Election year unknown. Either retired or lost re-election. |
March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1813 |
Democratic-Republican | John Pope |
6 | ||||||
11th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | December 18, 1809 – January 10, 1810 |
|||||||||||
3 | Henry Clay |
Democratic- Republican |
January 10, 1810 – March 3, 1811 |
Appointed to finish Thruston's term. Retired. | ||||||||
4 | George M. Bibb |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1811 – August 23, 1814 |
Elected in 1811. Resigned to return to private practice. |
5 | 12th Congress | ||||||
13th Congress | 5 | Election year unknown. Resigned. |
March 4, 1813 – December 24, 1814 |
Democratic-Republican | Jesse Bledsoe |
7 | ||||||
Vacant | August 23, 1814 – August 30, 1814 |
|||||||||||
5 | George Walker | Democratic- Republican |
August 30, 1814 – December 16, 1814 |
Appointed to continue Bibb's term. Successor qualified. | ||||||||
6 | William T. Barry |
Democratic- Republican |
December 16, 1814 – May 1, 1816 |
Elected to finish Bibb's term. Resigned to become judge of the Kentucky Circuit Court. | ||||||||
December 24, 1814 – February 2, 1815 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Bledsoe's term. Either retired or lost re-election. |
February 2, 1815 – March 3, 1819 |
Democratic-Republican | Isham Talbot |
8 | ||||||||
14th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | May 1, 1816 – November 3, 1816 |
|||||||||||
7 | Martin D. Hardin |
Federalist | November 3, 1816 – March 3, 1817 |
Appointed to continue Barry's term. Elected December 5, 1816 to finish Barry's term[1] Either retired or lost re-election. | ||||||||
8 | John J. Crittenden |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819 |
Elected in 1817. Resigned to return to private practice. |
6 | 15th Congress | ||||||
Vacant | March 3, 1819 – December 10, 1819 |
16th Congress | 6 | Election year unknown. Resigned to run for governor. |
March 4, 1819 – May 28, 1820 |
Democratic-Republican | William Logan |
9 | ||||
9 | Richard M. Johnson |
Democratic- Republican |
December 10, 1819 – March 3, 1829 |
Elected to finish Logan's term. | ||||||||
May 28, 1820 – October 19, 1820 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Logan's term. Either retired or lost re-election. |
October 19, 1820– March 3, 1825 |
Democratic-Republican | Isham Talbot |
10 | ||||||||
17th Congress | ||||||||||||
Jackson Democratic-Republican |
Re-elected in 1823. Lost re-election. |
7 | 18th Congress | Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican | ||||||||
Jacksonian | 19th Congress | 7 | Election year unknown. Either retired or lost re-election. |
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1831 |
Jacksonian | John Rowan |
11 | |||||
20th Congress | ||||||||||||
10 | George M. Bibb |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1835 |
Elected in 1829. Either retired or lost re-election. |
8 | 21st Congress | ||||||
22nd Congress | 8 | March 4, 1831 – November 10, 1831 |
Vacant | |||||||||
Elected late in 1831. | November 10, 1831 – March 31, 1842 |
Anti Jacksonian |
Henry Clay |
12 | ||||||||
23rd Congress | ||||||||||||
11 | John J. Crittenden |
Anti Jacksonian |
March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1841 |
Elected in 1835. Retired. |
9 | 24th Congress | ||||||
Whig | 25th Congress | 9 | Re-elected in 1836. Resigned. |
Whig | ||||||||
26th Congress | ||||||||||||
12 | James T. Morehead |
Whig | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1847 |
Elected in 1841. Either retired or lost re-election. |
10 | 27th Congress | ||||||
Elected to finish Clay's term. | March 31, 1842 – June 12, 1848 |
Whig | John J. Crittenden |
13 | ||||||||
28th Congress | 10 | Re-elected in 1843. Resigned to become Governor of Kentucky. | ||||||||||
29th Congress | ||||||||||||
13 | Joseph R. Underwood |
Whig | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853 |
Election year unknown. Retired. |
11 | 30th Congress | ||||||
June 12, 1848 – June 23, 1848 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Crittenden's term. Elected January 3, 1849 to finish Crittenden's term.[2] Either retired or lost re-election. |
June 23, 1848 – March 3, 1849 |
Whig | Thomas Metcalfe |
14 | ||||||||
31st Congress | 11 | Elected in 1849 Died |
March 4, 1849 – June 24, 1852 |
Whig | Henry Clay |
15 | ||||||
32nd Congress | ||||||||||||
June 24, 1852 – July 6, 1852 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Clay's term. Retired when elected successor qualified. |
July 6, 1852 – August 31, 1852 |
Democratic | David Meriwether |
16 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Clay's term. Retired. |
September 1, 1852 – March 3, 1855 |
Whig | Archibald Dixon |
17 | ||||||||
14 | John B. Thompson |
Know Nothing | March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1859 |
Election year unknown. Either retired or lost re-election. |
12 | 33rd Congress | ||||||
34th Congress | 12 | Elected in 1853, far in advance of the term. Retired. |
March 4, 1855– March 3, 1861 |
Whig | John J. Crittenden |
18 | ||||||
35th Congress | Know Nothing | |||||||||||
15 | Lazarus W. Powell |
Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1865 |
Elected in 1858. Either retired or lost re-election. |
13 | 36th Congress | ||||||
37th Congress | 13 | Elected in 1859, far in advance of the term. Expelled for supporting the Confederacy. |
March 4, 1861 – December 4, 1861 |
Democratic | John C. Breckinridge |
19 | ||||||
December 4, 1861 – December 10, 1861 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Breckinridge's term. | December 10, 1861 – September 22, 1872 |
Unionist | Garrett Davis |
20 | ||||||||
38th Congress | ||||||||||||
16 | James Guthrie |
Democratic | March 4, 1865 – February 7, 1868 |
Elected in 1865. Resigned due to ill health. |
14 | 39th Congress | ||||||
40th Congress | 14 | Re-elected in 1867. Died. |
Democratic | |||||||||
Vacant | February 7, 1868 – February 19, 1868 |
|||||||||||
17 | Thomas C. McCreery |
Democratic | February 19, 1868 – March 3, 1871 |
Elected to finish Guthrie's term. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
41st Congress | ||||||||||||
18 | John W. Stevenson |
Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1877 |
Elected in 1871. Retired. |
15 | 42nd Congress | ||||||
September 22, 1872 – September 27, 1872 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Davis's term. Elected January 21, 1873 to finish Davis's term.[2] Either retired or lost re-election. |
September 27, 1872 – March 3, 1873 |
Democratic | Willis B. Machen |
21 | ||||||||
43rd Congress | 15 | Elected in 1872. Retired. |
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 |
Democratic | Thomas C. McCreery |
22 | ||||||
44th Congress | ||||||||||||
19 | James B. Beck |
Democratic | March 4, 1877 – May 3, 1890 |
Elected in 1876. | 16 | 45th Congress | ||||||
46th Congress | 16 | Elected in 1879. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1885 |
Democratic | John Stuart Williams |
23 | ||||||
47th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1882. | 17 | 48th Congress | ||||||||||
49th Congress | 17 | Elected in 1884. | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1897 |
Democratic | Joseph C. S. Blackburn |
24 | ||||||
50th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1888. Died. |
18 | 51st Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 3, 1890 – May 26, 1890 |
|||||||||||
20 | John G. Carlisle |
Democratic | May 26, 1890 – February 4, 1893 |
Elected to finish Beck's term. Resigned. | ||||||||
52nd Congress | 18 | Re-elected in 1890. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
Vacant | February 4, 1893 – February 15, 1893 |
|||||||||||
21 | William Lindsay |
Democratic | February 15, 1893 – March 3, 1901 |
Elected to finish Carlisle's term. | ||||||||
53rd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected January 17, 1894.[3] Retired. |
19 | 54th Congress | ||||||||||
55th Congress | 19 | Elected in 1897. Retired. |
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1903 |
Republican | William J. Deboe |
25 | ||||||
56th Congress | ||||||||||||
22 | Joseph Blackburn |
Democratic | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1907 |
Elected in 1900. Lost re-election. |
20 | 57th Congress | ||||||
58th Congress | 20 | Elected in 1903. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1909 |
Democratic | James B. McCreary |
26 | ||||||
59th Congress | ||||||||||||
23 | Thomas H. Paynter |
Democratic | March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1913 |
Elected in 1906. Retired. |
21 | 60th Congress | ||||||
61st Congress | 21 | Elected in 1908. Died. |
March 4, 1909 – May 23, 1914 |
Republican | William O. Bradley |
27 | ||||||
62nd Congress | ||||||||||||
24 | Ollie M. James |
Democratic | March 4, 1913 – August 28, 1918 |
Elected in 1912. Died. |
22 | 63rd Congress | ||||||
May 23, 1914 – June 16, 1914 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Bradley's term. Elected November 3, 1914 to finish Bradley's term.[2] Retired. |
June 16, 1914 – March 3, 1915 |
Democratic | Johnson N. Camden |
28 | ||||||||
64th Congress | 22 | Elected in 1914. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1921 |
Democratic | John C. W. Beckham |
29 | ||||||
65th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | August 28, 1918 – September 7, 1918 |
|||||||||||
25 | George B. Martin |
Democratic | September 7, 1918 – March 3, 1919 |
Appointed to finish James's term. Retired. | ||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1919 – May 19, 1919 |
23 | 66th Congress | |||||||||
26 | Augustus Stanley |
Democratic | May 19, 1919 – March 3, 1925 |
Elected in 1918, but did not start term until resigning as governor. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
67th Congress | 23 | Elected in 1920. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1927 |
Republican | Richard P. Ernst |
30 | ||||||
68th Congress | ||||||||||||
27 | Fred M. Sackett |
Republican | March 4, 1925 – January 9, 1930 |
Elected in 1924. Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Germany. |
24 | 69th Congress | ||||||
70th Congress | 24 | Elected in 1926. | March 4, 1927 – January 19, 1949 |
Democratic | Alben W. Barkley |
31 | ||||||
71st Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | January 9, 1930 – January 11, 1930 |
|||||||||||
28 | John M. Robsion |
Republican | January 11, 1930 – November 30, 1930 |
Appointed to continue Sackett's term. Lost election to finish Sackett's term. | ||||||||
29 | Ben M. Williamson |
Democratic | December 1, 1930 – March 3, 1931 |
Elected to finish Sackett's term. Retired. | ||||||||
30 | Marvel M. Logan |
Democratic | March 4, 1931 – October 3, 1939 |
Elected in 1930. | 25 | 72nd Congress | ||||||
73rd Congress | 25 | Re-elected in 1932. | ||||||||||
74th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1936. Died. |
26 | 75th Congress | ||||||||||
76th Congress | 26 | Re-elected in 1938. | ||||||||||
Vacant | October 3, 1939 – October 10, 1939 |
|||||||||||
31 | Happy Chandler |
Democratic | October 10, 1939 – November 1, 1945 |
Appointed to continue Logan's term. Elected November 5, 1940 to finish Logan's term. | ||||||||
77th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1942. Resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball. |
27 | 78th Congress | ||||||||||
79th Congress | 27 | Re-elected in 1944. Resigned to become U.S. Vice President. | ||||||||||
Vacant | November 1, 1945 – November 19, 1945 |
|||||||||||
32 | William A. Stanfill |
Republican | November 19, 1945 – November 5, 1946 |
Appointed to continue Chandler's term. Retired. | ||||||||
33 | John Sherman Cooper |
Republican | November 6, 1946 – January 3, 1949 |
Elected to finsish Chandler's term. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
80th Congress | ||||||||||||
Appointed to continue Barkley's term. Resigned to trigger special election. |
January 20, 1949 – November 26, 1950 |
Democratic | Garrett L. Withers |
32 | ||||||||
34 | Virgil Chapman |
Democratic | January 3, 1949 – March 8, 1951 |
Elected in 1948. Died. |
28 | 81st Congress | ||||||
Elected to finish Barkley's term, having been elected to the next term. | November 27, 1950 – January 3, 1957 |
Democratic | Earle C. Clements |
33 | ||||||||
82nd Congress | 28 | Elected to full term in 1950. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
Vacant | March 8, 1951 – March 19, 1951 |
|||||||||||
35 | Thomas R. Underwood |
Democratic | March 19, 1951 – November 4, 1952 |
Appointed to continue Chapman's term. Lost election to finish Chapman's term. | ||||||||
36 | John Sherman Cooper |
Republican | November 5, 1952 – January 3, 1955 |
Elected to finish Chapman's term. Lost election to full term. | ||||||||
83rd Congress | ||||||||||||
37 | Alben W. Barkley |
Democratic | January 3, 1955 – April 30, 1956 |
Elected in 1954. Died. |
29 | 84th Congress | ||||||
Vacant | April 30, 1956 – June 21, 1956 |
|||||||||||
38 | Robert Humphreys |
Democratic | June 21, 1956 – November 6, 1956 |
Appointed to continue Barkley's term. Retired when elected successor qualified. | ||||||||
39 | John Sherman Cooper |
Republican | November 7, 1956 – January 3, 1973 |
Elected to finish Barkley's term. | ||||||||
85th Congress | 29 | Elected in 1956. | January 3, 1957 – December 16, 1968 |
Republican | Thruston Morton |
34 | ||||||
86th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1960. | 30 | 87th Congress | ||||||||||
88th Congress | 30 | Re-elected in 1962. Retired, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||||
89th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1966. Retired. |
31 | 90th Congress | ||||||||||
Appointed to finish Morton's term, having already been elected to the next term. | December 17, 1968 – December 27, 1974 |
Republican | Marlow Cook |
35 | ||||||||
91st Congress | 31 | Elected in 1968. Lost re-election, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||||
92nd Congress | ||||||||||||
40 | Walter Huddleston |
Democratic | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1985 |
Elected in 1972. | 32 | 93rd Congress | ||||||
Appointed to finish Cook's term, having already been elected to the next term. | December 28, 1974 – January 3, 1999 |
Democratic | Wendell H. Ford |
36 | ||||||||
94th Congress | 32 | Elected in 1974. | ||||||||||
95th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election. |
33 | 96th Congress | ||||||||||
97th Congress | 33 | Re-elected in 1980. | ||||||||||
98th Congress | ||||||||||||
41 | Mitch McConnell |
Republican | January 3, 1985 – Present |
Elected in 1984. | 34 | 99th Congress | ||||||
100th Congress | 34 | Re-elected in 1986. | ||||||||||
101st Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1990. | 35 | 102nd Congress | ||||||||||
103rd Congress | 35 | Re-elected in 1992. Retired. | ||||||||||
104th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1996. | 36 | 105th Congress | ||||||||||
106th Congress | 36 | Elected in 1998. | January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2011 |
Republican | Jim Bunning |
37 | ||||||
107th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2002. | 37 | 108th Congress | ||||||||||
109th Congress | 37 | Re-elected in 2004. Retired. | ||||||||||
110th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2008. | 38 | 111th Congress | ||||||||||
112th Congress | 38 | Elected in 2010. | January 3, 2011 – Present |
Republican | Rand Paul |
38 | ||||||
113th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2014. | 39 | 114th Congress | ||||||||||
115th Congress | 39 | Re-elected in 2016. | ||||||||||
116th Congress | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2020 election. | 40 | 117th Congress | ||||||||||
118th Congress | 40 | To be determined in the 2022 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 2 | Class 3 |
Living former U.S. Senators from Kentucky
As of October 2016, there are two living former U.S. Senators from Kentucky. The most recent senator to die was Marlow Cook of Class 3 (1968-1974) on February 4, 2016. The most recent Class 2 senator to die was Happy Chandler (1939-1945) on June 15, 1991. The most recently serving Class 3 senator to die was Wendell H. Ford (1974-1999) on January 22, 2015. The most recently serving Class 2 senator to die was John Sherman Cooper (1946-1949, 1952-1955, 1956-1973) on February 21, 1991.
Senator | Term of office | Class | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|---|
Walter Huddleston | 1973–1985 | 2 | April 15, 1926 |
Jim Bunning | 1999–2011 | 3 | October 23, 1931 |
See also
- List of United States Representatives from Kentucky
- United States congressional delegations from Kentucky
References
- Byrd, Robert C.; Wolff, Wendy (October 1, 1993). "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992" (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office.