List of United States Senators from Rhode Island
This a list of United States Senators from Rhode Island. Rhode Island ratified the Constitution on May 29, 1790, and its senators belong to Class 1 and Class 2. Rhode Island's current senators are Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse.
List of Senators
Class 1 Class 1 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1994, 2000, 2006, and 2012. The next election will be in 2018. |
C o n g r e s s |
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. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | Theodore Foster |
Pro- Administration |
June 7, 1790 – March 3, 1803 |
Elected in 1790. | 1 | 1st Congress | 1 | Elected in 1790. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
June 7, 1790 – March 3, 1793 |
Anti-Administration | Joseph Stanton, Jr. | 1 |
Re-elected in 1791. | 2 | 2nd Congress | ||||||||||
3rd Congress | 2 | Elected in 1793. Resigned. |
March 4, 1793 – October 1797 |
Pro-Administration | William Bradford | 2 | ||||||
Federalist | 4th Congress | Federalist | ||||||||||
October 1797 – November 13, 1797 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1797 to finish Bradford's term. | November 13, 1797 – March 5, 1801 |
Federalist | Ray Greene |
3 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1797. Retired. |
3 | 5th Congress | ||||||||||
6th Congress | 3 | Re-elected in 1799. Resigned. | ||||||||||
March 5, 1801 – May 6, 1801 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1801 to finish Greene's term. Lost re-election. |
May 6, 1801 – March 3, 1805 |
Democratic- Republican |
Christopher Ellery |
4 | ||||||||
7th Congress | ||||||||||||
2 | Samuel J. Potter | Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1803 – October 14, 1804 |
Election date unknown. Died. |
4 | 8th Congress | ||||||
Vacant | October 14, 1804 – October 29, 1804 |
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3 | Benjamin Howland | Democratic- Republican |
October 29, 1804 – March 3, 1809 |
Elected in 1804 to finish Potter's term. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||||||||
9th Congress | 4 | Election date unknown. Resigned. |
March 4, 1805 – September 1807 |
Democratic- Republican |
James Fenner |
5 | ||||||
10th Congress | ||||||||||||
September 1807 – October 26, 1807 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | October 26, 1807 – March 3, 1811 |
Democratic- Republican |
Elisha Mathewson |
6 | ||||||||
4 | Francis Malbone | Federalist | March 4, 1809 – June 4, 1809 |
Election date unknown. Died. |
5 | 11th Congress | ||||||
Vacant | June 4, 1809 – June 26, 1809 |
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5 | Christopher G. Champlin |
Federalist | June 26, 1809 – October 12, 1811 |
Elected in 1809 to finish Malbone's term. Resigned. | ||||||||
12th Congress | 5 | Elected in 1811. Retired. |
March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1817 |
Democratic- Republican |
Jeremiah B. Howell |
7 | ||||||
Vacant | October 12, 1811 – October 28, 1811 |
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6 | William Hunter |
Federalist | October 28, 1811 – March 3, 1821 |
Elected in 1811 to finish Champlin's term. | ||||||||
13th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1814. | 6 | 14th Congress | ||||||||||
15th Congress | 6 | Election date unknown. Died. |
March 4, 1817 – December 25, 1820 |
Federalist | James Burrill, Jr. |
8 | ||||||
16th Congress | ||||||||||||
December 25, 1820 – January 9, 1821 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected in 1821 to finish Burrill's term. | January 9, 1821 – March 3, 1841 |
Democratic- Republican |
Nehemiah R. Knight |
9 | ||||||||
7 | James DeWolf |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1821 – October 31, 1825 |
Election date unknown. Resigned. |
7 | 17th Congress | ||||||
Crawford Democratic- Republican |
18th Congress | 7 | Re-elected in 1823. | Crawford Democratic- Republican | ||||||||
Anti-Jacksonian | 19th Congress | Anti-Jacksonian | ||||||||||
8 | Asher Robbins |
Anti-Jacksonian | October 31, 1825 – March 3, 1839 |
Elected in 1825 to finish DeWolf's term. | ||||||||
Adams | Re-elected in 1827. | 8 | 20th Congress | Adams | ||||||||
Anti-Jacksonian | 21st Congress | 8 | Re-elected in 1829. | Anti-Jacksonian | ||||||||
22nd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1833. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
9 | 23rd Congress | ||||||||||
24th Congress | 9 | Re-elected in 1835. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||||||||||
25th Congress | Whig | |||||||||||
9 | Nathan F. Dixon I |
Whig | March 4, 1839 – January 29, 1842 |
Election date unknown. Died. |
10 | 26th Congress | ||||||
27th Congress | 10 | Elected in 1841. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1847 |
Whig | James F. Simmons |
10 | ||||||
Vacant | January 29, 1842 – February 18, 1842 |
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10 | William Sprague III |
Whig | February 18, 1842 – January 17, 1844 |
Elected in 1842 to finish Dixon's term. Resigned. | ||||||||
28th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | January 17, 1844 – January 25, 1844 |
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11 | John B. Francis |
Law and Order | January 25, 1844 – March 3, 1845 |
Elected in 1844 to finish Sprague's term. Retired. | ||||||||
12 | Albert C. Greene |
Whig | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1851 |
Election date unknown. Retired. |
11 | 29th Congress | ||||||
30th Congress | 11 | Election date unknown. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853 |
Whig | John Hopkins Clarke |
11 | ||||||
31st Congress | ||||||||||||
13 | Charles T. James |
Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1857 |
Election date unknown. Retired. |
12 | 32nd Congress | ||||||
33rd Congress | 12 | March 4, 1853 – July 20, 1853 |
Vacant | |||||||||
Elected late. Retired. |
July 20, 1853 – March 3, 1859 |
Democratic | Philip Allen |
12 | ||||||||
34th Congress | ||||||||||||
14 | James F. Simmons |
Republican | March 4, 1857 – August 15, 1862 |
Elected in 1856. Resigned. |
13 | 35th Congress | ||||||
36th Congress | 13 | Elected in 1858. | March 4, 1859 – September 2, 1884 |
Republican | Henry B. Anthony |
13 | ||||||
37th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | August 15, 1862 – December 1, 1862 |
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15 | Samuel G. Arnold |
Republican | December 1, 1862 – March 3, 1863 |
Elected in 1862 to finish Simmons's term. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | ||||||||
16 | William Sprague IV |
Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 3, 1875 |
Elected in 1862. | 14 | 38th Congress | ||||||
39th Congress | 14 | Re-elected in 1864. | ||||||||||
40th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1868. Retired. |
15 | 41st Congress | ||||||||||
42nd Congress | 15 | Re-elected in 1870. | ||||||||||
43rd Congress | ||||||||||||
17 | Ambrose Burnside |
Republican | March 4, 1875 – September 13, 1881 |
Elected in 1874. | 16 | 44th Congress | ||||||
45th Congress | 16 | Re-elected in 1876. | ||||||||||
46th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1880. Died. |
17 | 47th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | September 13, 1881 – October 5, 1881 |
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18 | Nelson W. Aldrich |
Republican | October 5, 1881 – March 3, 1911 |
Elected in 1881 to finish Burnside's term. | ||||||||
48th Congress | 17 | Re-elected in 1882. Died. | ||||||||||
September 2, 1884 – November 19, 1884 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Anthony's term. | November 19, 1884 – January 20, 1885 |
Republican | William P. Sheffield |
14 | ||||||||
Elected in 1885 to finish Anthony's term. | January 20, 1885 – April 9, 1889 |
Republican | Jonathan Chace |
15 | ||||||||
49th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1886. | 18 | 50th Congress | ||||||||||
51st Congress | 18 | Re-elected in 1888. Resigned. | ||||||||||
Elected in 1889 to finish Chace's term. Retired. |
April 10, 1889 – March 3, 1895 |
Republican | Nathan F. Dixon, III |
16 | ||||||||
52nd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1892. | 19 | 53rd Congress | ||||||||||
54th Congress | 19 | Elected in 1894. | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1907 |
Republican | George P. Wetmore |
17 | ||||||
55th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1898. | 20 | 56th Congress | ||||||||||
57th Congress | 20 | Re-elected in 1900. | ||||||||||
58th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1904. Retired. |
21 | 59th Congress | ||||||||||
60th Congress | 21 | Legislature failed to elect. | March 4, 1907 – January 22, 1908 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected in 1908 to finish the vacant term. | January 22, 1908– March 3, 1913 |
Republican | George P. Wetmore | |||||||||
61st Congress | ||||||||||||
19 | Henry F. Lippitt |
Republican | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917 |
Elected in 1910. Lost re-election. |
22 | 62nd Congress | ||||||
63rd Congress | 22 | Elected in 1912. | March 4, 1913 – August 18, 1924 |
Republican | LeBaron B. Colt |
18 | ||||||
64th Congress | ||||||||||||
20 | Peter G. Gerry |
Democratic | March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1929 |
Elected in 1916. | 23 | 65th Congress | ||||||
66th Congress | 23 | Re-elected in 1918. Died. | ||||||||||
67th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1922. Lost re-election. |
24 | 68th Congress | ||||||||||
August 18, 1924 – November 5, 1924 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | November 5, 1924 – January 3, 1937 |
Republican | Jesse H. Metcalf |
19 | ||||||||
69th Congress | 24 | Elected in 1924. | ||||||||||
70th Congress | ||||||||||||
21 | Felix Hebert |
Republican | March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1935 |
Elected in 1928. Lost re-election. |
25 | 71st Congress | ||||||
72nd Congress | 25 | Re-elected in 1930 Lost re-election in 1936 | ||||||||||
73rd Congress | ||||||||||||
22 | Peter G. Gerry |
Democratic | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1947 |
Elected in 1934. | 26 | 74th Congress | ||||||
75th Congress | 26 | Elected in 1936. | January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1961 |
Democratic | Theodore F. Green |
20 | ||||||
76th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1940. Retired. |
27 | 77th Congress | ||||||||||
78th Congress | 27 | Re-elected in 1942. | ||||||||||
79th Congress | ||||||||||||
23 | J. Howard McGrath |
Democratic | January 3, 1947 – August 23, 1949 |
Elected in 1946. Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. |
28 | 80th Congress | ||||||
81st Congress | 28 | Re-elected in 1948. | ||||||||||
24 | Edward L. Leahy |
Democratic | August 24, 1949 – December 10, 1950 |
Appointed to continue McGrath's term. Retired. | ||||||||
Vacant | December 10, 1950 – December 19, 1950 |
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25 | John O. Pastore |
Democratic | December 19, 1950 – December 28, 1976 |
Elected in 1950 to finish McGrath's term. | ||||||||
82nd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1952. | 29 | 83rd Congress | ||||||||||
84th Congress | 29 | Re-elected in 1954. Retired. | ||||||||||
85th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1958. | 30 | 86th Congress | ||||||||||
87th Congress | 30 | Elected in 1960. | January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1997 |
Democratic | Claiborne Pell |
21 | ||||||
88th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1964. | 31 | 89th Congress | ||||||||||
90th Congress | 31 | Re-elected in 1966. | ||||||||||
91st Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1970. Retired and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. |
32 | 92nd Congress | ||||||||||
93rd Congress | 32 | Re-elected in 1972. | ||||||||||
94th Congress | ||||||||||||
26 | John Chafee |
Republican | December 29, 1976 – October 24, 1999 |
Appointed to finish Pastore's term, having been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected in 1976. | 33 | 95th Congress | ||||||||||
96th Congress | 33 | Re-elected in 1978. | ||||||||||
97th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1982. | 34 | 98th Congress | ||||||||||
99th Congress | 34 | Re-elected in 1984. | ||||||||||
100th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1988. | 35 | 101st Congress | ||||||||||
102nd Congress | 35 | Re-elected in 1990. Retired. | ||||||||||
103rd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1994. Died. |
36 | 104th Congress | ||||||||||
105th Congress | 36 | Elected in 1996. | January 3, 1997 – Present |
Democratic | Jack Reed |
22 | ||||||
106th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | October 24, 1999 – November 2, 1999 |
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27 | Lincoln Chafee |
Republican | November 2, 1999 – January 3, 2007 |
Appointed to finish his father's term. | ||||||||
Elected in 2000. Lost re-election. |
37 | 107th Congress | ||||||||||
108th Congress | 37 | Re-elected in 2002. | ||||||||||
109th Congress | ||||||||||||
28 | Sheldon Whitehouse |
Democratic | January 3, 2007 – Present |
Elected in 2006. | 38 | 110th Congress | ||||||
111th Congress | 38 | Re-elected in 2008. | ||||||||||
112th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2012. | 39 | 113th Congress | ||||||||||
114th Congress | 39 | Re-elected in 2014. | ||||||||||
115th Congress | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2018 election. | 40 | 116th Congress | ||||||||||
117th Congress | 40 | To be determined in the 2020 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 1 | Class 2 |
Living former United States Senators from Rhode Island
As of October 2016, there is one Senator who is living, from Class 1. The most recent senator to die was Claiborne Pell of Class 2 (1961-1997) on January 1, 2009. The most recent Class 1 senator to die was John O. Pastore (1950-1976) on July 15, 2000. The most recently serving Class 1 senator to die was John Chafee (1976-1999), who died in office on October 24, 1999.
Senator | Term of office | Class | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|---|
Lincoln Chafee | 1999–2007 | 1 | March 26, 1953 |
See also
- List of United States Representatives from Rhode Island
- United States congressional delegations from Rhode Island