United States Senators by seniority(2005)
This is a classification of U.S. Senators by seniority from January 3rd, 2005 to January 17th, 2006.
Order of service is based on the commencement of the Senator's first term. Behind this is former service as a U.S. Senator (only giving the Senator seniority within his or her new incoming class), service as U.S. Vice President, a House member, a cabinet secretary, a state governor, and then by their state's population, respectively.[1]
| Rank | Name | Seniority Date | Other Factors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Byrd (D-WV) | January 3, 1959 | |
| 2 | Ted Kennedy (D-MA) | November 7, 1962 | |
| 3 | Daniel Inouye (D-HI) | January 3, 1963 | |
| 4 | Ted Stevens (R-AK) | December 24, 1968 | |
| 5 | Pete Domenici (R-NM) | January 31973 | New Mexico Ranked 36th Population |
| 6 | Joe Biden (D-DE) | Delaware Ranked 45th Population | |
| 7 | Patrick Leahy (D-VT) | January 3, 1975 | |
| 8 | Paul Sarbanes[2] (D-MD) | January 3, 1977 | Former Representative |
| 9 | Richard Lugar (R-IN) | Indiana Ranked 15th population | |
| 10 | Orrin Hatch (R-UT) | Utah Ranked 34th population | |
| 11 | Max Baucus (D-MT) | December 15, 1978 | |
| 12 | Thad Cochran (R-MS) | December 27, 1978 | |
| 13 | John Warner (R-VA) | January 2, 1979 | |
| 14 | Carl Levin (D-MI) | January 3, 1979 | |
| 15 | Chris Dodd (D-CT) | January 31981 | Former Representative (6 years) - Connecticut Ranked 29th population |
| 16 | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) | Former Representative (6 years) - Iowa Ranked 30th population | |
| 17 | Arlen Specter (R-PA) | ||
| 18 | Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) | January 3, 1983 | |
| 19 | John Kerry (D-MA) | January 21985 | |
| 20 | Tom Harkin (D-IA) | January 31985 | Former Representative |
| 21 | Mitch McConnell (R-KY) | ||
| 22 | Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) | January 15, 1985 | |
| 23 | Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) | January 61987 | Former Representative (10 years) |
| 24 | Richard Shelby (R-AL) | Former Representative (8 years) | |
| 25 | John McCain (R-AZ) | Former Representative (4 years) - Arizona Ranked 17th Population | |
| 26 | Harry Reid (D-NV) | Former Representative (4 years) - Nevada Ranked 35th Population | |
| 27 | Kit Bond (R-MO) | Former Governor | |
| 28 | Kent Conrad (D-ND) | ||
| 29 | Trent Lott (R-MS) | January 3, 1989 | Former Representative (16 Years) |
| 30 | Jim Jeffords[2] (I-VT) | Former Representative (14 Years) | |
| 31 | Herb Kohl (D-WI) | Wisconsin Ranked 20th Population | |
| 32 | Joe Lieberman[3] (D-CT) | Connecticut Ranked 29th Population | |
| 33 | Conrad Burns[2] (R-MT) | Montana Ranked 44th Population | |
| 34 | Daniel Akaka (D-HI) | May 16, 1990 | |
| 35 | Larry Craig (R-ID) | January 3, 1991 | |
| 36 | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | November 10, 1992 | |
| 37 | Byron Dorgan (D-ND) | December 15, 1992 | |
| 38 | Barbara Boxer (D-CA) | January 5, 1993 | Former Representative (10 years) |
| 39 | Judd Gregg (R-NH) | Former Representative (8 years) | |
| 40 | Patty Murray (D-WA) | Washington Ranked 14th Population | |
| 41 | Russ Feingold (D-WI) | Wisconsin Ranked 20th Population | |
| 42 | Bob Bennett (R-UT) | Utah Ranked 34th Population | |
| 43 | Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) | June 14, 1993 | |
| 44 | Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | November 17, 1994 | |
| 45 | Olympia Snowe (R-ME) | January 4, 1995 | Former Representative (16 years) |
| 46 | Mike DeWine[2] (R-OH) | Former Representative (8 years) - Ohio Ranked 7th Population | |
| 47 | Jon Kyl (R-AZ) | Former Representative (8 years) - Arizona Ranked 17th Population | |
| 48 | Craig Thomas (R-WY) | Former Representative (6 years) | |
| 49 | Rick Santorum[2] (R-PA) | Former Representative (4 years) | |
| 50 | Bill Frist[2] (R-TN) | ||
| 51 | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | February 6, 1996 | |
| 52 | Sam Brownback (R-KS) | November 7, 1996 | |
| 53 | Pat Roberts (R-KS) | January 71997 | Former Representative (16 years) |
| 54 | Richard Durbin (D-IL) | Former Representative (14 years) | |
| 55 | Tim Johnson (D-SD) | Former Representative (10 years) | |
| 56 | Wayne Allard (R-CO) | Former Representative (6 years) - Colorado Ranked 22nd Population | |
| 57 | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Former Representative (6 years) - Rhode Island Ranked 43rd Population | |
| 58 | Mary Landrieu (D-LA) | Louisiana Ranked 22nd Population | |
| 59 | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) | Alabama Ranked 23rd Population | |
| 60 | Gordon Smith (R-OR) | Oregon Ranked 28th Population | |
| 61 | Chuck Hagel (R-NE) | Nebraska Ranked 38th Population | |
| 62 | Susan Collins (R-ME) | Maine Ranked 40th Population | |
| 63 | Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Wyoming Ranked 50th Population | |
| 64 | Chuck Schumer (D-NY) | January 61999 | Former Representative (18 years) |
| 65 | Jim Bunning (R-KY) | Former Representative (12 years) | |
| 66 | Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Former Representative (6 years) | |
| 67 | Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) | Former Representative (4 years) | |
| 68 | George Voinovich (R-OH) | Former Governor - Ohio Ranked 7th Population | |
| 69 | Evan Bayh (D-IN) | Former Governor - Indiana Ranked 15th Population | |
| 70 | Lincoln Chafee[2] (R-RI) | November 4, 1999 | |
| 71 | Bill Nelson (D-FL) | January 3, 2001 | Former Representative (12 years) |
| 72 | Tom Carper (D-DE) | Former Representative (10 years) | |
| 73 | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | Former Representative (4 years) - Michigan Ranked 8th Population | |
| 74 | John Ensign (R-NV) | Former Representative (4 years) - Nevada Ranked 35th Population | |
| 75 | George Allen[2] (R-VA) | Former Representative (2 years) - Former Governor | |
| 76 | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | Former Representative (2 years) | |
| 77 | Ben Nelson (D-NE) | Former Governor | |
| 78 | Hillary Clinton (D-NY) | New York Ranked 3rd Population | |
| 79 | Jon Corzine[4] (D-NJ) | New Jersey Ranked 11th Population | |
| 80 | Mark Dayton[2] (D-MN) | Minnesota Ranked 21st Population | |
| 81 | Jim Talent[2] (R-MO) | November 25, 2002 | |
| 82 | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | December 202002 | |
| 83 | Frank Lautenberg[5] (D-NJ) | January 32003 | Previously a Senator |
| 84 | Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) | Former Representative (8 years) - Georgia Ranked 9th Population | |
| 85 | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Former Representative (8 years) - South Carolina Ranked 24th Population | |
| 86 | John Sununu (R-NH) | Former Representative (6 years) | |
| 87 | Lamar Alexander (R-TN) | Former Cabinet Secretary, Former Governor | |
| 88 | Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) | Former Cabinet Secretary | |
| 89 | John Cornyn[6] (R-TX) | Texas Ranked 2nd Population | |
| 90 | Norm Coleman (R-MN) | Minnesota Ranked 21st Population | |
| 91 | Mark Pryor (D-AR) | Arkansas Ranked 32nd Population | |
| 92 | Richard Burr (R-NC) | January 32005 | Former Representative (10 years) |
| 93 | Jim DeMint (R-SC) | Former Representative (6 years) - South Carolina Ranked 24th Population | |
| 94 | Tom Coburn (R-OK) | Former Representative (6 years) - Oklahoma Ranked 27th Population | |
| 95 | John Thune (R-SD) | Former Representative (6 years) - South Dakota Ranked 46th Population | |
| 96 | Johnny Isakson (R-GA) | Former Representative (5 years, 10 months) | |
| 97 | David Vitter (R-LA) | Former Representative (5 years, 7 months) | |
| 98 | Mel Martinez (R-FL) | Former Cabinet Secretary | |
| 99 | Barack Obama (D-IL) | Illinois Ranked 5th Population | |
| 100 | Ken Salazar (D-CO) | Colorado Ranked 22nd Population |
Notes
- ^ A Chronological List of United States Senators 1789-Present, via www.Senate.gov
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Retired or defeated in 2006 election.
- ^ Lieberman was a Democrat before 2007. Afterwards, he became an independent, referring to himself as an independent democrat.
- ^ Senator Corzine stepped down on January 17 because he was elected the Governor of New Jersey
- ^ Frank Lautenberg served a previous term as U.S. Senator from New Jersey from January 1983 to January 2001, but under the rules, does not retain seniority from that prior service. Lautenberg has sought restoration of his seniority based on his prior service, but has not received it."Lieberman says he has been promised seniority", via HillNews.com
- ^ Phil Gramm resigned early, effective November 302002, so that Cornyn could take senate office on December 22002 and move into Gramm's office suite in order to begin organizing his staff. Cornyn did not, however, gain seniority, owing to a 1980 Rules Committee policy that no longer gave seniority to senators who entered Congress early for the purpose of gaining advantageous office space.