List of United States senators from Kentucky
Appearance
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 2Class 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 | Class 3Class 3 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1998, 2004, and 2010. The next election will be in 2016. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | John Brown |
Anti- Administration |
June 18, 1792 – March 3, 1805 |
Elected in 1792. | 1 | 2nd | 1 | Elected in 1792. [data missing] |
June 18, 1792 – March 3, 1795 |
Anti-Administration | John Edwards |
1 |
Re-elected in 1793. | 2 | 3rd | ||||||||||
Democratic- Republican |
4th | 2 | Elected in 1794. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801 |
Federalist | Humphrey Marshall |
2 | |||||
5th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1799. [data missing] |
3 | 6th | ||||||||||
7th | 3 | Elected in 1801 Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. |
March 4, 1801 – August 7, 1805 |
Democratic-Republican | John Breckinridge |
3 | ||||||
8th | ||||||||||||
2 | Buckner Thruston |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1805 – December 18, 1809 |
Elected in 1805. Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Circuit Court. |
4 | 9th | ||||||
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. [data missing] |
November 19, 1806 – March 3, 1807 |
Democratic-Republican | Henry Clay |
5 | ||||||||
10th | 4 | Elected in 1807. [data missing] |
March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1813 |
Democratic-Republican | John Pope |
6 | ||||||
11th | ||||||||||||
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 | ||||||
13th | 5 | Elected in 1813. 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. [data missing] |
February 2, 1815 – March 3, 1819 |
Democratic-Republican | Isham Talbot |
8 | ||||||||
14th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | May 1, 1816 – November 3, 1816 |
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7 | Martin D. Hardin |
Federalist | November 3, 1816 – March 3, 1817 |
Appointed to continue Barry's term. Finished Barry's term either by special election or by the appointment ([data missing]. | ||||||||
8 | John J. Crittenden |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1819 |
Elected in 1817. Resigned to return to private practice. |
6 | 15th | ||||||
Vacant | March 3, 1819 – December 10, 1819 |
16th | 6 | Elected in 1819. 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 Crittenden's term | ||||||||
May 28, 1820 – October 19, 1820 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Logan's term. [data missing] |
October 19, 1820– March 3, 1825 |
Democratic-Republican | Isham Talbot |
10 | ||||||||
17th | ||||||||||||
Jackson Democratic-Republican |
Re-elected in 1823. Lost re-election. |
7 | 18th | Adams-Clay Democratic-Republican | ||||||||
Jacksonian | 19th | 7 | Elected in 1824 or 1825. [data missing] |
March 4, 1825 – March 3, 1831 |
Jacksonian | John Rowan |
11 | |||||
20th | ||||||||||||
10 | George M. Bibb |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – March 3, 1835 |
Elected in 1829. [data missing] |
8 | 21st | ||||||
22nd | 8 | March 4, 1831 – November 10, 1831 |
Vacant | |||||||||
Elected late in 1831. | November 10, 1831 – March 31, 1842 |
Anti Jacksonian |
Henry Clay |
12 | ||||||||
23rd | ||||||||||||
11 | John J. Crittenden |
Anti Jacksonian |
March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1841 |
Elected in 1835. Retired. |
9 | 24th | ||||||
Whig | 25th | 9 | Re-elected in 1836. Resigned. |
Whig | ||||||||
26th | ||||||||||||
12 | James T. Morehead |
Whig | March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1847 |
Elected in 1841. [data missing] |
10 | 27th | ||||||
Appointed to continue Clay's term. Elected to finish Clay's term. |
March 31, 1842 – June 12, 1848 |
Whig | John J. Crittenden |
13 | ||||||||
28th | 10 | Re-elected in 1843. Resigned to become Governor of Kentucky. | ||||||||||
29th | ||||||||||||
13 | Joseph R. Underwood |
Whig | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853 |
Elected in 1846 or 1847. Retired. |
11 | 30th | ||||||
June 12, 1848 – June 23, 1848 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Crittenden's term. Elected to finish Crittenden's term. [data missing] |
June 23, 1848 – March 3, 1849 |
Whig | Thomas Metcalfe |
14 | ||||||||
31st | 11 | Elected in 1849 Died |
March 4, 1849 – June 24, 1852 |
Whig | Henry Clay |
15 | ||||||
32nd | ||||||||||||
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 |
Elected in 1852 or 1853. [data missing] |
12 | 33rd | ||||||
34th | 12 | Elected in 1853, far in advance of the term. Retired. |
March 4, 1855– March 3, 1861 |
Whig | John J. Crittenden |
18 | ||||||
35th | Know Nothing | |||||||||||
15 | Lazarus W. Powell |
Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1865 |
Elected in 1858. [data missing] |
13 | 36th | ||||||
37th | 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 | ||||||||||||
16 | James Guthrie |
Democratic | March 4, 1865 – February 7, 1868 |
Elected in 1865. Resigned due to ill health. |
14 | 39th | ||||||
40th | 14 | Re-elected in 1867. Died. |
Democratic | |||||||||
Vacant | February 7, 1868 – February 19, 1868 |
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17 | Thomas C. McCreery |
Democratic | February 19, 1868 – March 3, 1871 |
Elected to finish Guthrie's term. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
41st | ||||||||||||
18 | John W. Stevenson |
Democratic | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1877 |
Elected in 1871. Retired. |
15 | 42nd | ||||||
September 22, 1872 – September 27, 1872 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Davis's term. Elected January 21, 1873 to finish Davis's term.[1] [data missing] |
September 27, 1872 – March 3, 1873 |
Democratic | Willis B. Machen |
21 | ||||||||
43rd | 15 | Elected in 1872. Retired. |
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 |
Democratic | Thomas C. McCreery |
22 | ||||||
44th | ||||||||||||
19 | James B. Beck |
Democratic | March 4, 1877 – May 3, 1890 |
Elected in 1876. | 16 | 45th | ||||||
46th | 16 | Elected in 1879. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1885 |
Democratic | John Stuart Williams |
23 | ||||||
47th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1882. | 17 | 48th | ||||||||||
49th | 17 | Elected in 1885. | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1897 |
Democratic | Joseph C. S. Blackburn |
24 | ||||||
50th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1888. Died. |
18 | 51st | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 3, 1890 – May 26, 1890 |
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20 | John G. Carlisle |
Democratic | May 26, 1890 – February 4, 1893 |
Elected to finish Beck's term. Resigned. | ||||||||
52nd | 18 | Re-elected in 1891. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
Vacant | February 4, 1893 – February 15, 1893 |
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21 | William Lindsay |
Democratic | February 15, 1893 – March 3, 1901 |
Elected to finish Carlisle's term | ||||||||
53rd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1894. Retired. |
19 | 54th | ||||||||||
55th | 19 | Elected in 1897. Retired. |
March 4, 1897 – March 3, 1903 |
Republican | William J. Deboe |
25 | ||||||
56th | ||||||||||||
22 | Joseph Blackburn |
Democratic | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1907 |
Elected in 1900. Lost re-election. |
20 | 57th | ||||||
58th | 20 | Elected in 1903. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1903 – March 3, 1909 |
Democratic | James B. McCreary |
26 | ||||||
59th | ||||||||||||
23 | Thomas H. Paynter |
Democratic | March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1913 |
Elected in 1906. Retired. |
21 | 60th | ||||||
61st | 21 | Elected in 1908. Died. |
March 4, 1909 – May 23, 1914 |
Republican | William O. Bradley |
27 | ||||||
62nd | ||||||||||||
24 | Ollie M. James |
Democratic | March 4, 1913 – August 28, 1918 |
Elected in 1912. Died. |
22 | 63rd | ||||||
May 23, 1914 – June 16, 1914 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Bradley's term. Elected to finish Bradley's term. Retired. |
June 16, 1914 – March 3, 1915 |
Democratic | Johnson N. Camden |
28 | ||||||||
64th | 22 | Elected in 1914. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1921 |
Democratic | John C. W. Beckham |
29 | ||||||
65th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | August 28, 1918 – September 7, 1918 |
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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 | |||||||||
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 | 23 | Elected in 1920. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1927 |
Republican | Richard P. Ernst |
30 | ||||||
68th | ||||||||||||
27 | Fred M. Sackett |
Republican | March 4, 1925 – January 9, 1930 |
Elected in 1924. Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Germany. |
24 | 69th | ||||||
70th | 24 | Elected in 1926. | March 4, 1927 – January 19, 1949 |
Democratic | Alben W. Barkley |
31 | ||||||
71st | ||||||||||||
Vacant | January 9, 1930 – January 11, 1930 |
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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 | ||||||
73rd | 25 | Re-elected in 1932. | ||||||||||
74th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1936. Died. |
26 | 75th | ||||||||||
76th | 26 | Re-elected in 1938. | ||||||||||
Vacant | October 3, 1939 – October 10, 1939 |
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31 | Happy Chandler |
Democratic | October 10, 1939 – November 1, 1945 |
Appointed to continue Logan's term. Elected to finish Logan's term. | ||||||||
77th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1942. Resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball. |
27 | 78th | ||||||||||
79th | 27 | Re-elected in 1944. Resigned to become U.S. Vice President. | ||||||||||
Vacant | November 1, 1945 – November 19, 1945 |
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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 | ||||||||||||
Appointed to continue Barkley's term. Retired when successor qualified. |
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 | ||||||
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 | 28 | Elected to full term in 1950. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
Vacant | March 8, 1951 – March 19, 1951 |
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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 | ||||||||||||
37 | Alben W. Barkley |
Democratic | January 3, 1955 – April 30, 1956 |
Elected in 1954. Died. |
29 | 84th | ||||||
Vacant | April 30, 1956 – June 21, 1956 |
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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 | 29 | Elected in 1956. | January 3, 1957 – December 16, 1968 |
Republican | Thruston Morton |
34 | ||||||
86th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1960. | 30 | 87th | ||||||||||
88th | 30 | Re-elected in 1962. Retired, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||||
89th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1966. Retired. |
31 | 90th | ||||||||||
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 | 31 | Elected in 1968. Lost re-election, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||||
92nd | ||||||||||||
40 | Walter Huddleston |
Democratic | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 1985 |
Elected in 1972. | 32 | 93rd | ||||||
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 | 32 | Elected in 1974. | ||||||||||
95th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election. |
33 | 96th | ||||||||||
97th | 33 | Re-elected in 1980. | ||||||||||
98th | ||||||||||||
41 | Mitch McConnell |
Republican | January 3, 1985 – Present |
Elected in 1984. | 34 | 99th | ||||||
100th | 34 | Re-elected in 1986. | ||||||||||
101st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1990. | 35 | 102nd | ||||||||||
103rd | 35 | Re-elected in 1992. Retired. | ||||||||||
104th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1996. | 36 | 105th | ||||||||||
106th | 36 | Elected in 1998. | January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2011 |
Republican | Jim Bunning |
37 | ||||||
107th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2002. | 37 | 108th | ||||||||||
109th | 37 | Re-elected in 2004. Retired. | ||||||||||
110th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2008. | 38 | 111th | ||||||||||
112th | 38 | Elected in 2010. | January 3, 2011 – Present |
Republican | Rand Paul |
38 | ||||||
113th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2014. | 39 | 114th | ||||||||||
115th | 39 | To be determined in the 2016 election. | ||||||||||
116th | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2020 election. | 40 | 117th | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | C | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # |
Class 2 | Class 3 |
Living former U.S. Senators from Kentucky
As of February 2016[update], there are two living former U.S. Senators from Kentucky.
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 & Wolff, page 112
- 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.
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: CS1 maint: year (link)