List of United States senators from Rhode Island
Appearance
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 1Class 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 | 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. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | ![]() Theodore Foster |
Pro- Administration |
June 7, 1790 – March 3, 1803 |
Elected in 1790. | 1 | 1st | 1 | Elected in 1790. [data missing] |
June 7, 1790 – March 3, 1793 |
Anti-Administration | Joseph Stanton, Jr. | 1 |
Re-elected in 1791. | 2 | 2nd | ||||||||||
3rd | 2 | Elected in 1793. Resigned. |
March 4, 1793 – October 1797 |
Pro-Administration | William Bradford | 2 | ||||||
Federalist | 4th | Federalist | ||||||||||
October 1797 – November 13, 1797 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Bradford's term. | November 13, 1797 – March 5, 1801 |
Federalist | ![]() Ray Greene |
3 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1797. Retired. |
3 | 5th | ||||||||||
6th | 3 | Re-elected in 1799. Resigned. | ||||||||||
March 5, 1801 – May 6, 1801 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Greene's term. Lost re-election. |
May 6, 1801 – March 3, 1805 |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() Christopher Ellery |
4 | ||||||||
7th | ||||||||||||
2 | Samuel J. Potter | Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1803 – October 14, 1804 |
Elected in 1803. Died. |
4 | 8th | ||||||
Vacant | October 14, 1804 – October 29, 1804 |
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3 | Benjamin Howland | Democratic- Republican |
October 29, 1804 – March 3, 1809 |
Elected to finish Potter's term. [data missing] | ||||||||
9th | 4 | Elected in 1805. Resigned. |
March 4, 1805 – September 1807 |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() James Fenner |
5 | ||||||
10th | ||||||||||||
September 1807 – October 26, 1807 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
[data missing] | October 26, 1807 – March 3, 1811 |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() Elisha Mathewson |
6 | ||||||||
4 | Francis Malbone | Federalist | March 4, 1809 – June 4, 1809 |
Elected in 1809. Died. |
5 | 11th | ||||||
Vacant | June 4, 1809 – June 26, 1809 |
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5 | ![]() Christopher G. Champlin |
Federalist | June 26, 1809 – October 12, 1811 |
Elected to finish Malbone's term. Resigned. | ||||||||
12th | 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 to finish Champlin's term. | ||||||||
13th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1815. | 6 | 14th | ||||||||||
15th | 6 | Elected in 1817. Died. |
March 4, 1817 – December 25, 1820 |
Federalist | ![]() James Burrill, Jr. |
8 | ||||||
16th | ||||||||||||
December 25, 1820 – January 9, 1821 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected 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 |
Elected in 1820 or 1821. Resigned. |
7 | 17th | ||||||
Crawford Democratic- Republican |
18th | 7 | Re-elected in 1823. | Crawford Democratic- Republican | ||||||||
Anti-Jacksonian | 19th | Anti-Jacksonian | ||||||||||
8 | ![]() Asher Robbins |
Anti-Jacksonian | October 31, 1825 – March 3, 1839 |
Elected to finish DeWolf's term. | ||||||||
Adams | Re-elected in 1827. | 8 | 20th | Adams | ||||||||
Anti-Jacksonian | 21st | 8 | Re-elected in 1829. | Anti-Jacksonian | ||||||||
22nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1833. [data missing] |
9 | 23rd | ||||||||||
24th | 9 | Re-elected in 1835. [data missing] | ||||||||||
25th | Whig | |||||||||||
9 | Nathan F. Dixon I | Whig | March 4, 1839 – January 29, 1842 |
Elected in 1838 or 1839. Died. |
10 | 26th | ||||||
27th | 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 | Whig | February 18, 1842 – January 17, 1844 |
Elected to finish Dixon's term. Resigned. | ||||||||
28th | ||||||||||||
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 to finish Sprague's term. Retired. | ||||||||
12 | ![]() Albert C. Greene |
Whig | March 4, 1845 – March 3, 1851 |
Elected in 1844 or 1845. Retired. |
11 | 29th | ||||||
30th | 11 | Elected in 1846 or 1847. [data missing] |
March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853 |
Whig | ![]() John Hopkins Clarke |
11 | ||||||
31st | ||||||||||||
13 | ![]() Charles T. James |
Democratic | March 4, 1851 – March 3, 1857 |
Elected in 1850 or 1851. Retired. |
12 | 32nd | ||||||
33rd | 12 | March 4, 1853 – July 20, 1853 |
Vacant | |||||||||
Elected late. Retired. |
July 20, 1853 – March 3, 1859 |
Democratic | ![]() Philip Allen |
12 | ||||||||
34th | ||||||||||||
14 | ![]() James F. Simmons |
Republican | March 4, 1857 – August 15, 1862 |
Elected in 1856. Resigned. |
13 | 35th | ||||||
36th | 13 | Elected in 1858. | March 4, 1859 – September 2, 1884 |
Republican | ![]() Henry B. Anthony |
13 | ||||||
37th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | August 15, 1862 – December 1, 1862 |
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15 | ![]() Samuel G. Arnold |
Republican | December 1, 1862 – March 3, 1863 |
Elected to finish Simmons's term. [data missing] | ||||||||
16 | ![]() William Sprague IV |
Republican | March 4, 1863 – March 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 | March 4, 1875 – September 13, 1881 |
Elected in 1875. | 16 | 44th | ||||||
45th | 16 | Re-elected in 1876. | ||||||||||
46th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1881. Died. |
17 | 47th | ||||||||||
Vacant | September 13, 1881 – October 5, 1881 |
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18 | ![]() Nelson W. Aldrich |
Republican | October 5, 1881 – March 3, 1911 |
Elected to finish Burnside's term. | ||||||||
48th | 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 to finish Anthony's term. | January 20, 1885 – April 9, 1889 |
Republican | ![]() Jonathan Chace |
15 | ||||||||
49th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1887. | 18 | 50th | ||||||||||
51st | 18 | Re-elected in 1889. Resigned. | ||||||||||
Elected to fill vacancy. Retired. |
April 10, 1889 – March 3, 1895 |
Republican | ![]() Nathan F. Dixon, III |
16 | ||||||||
52nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1893. | 19 | 53rd | ||||||||||
54th | 19 | Elected in 1895. | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1907 |
Republican | ![]() George P. Wetmore |
17 | ||||||
55th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1899. | 20 | 56th | ||||||||||
57th | 20 | Re-elected in 1901 [data missing] | ||||||||||
58th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1905. Retired. |
21 | 59th | ||||||||||
60th | 21 | Legislature failed to elect | March 4, 1907 – January 22, 1908 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected to fill vacancy | January 22, 1908– March 3, 1913 |
Republican | ![]() George P. Wetmore | |||||||||
61st | ||||||||||||
19 | ![]() Henry F. Lippitt |
Republican | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1917 |
Elected in 1910. Lost re-election. |
22 | 62nd | ||||||
63rd | 22 | Elected in 1912. | March 4, 1913 – August 18, 1924 |
Republican | ![]() LeBaron B. Colt |
18 | ||||||
64th | ||||||||||||
20 | ![]() Peter G. Gerry |
Democratic | March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1929 |
Elected in 1916. | 23 | 65th | ||||||
66th | 23 | Re-elected in 1918. Died. | ||||||||||
67th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1922. Lost re-election. |
24 | 68th | ||||||||||
August 18, 1924 – November 5, 1924 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
[data missing] | November 5, 1924 – January 3, 1937 |
Republican | ![]() Jesse H. Metcalf |
19 | ||||||||
69th | 24 | Elected in 1924. | ||||||||||
70th | ||||||||||||
21 | ![]() Felix Hebert |
Republican | March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1935 |
Elected in 1928. Lost re-election. |
25 | 71st | ||||||
72nd | 25 | Re-elected in 1930 Lost re-election in 1936 | ||||||||||
73rd | ||||||||||||
22 | ![]() Peter G. Gerry |
Democratic | January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1947 |
Elected in 1934. | 26 | 74th | ||||||
75th | 26 | Elected in 1936. | January 3, 1937 – January 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 | January 3, 1947 – August 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 | 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 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. | January 3, 1961 – January 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 | December 29, 1976 – October 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. |
36 | 104th | ||||||||||
105th | 36 | Elected in 1996. | January 3, 1997 – Present |
Democratic | ![]() Jack Reed |
22 | ||||||
106th | ||||||||||||
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 | ||||||||||
108th | 37 | Re-elected in 2002. | ||||||||||
109th | ||||||||||||
28 | ![]() Sheldon Whitehouse |
Democratic | January 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 | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2018 election. | [?] | 116th | ||||||||||
117th | [?] | To be determined in the 2020 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | C | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # |
Class 1 | Class 2 |
Living former United States Senators from Rhode Island
As of April 2015[update], there is one Senator who is living, from Class 1.
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