| content | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| This article is part of the series: United States Senate  |
| Members |
|---|
| Current (by seniority · by age · by class) Former Hill committees (DSCC, NRSC) President pro tempore (list) Dean · Presiding officer Party leaders and Assistants |
| Politics and procedure |
| Advice and consent Closed session (list) Cloture · Committees (list) Executive session · Filibuster History · Quorum · Quorum call Recess appointment · Salaries Seal · Standing Rules · Traditions Unanimous consent VPs' tie-breaking votes |
| Places |
| United States Capitol Senate office buildings (Dirksen · Hart · Russell) |
The president pro tempore of the Senate is traditionally the most senior member of the majority party. The current president pro tempore, Robert Byrd, is also the dean of the United States Senate.
Only relevant factors are listed. For instance, Byrd's time with the House of Representatives no longer has any bearing on his seniority, so it is not listed.
- Amount of consecutive time serving as U.S. senator
- Previous U.S. senator (non-consecutive)
- Length of time serving as a senator in previous non-consecutive terms
- Previous U.S. representative
- Length of time serving as a U.S. representative
- Previous president
- Previous vice president
- Previous cabinet member
- Previous state governor
- Population of state based on the most recent census when the senator took office
- Alphabetical by last name (in the rare instance that two senators came from the same state on the same day and have identical credentials)
For senators whose seniority is based on their states' respective populations, the state population ranking, as determined by the relevant United States Census,2345 is given.
| 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 Domenici6 (R-NM) | January 3, 1973 | New Mexico 37th in population (1970) |
| 6 | Joe Biden7 (D-DE) | Delaware 46th in population (1970) | |
| 7 | Patrick Leahy (D-VT) | January 3, 1975 | |
| 8 | Richard Lugar (R-IN) | January 4, 1977 | Indiana 11th in population (1970) |
| 9 | Orrin Hatch (R-UT) | Utah 36th in population (1970) | |
| 10 | Max Baucus (D-MT) | December 15, 1978 | |
| 11 | Thad Cochran (R-MS) | December 27, 1978 | |
| 12 | John Warner6 (R-VA) | January 2, 1979 | |
| 13 | Carl Levin (D-MI) | January 3, 1979 | |
| 14 | Christopher Dodd (D-CT) | January 3, 1981 | Former U.S. representative (6 years); Connecticut 24th in population (1970) |
| 15 | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) | Former U.S. representative (6 years); Iowa 25th in population (1970) | |
| 16 | Arlen Specter (R-PA) | ||
| 17 | Jeff Bingaman8 (D-NM) | January 3, 1983 | |
| 18 | John Kerry (D-MA) | January 2, 1985 | |
| 19 | Tom Harkin (D-IA) | January 3, 1985 | Former U.S. representative |
| 20 | Mitch McConnell (R-KY) | ||
| 21 | Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) | January 15, 1985 | |
| 22 | Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) | January 6, 1987 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) |
| 23 | Richard Shelby (R-AL) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | |
| 24 | John McCain (R-AZ) | Former U.S. representative (4 years); Arizona 29th in population (1980) | |
| 25 | Harry Reid (D-NV) | Former U.S. representative (4 years); Nevada 43rd in population (1980) | |
| 26 | Kit Bond (R-MO) | Former governor | |
| 27 | Kent Conrad (D-ND) | ||
| 28 | Herb Kohl (D-WI) | January 3, 1989 | Wisconsin 16th in population (1980) |
| 29 | Joe Lieberman (I-CT)9 | Connecticut 25th in population (1980) | |
| 30 | Daniel Akaka (D-HI) | May 16, 1990 | |
| 31 | Larry Craig6 (R-ID) | January 3, 1991 | |
| 32 | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | November 10, 1992 | |
| 33 | Byron Dorgan (D-ND) | December 15, 1992 | |
| 34 | Barbara Boxer (D-CA) | January 5, 1993 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) |
| 35 | Judd Gregg (R-NH) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | |
| 36 | Russ Feingold (D-WI) | Wisconsin 16th in population (1990) | |
| 37 | Patty Murray (D-WA) | Washington 18th in population (1990) | |
| 38 | Bob Bennett (R-UT) | Utah 35th in population (1990) | |
| 39 | Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) | June 14, 1993 | |
| 40 | Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | November 17, 1994 | |
| 41 | Olympia Snowe (R-ME) | January 4, 1995 | Former U.S. representative (16 years) |
| 42 | Jon Kyl (R-AZ) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | |
| 43 | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | February 6, 1996 | |
| 44 | Sam Brownback (R-KS) | November 7, 1996 | |
| 45 | Pat Roberts (R-KS) | January 7, 1997 | Former U.S. representative (16 years) |
| 46 | Richard Durbin (D-IL) | Former U.S. representative (14 years) | |
| 47 | Tim Johnson (D-SD) | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | |
| 48 | Wayne Allard6 (R-CO) | Former U.S. representative (6 years); Colorado 26th in population (1990) | |
| 49 | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Former U.S. representative (6 years); Rhode Island 43rd in population (1990) | |
| 50 | Mary Landrieu (D-LA) | Louisiana 21st in population (1990) | |
| 51 | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) | Alabama 22nd in population (1990) | |
| 52 | Gordon Smith10 (R-OR) | Oregon 29th in population (1990) | |
| 53 | Chuck Hagel6 (R-NE) | Nebraska 36th in population (1990) | |
| 54 | Susan Collins (R-ME) | Maine 38th in population (1990) | |
| 55 | Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Wyoming 50th in population (1990) | |
| 56 | Chuck Schumer (D-NY) | January 6, 1999 | Former U.S. representative (18 years) |
| 57 | Jim Bunning (R-KY) | Former U.S. representative (12 years) | |
| 58 | Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Former U.S. representative (6 years) | |
| 59 | Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) | Former U.S. representative (4 years) | |
| 60 | George Voinovich (R-OH) | Former governor; Ohio 7th in population (1990) | |
| 61 | Evan Bayh (D-IN) | Former governor; Indiana 15th in population (1990) | |
| 62 | Bill Nelson (D-FL) | January 3, 2001 | Former U.S. representative (12 years) |
| 63 | Tom Carper (D-DE) | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | |
| 64 | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | Former U.S. representative (4 years); Michigan 8th in population (1990) | |
| 65 | John Ensign (R-NV) | Former U.S. representative (4 years); Nevada 39th in population (1990) | |
| 66 | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | Former U.S. representative (2 years) | |
| 67 | Ben Nelson (D-NE) | Former governor | |
| 68 | Hillary Rodham Clinton11 (D-NY) | ||
| 69 | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | December 20, 2002 | |
| 70 | Frank Lautenberg12 (D-NJ) | January 3, 2003 | Previous Senate service |
| 71 | Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) | Former U.S. representative (8 years); Georgia 9th in population (2000) | |
| 72 | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | Former U.S. representative (8 years); South Carolina 24th in population (2000) | |
| 73 | John Sununu10 (R-NH) | Former U.S. representative (6 years) | |
| 74 | Lamar Alexander (R-TN) | Former Cabinet member; former governor | |
| 75 | Elizabeth Dole10 (R-NC) | Former Cabinet member | |
| 76 | John Cornyn13 (R-TX) | Texas 2nd in population (2000) | |
| 77 | Norm Coleman14 (R-MN) | Minnesota 21st in population (2000) | |
| 78 | Mark Pryor (D-AR) | Arkansas 32nd in population (2000) | |
| 79 | Richard Burr (R-NC) | January 3, 2005 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) |
| 80 | Jim DeMint (R-SC) | Former U.S. representative (6 years); South Carolina 24th in population (2000) | |
| 81 | Tom Coburn (R-OK) | Former U.S. representative (6 years); Oklahoma 27th in population (2000) | |
| 82 | John Thune (R-SD) | Former U.S. representative (6 years); South Dakota 46th in population (2000) | |
| 83 | Johnny Isakson (R-GA) | Former U.S. representative (5 years, 10 months) | |
| 84 | David Vitter (R-LA) | Former U.S. representative (5 years, 7 months) | |
| 85 | Mel Martinez (R-FL) | Former Cabinet member | |
| 86 | Ken Salazar (D-CO) | ||
| 87 | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) | January 18, 2006 | |
| 88 | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | January 3, 2007 | Former U.S. representative (20 years) |
| 89 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | Former U.S. representative (16 years) | |
| 90 | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | Former U.S. representative (14 years) | |
| 91 | Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA) | Pennsylvania 6th in population (2000) | |
| 92 | Jim Webb15 (D-VA) | Virginia 12th in population (2000) | |
| 93 | Bob Corker (R-TN) | Tennessee 16th in population (2000) | |
| 94 | Claire McCaskill (D-MO) | Missouri 17th in population (2000) | |
| 95 | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) | Minnesota 21st in population (2000) | |
| 96 | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Rhode Island 43rd in population (2000) | |
| 97 | Jon Tester (D-MT) | Montana 44th in population (2000) | |
| 98 | John Barrasso (R-WY) | June 25, 2007 | |
| 99 | Roger Wicker (R-MS) | December 31, 2007 | |
| 100 | vacant (IL)16 |
See also
- United States Census, 2000
- United States Census, 1990
- United States Census, 1980
- United States Census, 1970
- List of current United States Representatives by seniority
Notes
- ^ "A Chronological List of United States Senators 1789-Present". Official website of the United States Senate.
- ^ 1971 U.S Census Report Contains 1970 Census results.
- ^ 1981 U.S Census Report Contains 1980 Census results.
- ^ 1991 U.S Census Report Contains 1990 Census results.
- ^ 2000 Census State Population Rankings
- ^ a b c d e Announced retirement after 2008 election (not running for re-election).
- ^ Biden has been elected vice president of the United States and will resign his Senate seat on or before January 20, 2009.
- ^ Bingaman is currently the most senior junior senator. New Mexico's senior senator is Pete Domenici who is 5th in seniority. In January 2009, Bingaman will become the state's senior senator, at which time Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts will become the most senior junior senator.
- ^ Joe Lieberman won re-election as a third party candidate in 2006 and caucuses with the Democratic Party. However, he has chosen to refer to himself as an "Independent Democrat." Despite the party change, Lieberman retains his seniority since there is no break in his Senate service.
- ^ a b c Defeated for re-election in 2008 election.
- ^ In terms of ceremonial protocol, Senator Hillary Clinton comes before all US Senators as a former First Lady.
- ^ 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. - HillNews.com
- ^ Phil Gramm resigned early, effective November 30, 2002, so that Cornyn could take senate office on December 2, 2002, 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.
- ^ Norm Coleman is currently the most junior Senior Senator. Minnesota's Junior Senator is Amy Klobuchar who is 96th in seniority.
- ^ Senator Webb served as Secretary of the Navy; however, that has not been a Cabinet-level position since 1947 and therefore does not affect his Seniority.
- ^ This seat was resigned by President-elect Barack Obama effective November 16, 2008. [1]
|
||||||||||||||||||
