List of United States senators from Rhode Island

Current delegation

Rhode Island ratified the United States Constitution on May 29, 1790 and elects its U.S. senators to class 1 and class 2. The state's current U.S. senators are Democrats Jack Reed (since 1997) and Sheldon Whitehouse (since 2007). Claiborne Pell was Rhode Island's longest-serving senator (1961–1997).

List of senators

#	Senator	Party	Dates in office	Electoral history	T	C	T	Electoral history	Dates in office	Party	Senator	#
Class 1 Class 1 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2006, 2012, 2018, and 2024. The next election will be in 2030.						C	Class 2 Class 2 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026.
Vacant			May 29, 1790 – Jun 7, 1790	Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790.	1	1st	1	Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790.	May 29, 1790 – Jun 7, 1790	Vacant
1	Theodore Foster	Pro- Admin.	Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1803	Elected in 1790.	1	1st		Elected in 1790.	Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1793	Anti-Admin.	Joseph Stanton Jr.	1
				Re-elected in 1791.	2	2nd		Elected in 1790.	Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1793	Anti-Admin.	Joseph Stanton Jr.	1
						3rd	2	Elected in 1793. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1793 – Oct 1797	Pro-Admin.	William Bradford	2
		Federalist				4th				Federalist
				Re-elected in 1797. Retired.	3	5th				Federalist
									Oct 1797 – Nov 13, 1797	Vacant
								Elected in 1797 to finish Bradford's term.	Nov 13, 1797 – Mar 5, 1801	Federalist	Ray Greene	3
						6th	3	Re-elected in 1798. Resigned.
						7th		Re-elected in 1798. Resigned.
									Mar 5, 1801 – May 6, 1801	Vacant
								Elected in 1801 to finish Greene's term. Lost re-election.	May 6, 1801 – Mar 3, 1805	Democratic- Republican	Christopher Ellery	4
2	Samuel J. Potter	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1803 – Oct 14, 1804	Elected in 1802. Died.	4	8th
Vacant			Oct 14, 1804 – Oct 29, 1804
3	Benjamin Howland	Democratic- Republican	Oct 29, 1804 – Mar 3, 1809	Elected in 1804 to finish Potter's term. Retired.
						9th	4	Elected in 1804. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1805 – Sep 1807	Democratic- Republican	James Fenner	5
						10th		Elected in 1804. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1805 – Sep 1807	Democratic- Republican	James Fenner	5
									Sep 1807 – Oct 26, 1807	Vacant
								Elected to finish Fenner's term.	Oct 26, 1807 – Mar 3, 1811	Democratic- Republican	Elisha Mathewson	6
4	Francis Malbone	Federalist	Mar 4, 1809 – Jun 4, 1809	Elected in 1808.^[1] Died.	5	11th
Vacant			Jun 4, 1809 – Jun 26, 1809
5	Christopher G. Champlin	Federalist	Jun 26, 1809 – Oct 12, 1811	Elected in 1809 to finish Malbone's term. Resigned.
5	Christopher G. Champlin	Federalist	Jun 26, 1809 – Oct 12, 1811	Elected in 1809 to finish Malbone's term. Resigned.		12th	5	Elected in 1810. Retired.	Mar 4, 1811 – Mar 3, 1817	Democratic- Republican	Jeremiah B. Howell	7
Vacant			Oct 12, 1811 – Oct 28, 1811
6	William Hunter	Federalist	Oct 28, 1811 – Mar 3, 1821	Elected in 1811 to finish Malbone's term.
				Elected in 1811 to finish Malbone's term.		13th
				Re-elected in 1814.	6	14th
						15th	6	Elected in 1816. Died.	Mar 4, 1817 – Dec 25, 1820	Federalist	James Burrill Jr.	8
						16th		Elected in 1816. Died.	Mar 4, 1817 – Dec 25, 1820	Federalist	James Burrill Jr.	8
									Dec 25, 1820 – Jan 9, 1821	Vacant
								Elected in 1821 to finish Burrill's term.	Jan 9, 1821 – Mar 3, 1841	Democratic- Republican	Nehemiah R. Knight	9
7	James DeWolf	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1821 – Oct 31, 1825	Election date unknown. Resigned.	7	17th		Elected in 1821 to finish Burrill's term.
		Democratic- Republican				18th	7	Re-elected in 1823.
		National Republican				19th				National Republican
8	Asher Robbins	National Republican	Oct 31, 1825 – Mar 3, 1839	Elected in 1825 to finish DeWolf's term.		19th
				Re-elected in 1827.	8	20th
						21st	8	Re-elected in 1829.
						22nd
				Re-elected in 1833. [data missing]	9	23rd
						24th	9	Re-elected in 1835. [data missing]
		Whig				25th				Whig
9	Nathan F. Dixon I	Whig	Mar 4, 1839 – Jan 29, 1842	Election date unknown. Died.	10	26th				Whig
9	Nathan F. Dixon I	Whig	Mar 4, 1839 – Jan 29, 1842	Election date unknown. Died.		27th	10	Elected in 1841. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1841 – Mar 3, 1847	Whig	James F. Simmons	10
Vacant			Jan 29, 1842 – Feb 18, 1842
10	William Sprague III	Whig	Feb 18, 1842 – Jan 17, 1844	Elected in 1842 to finish Dixon's term. Resigned.
10	William Sprague III	Whig	Feb 18, 1842 – Jan 17, 1844	Elected in 1842 to finish Dixon's term. Resigned.		28th
Vacant			Jan 17, 1844 – Jan 25, 1844
11	John Brown Francis	Law and Order	Jan 25, 1844 – Mar 3, 1845	Elected in 1844 to finish Sprague's term. Retired.
12	Albert C. Greene	Whig	Mar 4, 1845 – Mar 3, 1851	Election date unknown. Retired.	11	29th
						30th	11	Election date unknown. [data missing]	Mar 4, 1847 – Mar 3, 1853	Whig	John Hopkins Clarke	11
						31st
13	Charles T. James	Democratic	Mar 4, 1851 – Mar 3, 1857	Election date unknown. Retired.	12	32nd
						33rd	12		Mar 4, 1853 – Jul 20, 1853	Vacant
						33rd		Elected late. Retired.	Jul 20, 1853 – Mar 3, 1859	Democratic	Philip Allen	12
						34th
14	James F. Simmons	Republican	Mar 4, 1857 – Aug 15, 1862	Elected in 1856. Resigned.	13	35th
						36th	13	Elected in 1858.	Mar 4, 1859 – Sep 2, 1884	Republican	Henry B. Anthony	13
						37th
Vacant			Aug 15, 1862 – Dec 1, 1862
15	Samuel G. Arnold	Republican	Dec 1, 1862 – Mar 3, 1863	Elected in 1862 to finish Simmons's term. [data missing]
16	William Sprague IV	Republican	Mar 4, 1863 – Mar 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	Mar 4, 1875 – Sep 13, 1881	Elected in 1874.	16	44th
						45th	16	Re-elected in 1876.
						46th
				Re-elected in 1880. Died.	17	47th
Vacant			Sep 13, 1881 – Oct 5, 1881
18	Nelson W. Aldrich	Republican	Oct 5, 1881 – Mar 3, 1911	Elected in 1881 to finish Burnside's term.
						48th	17	Re-elected in 1882. Died.
									Sep 2, 1884 – Nov 19, 1884	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Anthony's term.	Nov 19, 1884 – Jan 20, 1885	Republican	William P. Sheffield	14
								Elected in 1885 to finish Anthony's term.	Jan 20, 1885 – Apr 9, 1889	Republican	Jonathan Chace	15
						49th
				Re-elected in 1886.	18	50th
						51st	18	Re-elected in 1888. Resigned.
						51st		Elected in 1889 to finish Chace's term. Retired.	Apr 10, 1889 – Mar 3, 1895	Republican	Nathan F. Dixon III	16
						52nd
				Re-elected in 1892.	19	53rd
						54th	19	Elected in 1894.	Mar 4, 1895 – Mar 3, 1907	Republican	George P. Wetmore	17
						55th
				Re-elected in 1898.	20	56th
						57th	20	Re-elected in 1900.
						58th
				Re-elected Jan 18, 1905.^[2] Retired.	21	59th
						60th	21	Legislature failed to elect.	Mar 4, 1907 – Jan 22, 1908	Vacant
						60th		Elected in 1908 to finish the vacant term. Retired.	Jan 22, 1908– Mar 3, 1913	Republican	George P. Wetmore
						61st
19	Henry F. Lippitt	Republican	Mar 4, 1911 – Mar 3, 1917	Elected in 1910. Lost re-election.	22	62nd
						63rd	22	Elected in 1913.	Mar 4, 1913 – Aug 18, 1924	Republican	LeBaron Bradford Colt	18
						64th
20	Peter G. Gerry	Democratic	Mar 4, 1917 – Mar 3, 1929	Elected in 1916.	23	65th
						66th	23	Re-elected in 1918. Died.
						67th
				Re-elected in 1922. Lost re-election.	24	68th
									Aug 18, 1924 – Nov 4, 1924	Vacant
								Elected in 1924 to finish Colt's term.	Nov 4, 1924 – Jan 3, 1937	Republican	Jesse H. Metcalf	19
						69th	24	Elected in 1924.
						70th
21	Felix Hebert	Republican	Mar 4, 1929 – Jan 3, 1935	Elected in 1928. Lost re-election.	25	71st
						72nd	25	Re-elected in 1930 Lost re-election.
						73rd
22	Peter G. Gerry	Democratic	Jan 3, 1935 – Jan 3, 1947	Elected in 1934.	26	74th
						75th	26	Elected in 1936.	Jan 3, 1937 – Jan 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	Jan 3, 1947 – Aug 23, 1949	Elected in 1946. Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.	28	80th
23	J. Howard McGrath	Democratic	Jan 3, 1947 – Aug 23, 1949	Elected in 1946. Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.		81st	28	Re-elected in 1948.
24	Edward L. Leahy	Democratic	Aug 24, 1949 – Dec 10, 1950	Appointed to continue McGrath's term. Retired.
Vacant			Dec 10, 1950 – Dec 19, 1950
25	John Pastore	Democratic	Dec 19, 1950 – Dec 28, 1976	Elected in 1950 to finish McGrath's term.
				Elected in 1950 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.	Jan 3, 1961 – Jan 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	Dec 29, 1976 – Oct 24, 1999	Appointed to finish Pastore's term, having been elected to the next term.		94th
				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. Announced retirement, then died.	36	104th
						105th	36	Elected in 1996.	Jan 3, 1997 – present	Democratic	Jack Reed	22
						106th
Vacant			Oct 24, 1999 – Nov 2, 1999
27	Lincoln Chafee	Republican	Nov 2, 1999 – Jan 3, 2007	Appointed to finish his father's term.
				Elected in 2000 to a full term. Lost re-election.	37	107th
						108th	37	Re-elected in 2002.
						109th
28	Sheldon Whitehouse	Democratic	Jan 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
				Re-elected in 2018.	40	116th
						117th	40	Re-elected in 2020.
						118th
				Re-elected in 2024.	41	119th
				Re-elected in 2024.	41	120th	41	To be determined in the 2026 election.
#	Senator	Party	Years in office	Electoral history	T	C	T	Electoral history	Years in office	Party	Senator	#
Class 1						C	Class 2

References

^ "Rhode Island 1808 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 18, 2018., citing United States' Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). Jan 14, 1809.
^ The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. New York: The Press Publishing Co. New York World. 1905.

External links

Congressional Biographical Directory

[1] "Rhode Island 1808 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 18, 2018., citing United States' Gazette (Philadelphia, PA). Jan 14, 1809.

[2] The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. New York: The Press Publishing Co. New York World. 1905.

[1]

[2]

v t e United States senators from Rhode Island
Class 1	Foster Potter Howland Malbone Champlin Hunter DeWolf Robbins Dixon I Sprague III Francis A. Greene James Simmons Arnold Sprague IV Burnside Aldrich Lippitt Gerry Hebert Gerry McGrath Leahy Pastore J. Chafee L. Chafee Whitehouse
Class 2	Stanton Bradford R. Greene Ellery Fenner Mathewson Howell Burrill Knight Simmons Clarke Allen Anthony Sheffield Chace Dixon III Wetmore Colt Metcalf Green Pell Reed

v t e Lists of United States congressional delegations
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Obsolete	Dakota Territory Northwest Territory Orleans Territory Philippines Southwest Territory
Lists of former House members List of former senators

v t e Rhode Island's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators	▌Jack Reed (D) ▌Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
Representatives (ordered by district)	▌Gabe Amo (D) ▌Seth Magaziner (D)

List of senators

See also

References

External links