List of United States senators from Arkansas
Arkansas was admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, and elects its senators to Class 2 and Class 3. Arkansas's Senate seats were declared vacant in July 1861, due to its secession from the Union. They were again filled from June 1868. Its current senators are Republicans John Boozman and Tom Cotton. John L. McClellan was Arkansas's longest-serving senator (1943–1977).
List of senators[]
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. |
C |
Class 3 Class 3 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 1998, 2004, 2010, and 2016. The next election will be in 2022. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | William S. Fulton |
Jacksonian | September 18, 1836 – August 15, 1844 |
Elected in 1836. | 1 | 24th | 1 | Elected in 1836. | September 18, 1836 – March 15, 1848 |
Jacksonian | Ambrose H. Sevier |
1 |
Democratic | 25th | 2 | Re-elected in 1837. | Democratic | ||||||||
26th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1840. Died. |
2 | 27th | ||||||||||
28th | 3 | Re-elected in 1843. Resigned. | ||||||||||
Vacant | August 15, 1844 – November 8, 1844 |
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2 | Chester Ashley |
Democratic | November 8, 1844 – April 29, 1848 |
Elected to finish Fulton's term. | ||||||||
29th | ||||||||||||
Elected to a full term in 1846. Died. |
3 | 30th | ||||||||||
March 15, 1848 – March 30, 1848 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to finish Sevier's term.[1] | March 30, 1848 – April 11, 1853 |
Democratic | Solon Borland |
2 | ||||||||
Vacant | April 29, 1848 – May 12, 1848 |
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3 | William K. Sebastian |
Democratic | May 12, 1848 – July 11, 1861 |
Appointed to continue Ashley's term. Elected November 17, 1848 to finish Ashley's term.[2] | ||||||||
31st | 4 | Elected to full term in 1848. Resigned. | ||||||||||
32nd | ||||||||||||
Elected to full term in 1853. | 4 | 33rd | ||||||||||
April 11, 1853 – July 6, 1853 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Borland's term. November 10, 1854.[2] |
July 6, 1853 – March 3, 1861 |
Democratic | Robert W. Johnson |
3 | ||||||||
34th | 5 | Re-elected in 1855. Retired. | ||||||||||
35th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1859. Expelled (Expulsion was reversed by the Senate in 1877). |
5 | 36th | ||||||||||
37th | 6 | Elected in 1860 or 1861. Expelled for supporting the Confederacy. |
March 4, 1861 – July 11, 1861 |
Democratic | Charles B. Mitchel |
4 | ||||||
Vacant | July 11, 1861 – June 22, 1868 |
Civil War and Reconstruction | Civil War and Reconstruction | July 11, 1861 – June 23, 1868 |
Vacant | |||||||
38th | ||||||||||||
6 | 39th | |||||||||||
40th | 7 | |||||||||||
4 | Alexander McDonald |
Republican | June 22, 1868 – March 3, 1871 |
Elected upon readmission. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
Elected upon readmission. Unknown if retired or lost re-election. |
June 23, 1868 – March 3, 1873 |
Republican | Benjamin F. Rice |
5 | ||||||||
41st | ||||||||||||
5 | Powell Clayton |
Republican | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1877 |
Elected in 1870. Unknown if retired or lost re-election. |
7 | 42nd | ||||||
43rd | 8 | Elected in 1872 or 1873. Retired. |
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 |
Republican | Stephen W. Dorsey |
6 | ||||||
44th | ||||||||||||
6 | Augustus Garland |
Democratic | March 4, 1877 – March 6, 1885 |
Elected in 1876. | 8 | 45th | ||||||
46th | 9 | Elected in 1878. Retired. |
March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1885 |
Democratic | James D. Walker |
7 | ||||||
47th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1883. Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. |
9 | 48th | ||||||||||
49th | 10 | Elected in 1885. | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1903 |
Democratic | James K. Jones |
8 | ||||||
Vacant | March 6, 1885 – March 20, 1885 |
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7 | James H. Berry |
Democratic | March 20, 1885 – March 3, 1907 |
Elected to finish Garland's term. | ||||||||
50th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1889. | 10 | 51st | ||||||||||
52nd | 11 | Re-elected in 1891. | ||||||||||
53rd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1895. | 11 | 54th | ||||||||||
55th | 12 | Re-elected in 1897. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
56th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1901. Lost re-election. |
12 | 57th | ||||||||||
58th | 13 | Elected in 1903. | March 4, 1903 – October 1, 1916 |
Democratic | James P. Clarke |
9 | ||||||
59th | ||||||||||||
8 | Jeff Davis |
Democratic | March 4, 1907 – January 3, 1913 |
Elected January 29, 1907.[3] Died. |
13 | 60th | ||||||
61st | 14 | Re-elected in 1909. | ||||||||||
62nd | ||||||||||||
Vacant | January 3, 1913 – January 6, 1913 |
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9 | John N. Heiskell |
Democratic | January 6, 1913 – January 29, 1913 |
Appointed to continue Davis's term. Successor qualified. | ||||||||
10 | William M. Kavanaugh |
Democratic | January 29, 1913 – March 3, 1913 |
Elected to finish Davis's term. Retired. | ||||||||
11 | Joseph Robinson |
Democratic | March 4, 1913 – July 14, 1937 |
Elected January 29, 1913[4] | 14 | 63rd | ||||||
64th | 15 | Re-elected in 1914. Died. | ||||||||||
October 1, 1916 – November 8, 1916 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Clarke's term. Lost renomination. |
November 8, 1916 – March 3, 1921 |
Democratic | William F. Kirby |
10 | ||||||||
65th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1918. | 15 | 66th | ||||||||||
67th | 16 | Elected in 1920. | March 4, 1921 – November 6, 1931 |
Democratic | Thaddeus H. Caraway |
11 | ||||||
68th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1924. | 16 | 69th | ||||||||||
70th | 17 | Re-elected in 1926. Died. | ||||||||||
71st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1930. | 17 | 72nd | ||||||||||
November 6, 1931 – November 13, 1931 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to finish her husband's term. Elected January 12, 1932 to finish her husband's term. |
November 13, 1931 – January 3, 1945 |
Democratic | Hattie W. Caraway |
12 | ||||||||
73rd | 18 | Re-elected in 1932. | ||||||||||
74th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1936. Died. |
18 | 75th | ||||||||||
Vacant | July 14, 1937 – November 15, 1937 |
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12 | John E. Miller |
Democratic | November 15, 1937 – March 31, 1941 |
Elected to finish Robinson's term. Resigned to become U.S. District Judge. | ||||||||
76th | 19 | Re-elected in 1938. Lost renomination. | ||||||||||
77th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 31, 1941 – April 1, 1941 |
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13 | Lloyd Spencer |
Democratic | April 1, 1941 – January 3, 1943 |
Appointed to finish Miller's term. Retired. | ||||||||
14 | John L. McClellan |
Democratic | January 3, 1943 – November 28, 1977 |
Elected in 1942. | 19 | 78th | ||||||
79th | 20 | Elected in 1944. | January 3, 1945 – December 31, 1974 |
Democratic | J. William Fulbright |
13 | ||||||
80th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1948. | 20 | 81st | ||||||||||
82nd | 21 | Re-elected in 1950. | ||||||||||
83rd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1954. | 21 | 84th | ||||||||||
85th | 22 | Re-elected in 1956. | ||||||||||
86th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1960. | 22 | 87th | ||||||||||
88th | 23 | Re-elected in 1962. | ||||||||||
89th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1966. | 23 | 90th | ||||||||||
91st | 24 | Re-elected in 1968. Lost re-nomination, then resigned. | ||||||||||
92nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1972. Died. |
24 | 93rd | ||||||||||
December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
94th | 25 | Elected in 1974. | January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1999 |
Democratic | Dale Bumpers |
14 | ||||||
95th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | November 28, 1977 – December 10, 1977 |
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15 | Kaneaster Hodges, Jr. |
Democratic | December 10, 1977 – January 3, 1979 |
Appointed to finish McClellan's term. Retired. | ||||||||
16 | David H. Pryor |
Democratic | January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1997 |
Elected in 1978. | 25 | 96th | ||||||
97th | 26 | Re-elected in 1980. | ||||||||||
98th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1984. | 26 | 99th | ||||||||||
100th | 27 | Re-elected in 1986. | ||||||||||
101st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1990. Retired. |
27 | 102nd | ||||||||||
103rd | 28 | Re-elected in 1992. Retired. | ||||||||||
104th | ||||||||||||
17 | Tim Hutchinson |
Republican | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 |
Elected in 1996. Lost re-election. |
28 | 105th | ||||||
106th | 29 | Elected in 1998. | January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2011 |
Democratic | Blanche Lincoln |
15 | ||||||
107th | ||||||||||||
18 | Mark Pryor |
Democratic | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2015 |
Elected in 2002. | 29 | 108th | ||||||
109th | 30 | Re-elected in 2004. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
110th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election. |
30 | 111th | ||||||||||
112th | 31 | Elected in 2010. | January 3, 2011 – Present |
Republican | John Boozman |
16 | ||||||
113th | ||||||||||||
19 | Tom Cotton |
Republican | January 3, 2015 – Present |
Elected in 2014. | 31 | 114th | ||||||
115th | 32 | Re-elected in 2016. | ||||||||||
116th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2020. | 32 | 117th | ||||||||||
118th | 33 | To be determined in the 2022 election. | ||||||||||
119th | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2026 election. | 33 | 120th | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 2 | Class 3 |
Living former senators[]
As of August 2021, there are five living former U.S. senators from Arkansas. The most recent and most recently serving senator to die was Dale Bumpers (served 1975–1999) on January 1, 2016.
Senator | Term of office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Kaneaster Hodges Jr. | December 10, 1977 – January 3, 1979 | August 20, 1938 |
David Pryor | January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1997 | August 29, 1934 |
Tim Hutchinson | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2003 | August 11, 1949 |
Blanche Lincoln | January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2011 | September 30, 1960 |
Mark Pryor | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2015 | January 10, 1963 |
Superlatives[]
Longest service[]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
John L. McClellan | January 3, 1943 | November 28, 1977 | 34 years, 329 days (12,748 days) |
J. William Fulbright | January 3, 1945 | December 31, 1974 | 29 years, 362 days (10,954 days) |
Joseph Taylor Robinson | March 4, 1913 | July 14, 1937 | 24 years, 132 days (8,898 days) |
Dale Bumpers | January 3, 1975 | January 3, 1999 | 24 years, 0 days (8,766 days) |
James Henderson Berry | March 20, 1885 | March 3, 1907 | 21 years, 348 days (8,017 days) |
Shortest service[]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
John N. Heiskell | January 6, 1913 | January 29, 1913 | 3 weeks and 2 days (23 days) |
William Marmaduke Kavanaugh | January 29, 1913 | March 3, 1913 | 1 month and 3 days (33 days) |
Charles B. Mitchel | March 4, 1861 | July 11, 1861 | 4 months and 1 week (129 days) |
Kaneaster Hodges Jr. | December 10, 1977 | January 3, 1979 | 1 year, 3 weeks and 3 days (389 days) |
Lloyd Spencer | April 1, 1941 | January 3, 1943 | 1 year, 9 months and 2 days (642 days) |
Youngest at beginning of service[]
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Stephen Wallace Dorsey | February 28, 1842 | March 4, 1873 | 31 years and 4 days |
Ambrose Hundley Sevier | November 4, 1801 | September 18, 1836 | 34 years, 10 months and 14 days |
William K. Sebastian | June 12, 1812 | May 12, 1848 | 35 years and 11 months |
Alexander McDonald | April 10, 1832 | June 22, 1868 | 36 years, 2 months and 12 days |
Powell Clayton | August 7, 1833 | March 4, 1871 | 37 years, 6 months and 25 days |
Oldest at end of service[]
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
John L. McClellan | February 25, 1896 | November 28, 1977 | 81 years, 9 months and 3 days |
Dale Bumpers | August 12, 1925 | January 3, 1999 | 73 years, 4 months and 22 days |
John Boozman | December 10, 1950 | Present | 70 years, 8 months and 20 days |
J. William Fulbright | April 9, 1905 | December 31, 1974 | 69 years, 8 months and 22 days |
Hattie Wyatt Caraway | February 1, 1878 | January 3, 1945 | 66 years, 11 months and 2 days |
See also[]
- List of United States representatives from Arkansas
- United States congressional delegations from Arkansas
References[]
- ^ "Solon Borland (1811–1864) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas". www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net.
- ^ Jump up to: a b 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., page 80
- ^ The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1908. New York: The Tribune Association. 1908. p. 258.
- ^ Robinson was the last U.S. senator elected by a state legislature before the ratification of the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.[citation needed]
- United States senators from Arkansas
- Lists of Arkansas politicians
- Lists of United States senators by state