List of United States senators from California

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Current delegation
Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein (D)

California elects United States senators to Class 1 and Class 3. The state has been represented by 47 people in the Senate since it was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850. Its U.S. senators are Democrats Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla.

List of senators[]

Class 1

Class 1 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018. The next election will be in 2024.

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.

# Senator Party Dates in office Electoral history T T Electoral history Dates in office Party Senator #
1 John Charles Fremont crop.jpg
John C. Frémont
Democratic September 9, 1850 –
March 3, 1851
Elected December 20, 1849. 1 31st 1 Elected December 20, 1849. September 9, 1850 –
March 2, 1855
Democratic WMGwin.jpg
William M. Gwin
1
Vacant March 4, 1851 –
January 29, 1852
Legislature failed to elect. 2 32nd
2 John Weller.jpg
John B. Weller
Democratic January 30, 1852 –
March 3, 1857
Elected late in 1852.

Lost re-election.
33rd
34th 2 Legislature failed to elect. March 3, 1855 –
January 13, 1857
Vacant
Elected late in 1857. January 14, 1857 –
March 3, 1861
Democratic WMGwin.jpg
William M. Gwin
3 David C. Broderick - Brady-Handy.jpg
David C. Broderick
Democratic March 4, 1857 –
September 16, 1859
Elected in 1856.

Died.
3 35th
36th
Vacant September 17, 1859 –
November 2, 1859
 
4 Henry Haun.jpg
Henry P. Haun
Democratic November 3, 1859 –
March 4, 1860
Appointed to continue Broderick's term.

Lost election to finish Broderick's term.
5 Latham1.jpg
Milton Latham
Democratic March 5, 1860 –
March 3, 1863
Elected to finish Broderick's term.

Lost re-election.
37th 3 Elected in 1860.

Retired.
March 4, 1861 –
March 3, 1867
Democratic Sen James A McDougall.jpg
James A. McDougall
2
6 John Conness.jpg
John Conness
Republican March 4, 1863 –
March 3, 1869
Elected during the 1862/63 cycle.[1] 4 38th
39th
40th 4 Elected during the 1866/67 cycle. March 4, 1867 –
March 3, 1873
Republican CorneliusCole.jpg
Cornelius Cole
3
7 Eugene Casserly - Brady-Handy.jpg
Eugene Casserly
Democratic March 4, 1869 –
November 29, 1873
Elected in 1868.

Resigned.
5 41st
42nd
43rd 5 Elected in 1872 or 1873.

Retired.
March 4, 1873 –
March 3, 1879
Republican Aaron Augustus Sargent - Brady-Handy.jpg
Aaron A. Sargent
4
Vacant November 30, 1873 –
December 22, 1873
 
8 John S. Hager.jpg
John S. Hager
Democratic December 23, 1873 –
March 3, 1875
Elected to finish Casserly's term.

Retired.
9 Newton Booth - Brady-Handy.jpg
Newton Booth
Anti-Monopoly March 4, 1875 –
March 3, 1881
Elected (early) in 1873.

Retired.
6 44th
45th
46th 6 Elected in 1878.

Retired.
March 4, 1879 –
March 3, 1885
Democratic James T. Farley.jpg
James T. Farley
5
10 JFMiller.jpg
John Franklin Miller
Republican March 4, 1881 –
March 8, 1886
Elected in 1880.

Died.
7 47th
48th
49th 7 Elected in 1885. March 4, 1885 –
June 21, 1893
Republican LelandStanford.jpg
Leland Stanford
6
Vacant March 9, 1886 –
March 22, 1886
 
11 George Hearst (cropped).jpg
George Hearst
Democratic March 23, 1886 –
August 3, 1886
Appointed to continue Miller's term.

Successor qualified.
12 APWilliams.jpg
Abram P. Williams
Republican August 4, 1886 –
March 3, 1887
Elected to finish Miller's term.

Retired.
13 George Hearst (cropped).jpg
George Hearst
Democratic March 4, 1887 –
February 28, 1891
Elected in 1887.

Died.
8 50th
51st
Vacant March 1, 1891 –
March 18, 1891
 
52nd 8 Re-elected in 1891.

Died.
14 Charles Norton Felton.jpg
Charles N. Felton
Republican March 19, 1891 –
March 3, 1893
Elected to finish Hearst's term.

Retired.
15 StephenMWhite.JPG
Stephen M. White
Democratic March 4, 1893 –
March 3, 1899
Elected in 1893.

Retired.
9 53rd
  June 22, 1893 –
July 25, 1893
Vacant
Appointed to continue Stanford's term.

Elected January 23, 1895 to finish Stanford's term.[2]
July 26, 1893 –
March 3, 1915
Republican George Clement Perkins.jpg
George Clement Perkins
7
54th
55th 9 Re-elected January 13, 1897.[3]
Vacant March 4, 1899 –
February 6, 1900
  10 56th
16 Thomas R. Bard.jpg
Thomas R. Bard
Republican February 7, 1900 –
March 3, 1905
Elected late in 1900.

Lost re-election.
57th
58th 10 Re-elected January 13, 1903.[4]
17 Frank Putnam Flint.jpg
Frank P. Flint
Republican March 4, 1905 –
March 3, 1911
Elected January 11, 1905.[5]

Retired.
11 59th
60th
61st 11 Re-elected January 12, 1909.[6]

Retired.
18 John Downey Works.jpg
John D. Works
Republican March 4, 1911 –
March 3, 1917
Elected in 1911.

Retired.
12 62nd
63rd
64th 12 Elected in 1914.

Lost re-election.
March 4, 1915 –
March 3, 1921
Democratic James D. Phelan - Mayor of SF 1910.jpg
James D. Phelan
8
19 Hiram Johnson.jpg
Hiram Johnson
Republican March 4, 1917 –
August 6, 1945
Elected in 1916.

Didn't take seat until March 16, 1917 as he wanted to remain Governor of California. However, he was still elected and qualified as senator.
13 65th
66th
67th 13 Elected in 1920. March 4, 1921 –
March 3, 1933
Republican Samuel Morgan Shortridge.jpg
Samuel M. Shortridge
9
Re-elected in 1922. 14 68th
69th
70th 14 Re-elected in 1926.

Lost renomination.
Re-elected in 1928. 15 71st
72nd
73rd 15 Elected in 1932.

Lost renomination, then resigned.
March 4, 1933 –
November 8, 1938
Democratic William Gibbs McAdoo, formal photo portrait, 1914.jpg
William Gibbs McAdoo
10
Re-elected in 1934. 16 74th
75th
Appointed to finish McAdoo's term.

Retired.
November 9, 1938 –
January 2, 1939
Democratic ThomasMStorke.jpg
Thomas M. Storke
11
76th 16 Elected in 1938. January 3, 1939 –
November 30, 1950
Democratic SDowney.jpg
Sheridan Downey
12
Re-elected in 1940.

Died.
17 77th
78th
79th 17 Re-elected in 1944.

Ran for re-election, but dropped out of renomination race due to ill health.

Resigned early due to ill health.
Vacant August 7, 1945 –
August 25, 1945
 
20 William F. Knowland headshot.jpg
William F. Knowland
Republican August 26, 1945 –
January 2, 1959
Appointed to continue Johnson's term.

Elected November 5, 1946 to finish Johnson's term.
Re-elected in 1946. 18 80th
81st
Appointed to finish Downey's term,
having been elected to the next term.
December 1, 1950 –
January 1, 1953
Republican Richard Nixon congressional portrait.jpg
Richard Nixon
13
82nd 18 Elected in 1950.

Resigned to become Vice President of the United States.
Appointed to continue Nixon's term.

Elected November 2, 1954 to finish Nixon's term.[2]
January 2, 1953 –
January 2, 1969
Republican ThomasKuchel.jpg
Thomas Kuchel
14
Re-elected in 1952.

Retired to run for Governor of California.
19 83rd
84th
85th 19 Re-elected in 1956.
21 Clair Engle.jpg
Clair Engle
Democratic January 3, 1959 –
July 30, 1964
Elected in 1958.

Died.
20 86th
87th
88th 20 Re-elected in 1962.

Lost renomination.
Vacant July 31, 1964 –
August 3, 1964
 
22 PierreSalinger.jpg
Pierre Salinger
Democratic August 4, 1964 –
December 31, 1964
Appointed to continue Engle's term.

Lost election to full term, then resigned early to give successor preferential seniority.
23 GeorgeMurphy.jpg
George Murphy
Republican January 1, 1965 –
January 1, 1971
Appointed to finish Salinger's term, having been elected to the next term.
Elected in 1964.

Lost re-election, then resigned early to give successor preferential seniority.
21 89th
90th
91st 21 Elected in 1968. January 3, 1969 –
January 3, 1993
Democratic AlanCranston.jpg
Alan Cranston
15
24 JohnTunney.jpg
John V. Tunney
Democratic January 2, 1971 –
January 1, 1977
Appointed to finish Murphy's term, having been elected to the next term.
Elected in 1970.

Lost re-election, resigned early to give his successor preferential seniority.
22 92nd
93rd
94th 22 Re-elected in 1974.
25 SIHayakawa.jpg
S. I. Hayakawa
Republican January 2, 1977 –
January 3, 1983
Appointed to finish Tunney's term, having been elected to the next term.
Elected in 1976.

Retired.
23 95th
96th
97th 23 Re-elected in 1980.
26 PeteWilson.jpg
Pete Wilson
Republican January 3, 1983 –
January 6, 1991
Elected in 1982. 24 98th
99th
100th 24 Re-elected in 1986.

Retired.
Re-elected in 1988.

Resigned to become Governor of California.
25 101st
102nd
27 John F Seymour.jpg
John Seymour
Republican January 7, 1991 –
November 3, 1992
Appointed to continue Wilson's term.

Lost election to finish Wilson's term.
28 Dianne Feinstein Official High Res Photo.jpg
Dianne Feinstein
Democratic November 4, 1992 –
Present
Elected to finish Wilson's term.
103rd 25 Elected in 1992. January 3, 1993 –
January 3, 2017
Democratic Barbara Boxer, Official Portrait, 112th Congress.jpg
Barbara Boxer
16
Re-elected in 1994. 26 104th
105th
106th 26 Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000. 27 107th
108th
109th 27 Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006. 28 110th
111th
112th 28 Re-elected in 2010.

Retired.
Re-elected in 2012. 29 113th
114th
115th 29 Elected in 2016.

Resigned to become Vice President of the United States.[7]
January 3, 2017 –
January 18, 2021
Democratic Senator Harris official senate portrait.jpg
Kamala Harris
17
Re-elected in 2018. 30 116th
117th
  January 18, 2021 –
January 20, 2021
Vacant
Appointed to continue Harris's term. January 20, 2021 –
Present
Democratic Alex Padilla 117th Congress portrait.jpg
Alex Padilla
18
118th 30 To be determined in the 2022 election.
To be determined in the 2024 election. 31 119th
# Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T   T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator #
Class 1 Class 3

Living former senators[]

As of August 2021, there are four living former U.S. senators from California. The most recent senator to die was John V. Tunney (served 1971–1977) on January 12, 2018. The most recently serving senator to die was Alan Cranston (served 1969–1993) on December 31, 2000.

Senator Party Term of office Date of birth (and age)
Pete Wilson Republican January 3, 1983 – January 6, 1991 (1933-08-23) August 23, 1933 (age 88)
John Seymour Republican January 7, 1991 – November 3, 1992 (1937-12-03) December 3, 1937 (age 83)
Barbara Boxer Democratic January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2017 (1940-11-11) November 11, 1940 (age 80)
Kamala Harris Democratic January 3, 2017 – January 18, 2021 (1964-10-20) October 20, 1964 (age 56)

Superlatives[]

Longest service[]

Senator First served Last served Length of service
Dianne Feinstein November 4, 1992 Present 28 years, 297 days
(10,524 days)
Hiram Johnson March 4, 1917 August 6, 1945 28 years, 155 days
(10,382 days)
Alan Cranston January 3, 1969 January 3, 1993 24 years, 0 days
(8,766 days)
Barbara Boxer January 3, 1993 January 3, 2017 24 years, 0 days
(8,766 days)
George Clement Perkins July 26, 1893 March 3, 1915 21 years, 220 days
(7,889 days)

Shortest service[]

Excludes incumbent Padilla

Senator First served Last served Length of service
Thomas M. Storke November 9, 1938 January 2, 1939 1 month, 3 weeks and 3 days
(54 days)
Henry P. Haun November 3, 1859 March 4, 1860 4 months and 1 day
(122 days)
Pierre Salinger August 4, 1964 December 31, 1964 4 months, 3 weeks and 6 days
(149 days)
John C. Frémont September 9, 1850 March 3, 1851 5 months, 3 weeks and 1 day
(175 days)
Abram Williams August 4, 1886 March 3, 1887 6 months, 3 weeks and 6 days
(211 days)

Youngest at beginning of service[]

Senator Date of birth First served Age
Milton Latham May 23, 1827 March 5, 1860 32 years, 9 months and 11 days
John V. Tunney June 26, 1934 January 2, 1971 36 years, 6 months and 7 days
David C. Broderick February 4, 1820 March 4, 1857 37 years and 1 month
William Knowland June 26, 1908 August 26, 1945 37 years and 2 months
John C. Frémont January 21, 1813 September 10, 1850 37 years, 7 months and 20 days

Oldest at end of service[]

Senator Date of birth Last served Age
Dianne Feinstein June 22, 1933 Present 88 years, 2 months and 6 days
Hiram Johnson September 2, 1866 August 6, 1945 78 years, 11 months and 4 days
Alan Cranston June 19, 1914 January 3, 1993 78 years, 6 months and 15 days
S. I. Hayakawa July 18, 1906 January 3, 1983 76 years, 5 months and 16 days
Barbara Boxer November 11, 1940 January 3, 2017 76 years, 1 month and 23 days

See also[]

  • List of United States representatives from California
  • United States congressional delegations from California

References[]

  1. ^ John Conness was elected as a Democrat, but changed party to Republican after the election.[citation needed]
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Byrd, p. 83.
  3. ^ "Perkins Re-elected in California". The New York Times. January 14, 1897. p. 12.
  4. ^ "Perkins of California Re-elected". The New York Times. January 14, 1903. p. 12.
  5. ^ The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. 1905. p. 108.
  6. ^ "Perkins of California Re-elected". The New York Times. January 13, 1903. p. 5.
  7. ^ Bowman, Bridget (November 7, 2020). "Win by Biden and Harris opens up California Senate seat". Roll Call. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
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