List of United States senators from Connecticut
This is a chronological listing of the United States senators from Connecticut.
United States senators are popularly elected, for a six-year term, beginning January 3. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Before 1914, they were chosen by the Connecticut General Assembly, and before 1935, their terms began March 4. Its current U.S. senators are Democrats Richard Blumenthal (serving since 2011) and Chris Murphy (serving since 2013). Chris Dodd is Connecticut's longest-serving senator (1981–2011).
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. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | Oliver Ellsworth |
Pro-Administration | March 4, 1789 – March 8, 1796 |
Elected in 1788. | 1 | 1st | 1 | Elected in 1788. Resigned. |
March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791 |
Pro-Administration | William Samuel Johnson |
1 |
Re-elected in 1791. Resigned to become Chief Justice of the United States. |
2 | 2nd | March 4, 1791 – June 13, 1791 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected to finish Johnson's term. Died. |
June 13, 1791 – July 23, 1793 |
Pro-Administration | Roger Sherman |
2 | ||||||||
3rd | ||||||||||||
July 23, 1793 – December 2, 1793 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Sherman's term. Retired. |
December 2, 1793 – March 3, 1795 |
Pro-Administration | Stephen Mix Mitchell |
3 | ||||||||
Federalist | 4th | 2 | Election date unknown. Resigned to become Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut. |
March 4, 1795 – June 10, 1796 |
Federalist | Jonathan Trumbull, Jr. |
4 | |||||
Vacant | March 8, 1796 – May 12, 1796 |
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June 10, 1796 – October 13, 1796 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Trumbull's term. | October 13, 1796 – July 19, 1807 |
Federalist | Uriah Tracy |
5 | ||||||||
2 | James Hillhouse |
Federalist | May 12, 1796 – June 10, 1810 |
Elected to finish Ellsworth's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1797. | 3 | 5th | ||||||||||
6th | ||||||||||||
7th | 3 | Re-elected in 1801. | ||||||||||
Re-elected October 27, 1802.[1] | 4 | 8th | ||||||||||
9th | ||||||||||||
10th | 4 | Re-elected in 1807. Died. | ||||||||||
July 19, 1807 – October 25, 1807 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Tracy's term. | October 25, 1807 – May 13, 1813 |
Federalist | Chauncey Goodrich |
6 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1809. Resigned. |
5 | 11th | ||||||||||
Vacant | June 10, 1810 – December 4, 1810 |
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3 | Samuel W. Dana |
Federalist | December 4, 1810 – March 3, 1821 |
Elected to finish Hillhouse's term. | ||||||||
12th | ||||||||||||
13th | 5 | Re-elected in 1813. Resigned to become Lieutenant Governor of Connecticut. | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Goodrich's term. Retired. |
May 13, 1813 – March 3, 1819 |
Federalist | David Daggett |
7 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1814. | 6 | 14th | ||||||||||
15th | ||||||||||||
16th | 6 | Elected October 22, 1818. Re-elected in 1824 and presented his credentials but was not permitted to qualify. |
March 4, 1819 – March 3, 1825 |
Democratic-Republican | James Lanman |
8 | ||||||
4 | Elijah Boardman |
Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1821 – August 18, 1823 |
Elected in 1821. Died. |
7 | 17th | ||||||
18th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | August 18, 1823 – October 8, 1823 |
|||||||||||
5 | Henry W. Edwards |
Democratic-Republican | October 8, 1823 – March 3, 1827 |
Appointed to continue Boardman's term. Elected May 5, 1824 to finish Boardman's term. | ||||||||
Jacksonian | 19th | 7 | March 4, 1825 – May 4, 1825 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected late to complete Lanman's term. [data unknown/missing] |
May 4, 1825 – March 3, 1831 |
Anti-Jacksonian | Calvin Willey |
9 | ||||||||
6 | Samuel A. Foot |
Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1827 – March 3, 1833 |
Elected in 1826. Lost re-election. |
8 | 20th | ||||||
21st | ||||||||||||
22nd | 8 | Elected in 1831. [data unknown/missing] |
March 4, 1831 – March 3, 1837 |
Anti-Jacksonian | Gideon Tomlinson |
10 | ||||||
7 | Nathan Smith |
Anti-Jacksonian | March 4, 1833 – December 6, 1835 |
Elected in 1832. Died. |
9 | 23rd | ||||||
24th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | December 6, 1835 – December 21, 1835 |
|||||||||||
8 | John Milton Niles |
Jacksonian | December 21, 1835 – March 3, 1839 |
Elected to finish Smith's term. Retired. | ||||||||
Democratic | 25th | 9 | Elected in 1837. [data unknown/missing] |
March 4, 1837 – March 3, 1843 |
Democratic | Perry Smith | 11 | |||||
9 | Thaddeus Betts | Whig | March 4, 1839 – April 7, 1840 |
Elected in 1838 or 1839. Died. |
10 | 26th | ||||||
Vacant | April 7, 1840 – May 4, 1840 |
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10 | Jabez W. Huntington |
Whig | May 4, 1840 – November 1, 1847 |
Elected to finish Betts's term. | ||||||||
27th | ||||||||||||
28th | 10 | Elected in 1842. Retired. |
March 4, 1843[2] – March 3, 1849 |
Democratic | John Milton Niles |
12 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1844 or 1845. Died. |
11 | 29th | ||||||||||
30th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | November 1, 1847 – November 11, 1847 |
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11 | Roger Sherman Baldwin |
Whig | November 11, 1847 – March 3, 1851 |
Appointed to continue Huntington's term. Elected in May 1848 to finish Huntington's term. [data unknown/missing] | ||||||||
31st | 11 | Elected in 1848 or 1849. Resigned. |
March 4, 1849 – May 24, 1854 |
Whig | Truman Smith |
13 | ||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1851 – May 12, 1852 |
12 | 32nd | |||||||||
12 | Isaac Toucey |
Democratic | May 12, 1852 – March 3, 1857 |
Elected late in 1852. Retired. | ||||||||
33rd | ||||||||||||
Elected to finish Smith's term. Retired. |
May 24, 1854 – March 3, 1855 |
Free Soil | Francis Gillette |
14 | ||||||||
34th | 12 | Elected in 1854. | March 4, 1855 – March 3, 1867 |
Republican | Lafayette S. Foster |
15 | ||||||
13 | James Dixon |
Republican | March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1869 |
Elected in 1856. | 13 | 35th | ||||||
36th | ||||||||||||
37th | 13 | Re-elected in 1860. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1863. Lost re-election. |
14 | 38th | ||||||||||
39th | ||||||||||||
40th | 14 | Elected in 1866. | March 4, 1867 – November 21, 1875 |
Republican | Orris S. Ferry |
16 | ||||||
14 | William Alfred Buckingham |
Republican | March 4, 1869 – February 5, 1875 |
Elected in 1868 or 1869. Lost re-election and died before end of term. |
15 | 41st | ||||||
42nd | ||||||||||||
43rd | 15 | Re-elected in 1872. Died. |
Liberal Republican | |||||||||
15 | William W. Eaton |
Democratic | February 5, 1875 – March 3, 1881 |
Appointed to finish Buckingham's term, having been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected May 19, 1874. Unknown if retired or lost re-election. |
16 | 44th | Republican | |||||||||
November 21, 1875 – November 27, 1875 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Ferry's term. Retired when successor elected. |
November 27, 1875 – May 17, 1876 |
Democratic | James E. English |
17 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Ferry's term. [data unknown/missing] |
May 17, 1876 – March 3, 1879 |
Democratic | William Henry Barnum |
18 | ||||||||
45th | ||||||||||||
46th | 16 | Elected in 1879. | March 4, 1879 – April 21, 1905 |
Republican | Orville H. Platt |
19 | ||||||
16 | Joseph Roswell Hawley |
Republican | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1905 |
Elected in 1881. | 17 | 47th | ||||||
48th | ||||||||||||
49th | 17 | Re-elected in 1885. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1887. | 18 | 50th | ||||||||||
51st | ||||||||||||
52nd | 18 | Re-elected in 1891. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1893. | 19 | 53rd | ||||||||||
54th | ||||||||||||
55th | 19 | Re-elected in 1897. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1899. Retired. |
20 | 56th | ||||||||||
57th | ||||||||||||
58th | 20 | Re-elected in 1903. Died. | ||||||||||
April 21, 1905 – May 10, 1905 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
17 | Morgan G. Bulkeley |
Republican | March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1911 |
Elected January 17, 1905.[3] Lost re-election. |
21 | 59th | ||||||
Elected to finish Platt's term. | May 10, 1905 – October 14, 1924 |
Republican | Frank B. Brandegee |
20 | ||||||||
60th | ||||||||||||
61st | 21 | Re-elected January 19, 1909. | ||||||||||
18 | George P. McLean |
Republican | March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1929 |
Elected January 17, 1911. | 22 | 62nd | ||||||
63rd | ||||||||||||
64th | 22 | Re-elected in 1914. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1916. | 23 | 65th | ||||||||||
66th | ||||||||||||
67th | 23 | Re-elected in 1920. Died. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1922. Retired. |
24 | 68th | ||||||||||
October 14, 1924 – December 17, 1924 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Brandegee's term and seated January 8, 1925.[4] | December 17, 1924 – March 3, 1933 |
Republican | Hiram Bingham III |
21 | ||||||||
69th | ||||||||||||
70th | 24 | Re-elected in 1926. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
19 | Frederic C. Walcott |
Republican | March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1935 |
Elected in 1928. Lost re-election. |
25 | 71st | ||||||
72nd | ||||||||||||
73rd | 25 | Elected in 1932. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1933 – January 3, 1939 |
Democratic | Augustine Lonergan |
22 | ||||||
20 | Francis T. Maloney |
Democratic | January 3, 1935 – January 16, 1945 |
Elected in 1934. | 26 | 74th | ||||||
75th | ||||||||||||
76th | 26 | Elected in 1938. Lost re-election. |
January 3, 1939 – January 3, 1945 |
Republican | John A. Danaher |
23 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1940. Died. |
27 | 77th | ||||||||||
78th | ||||||||||||
79th | 27 | Elected in 1944. | January 3, 1945 – July 28, 1952 |
Democratic | Brien McMahon |
24 | ||||||
Vacant | January 16, 1945 – February 15, 1945 |
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21 | Thomas C. Hart |
Republican | February 15, 1945 – November 5, 1946 |
Appointed to continue Maloney's term. Successor qualified. | ||||||||
Vacant | November 5, 1946 – December 27, 1946 |
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22 | Raymond E. Baldwin |
Republican | December 27, 1946 – December 16, 1949 |
Elected to finish Maloney's term. | ||||||||
Elected to full term in 1946. Resigned. |
28 | 80th | ||||||||||
81st | ||||||||||||
23 | William Benton |
Democratic | December 17, 1949 – January 3, 1953 |
Appointed to continue Baldwin's term. Elected to finish Baldwin's term. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
82nd | 28 | Re-elected in 1950. Died. | ||||||||||
July 28, 1952 – August 29, 1952 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue McMahon's term. Retired when successor elected, and elected to the Class 1 seat. |
August 29, 1952 – November 4, 1952 |
Republican | William A. Purtell |
25 | ||||||||
Elected to finish McMahon's term. | November 4, 1952 – January 3, 1963 |
Republican | Prescott Bush |
26 | ||||||||
24 | William A. Purtell |
Republican | January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959 |
Elected in 1952. Lost re-election. |
29 | 83rd | ||||||
84th | ||||||||||||
85th | 29 | Re-elected in 1956. Retired. | ||||||||||
25 | Thomas J. Dodd |
Democratic | January 3, 1959 – January 3, 1971 |
Elected in 1958. | 30 | 86th | ||||||
87th | ||||||||||||
88th | 30 | Elected in 1962. | January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1981 |
Democratic | Abraham Ribicoff |
27 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1964. Lost renomination, and lost re-election as an independent. |
31 | 89th | ||||||||||
90th | ||||||||||||
91st | 31 | Re-elected in 1968. | ||||||||||
26 | Lowell Weicker |
Republican | January 3, 1971 – January 3, 1989 |
Elected in 1970. | 32 | 92nd | ||||||
93rd | ||||||||||||
94th | 32 | Re-elected in 1974. Retired. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1976. | 33 | 95th | ||||||||||
96th | ||||||||||||
97th | 33 | Elected in 1980. | January 3, 1981 – January 3, 2011 |
Democratic | Chris Dodd |
28 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1982. Lost re-election. |
34 | 98th | ||||||||||
99th | ||||||||||||
100th | 34 | Re-elected in 1986. | ||||||||||
27 | Joe Lieberman |
Democratic | January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2013 |
Elected in 1988. | 35 | 101st | ||||||
102nd | ||||||||||||
103rd | 35 | Re-elected in 1992. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1994. | 36 | 104th | ||||||||||
105th | ||||||||||||
106th | 36 | Re-elected in 1998. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 2000. | 37 | 107th | ||||||||||
108th | ||||||||||||
109th | 37 | Re-elected in 2004. Retired. | ||||||||||
Independent Democratic | Lost re-nomination as a Democrat, but re-elected in 2006 as an Independent Democrat. Retired. |
38 | 110th | |||||||||
111th | ||||||||||||
112th | 38 | Elected in 2010. | January 3, 2011 – Present |
Democratic | Richard Blumenthal |
29 | ||||||
28 | Chris Murphy |
Democratic | January 3, 2013 – Present |
Elected in 2012. | 39 | 113th | ||||||
114th | ||||||||||||
115th | 39 | Re-elected in 2016. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 2018. | 40 | 116th | ||||||||||
117th | ||||||||||||
118th | 40 | To be determined in the 2022 election. | ||||||||||
To be determined in the 2024 election. | 41 | 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 three living former U.S. senators from Connecticut. The most recent and most recently serving senator to die was Abraham Ribicoff (served 1963–1981) on February 22, 1998.
Senator | Term of office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Lowell Weicker | 1971–1989 | May 16, 1931 |
Chris Dodd | 1981–2011 | May 27, 1944 |
Joe Lieberman | 1989–2013 | February 24, 1942 |
Superlatives[]
Longest service[]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Chris Dodd | January 3, 1981 | January 3, 2011 | 30 years, 0 days (10,957 days) |
Orville H. Platt | March 4, 1879 | April 21, 1905 | 26 years, 48 days (9,544 days) |
Joe Lieberman | January 3, 1989 | January 3, 2013 | 24 years, 0 days (8,766 days) |
Joseph Roswell Hawley | March 4, 1881 | March 3, 1905 | 23 years, 364 days (8,764 days) |
Frank B. Brandegee | May 10, 1905 | October 14, 1924 | 19 years, 157 days (7,097 days) |
Shortest service[]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
James E. English | November 27, 1875 | May 17, 1876 | 5 months, 2 weeks and 6 days (172 days) |
Francis Gillette | June 24, 1854 | March 3, 1855 | 8 months and 1 week (252 days) |
Thaddeus Betts | March 4, 1839 | April 7, 1840 | 1 year, 1 month and 3 days (400 days) |
Stephen Mix Mitchell | December 2, 1793 | March 3, 1795 | 1 year, 3 months and 1 day (456 days) |
Jonathan Trumbull Jr. | March 4, 1795 | June 10, 1796 | 1 year, 3 months and 6 days (464 days) |
Youngest at beginning of service[]
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Chris Dodd | May 27, 1944 | January 3, 1981 | 36 years, 7 months and 7 days |
Chris Murphy | August 3, 1973 | January 3, 2013 | 39 years and 5 months |
Lowell Weicker | May 16, 1931 | January 3, 1971 | 39 years, 7 months and 18 days |
John A. Danaher | January 9, 1899 | January 3, 1939 | 39 years, 11 months and 25 days |
Francis T. Maloney | March 31, 1894 | January 3, 1935 | 40 years, 9 months and 3 days |
Oldest at end of service[]
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Joseph Roswell Hawley | October 31, 1826 | March 3, 1905 | 78 years, 4 months and 3 days |
Orville H. Platt | July 19, 1827 | April 21, 1905 | 77 years, 9 months and 2 days |
Richard Blumenthal | February 13, 1946 | Present | 75 years, 6 months and 15 days |
Morgan Bulkeley | December 26, 1837 | March 3, 1911 | 73 years, 2 months and 5 days |
Roger Sherman | April 19, 1721 | July 23, 1793 | 72 years, 3 months and 4 days |
References[]
- ^ "Connecticut 1802 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing American Mercury (Hartford, CT). November 4, 1802.
- ^ Due to ill-health and a credentials challenge, John Milton Niles was unable to serve until May 16, 1844
- ^ "BULKELEY IN CONNECTICUT". The New York Times. January 18, 1905. p. 2.
- ^ "A chronological list of senators since the First Congress in 1789" (PDF). United States Senate.
See also[]
- List of United States representatives from Connecticut
- United States congressional delegations from Connecticut
- United States senators from Connecticut
- Lists of United States senators by state
- Lists of Connecticut politicians