List of United States senators from North Carolina
North Carolina ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789, after the beginning of the 1st Congress. Its current senators are Republicans Thom Tillis and Richard Burr. Jesse Helms was North Carolina's longest-serving senator (1973–2003).
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 | # | |
Vacant | November 21, 1789 – November 27, 1789 |
North Carolina ratified the Constitution November 21, 1789 but didn't elect its senators until November 27, 1789. | 1 | 1st | 1 | North Carolina ratified the Constitution November 21, 1789 but didn't elect its senators until November 27, 1789. | November 21, 1789 – November 27, 1789 |
Vacant | ||||
1 | Samuel Johnston |
Pro- Administration |
November 27, 1789 – March 3, 1793 |
Elected November 27, 1789. Lost re-election. |
Elected November 27, 1789. [data unknown/missing] |
November 27, 1789 – March 3, 1795 |
Pro- Administration |
![]() Benjamin Hawkins |
1 | |||
2nd | ||||||||||||
2 | ![]() Alexander Martin |
Anti- Administration |
March 4, 1793 – March 3, 1799 |
Elected in 1792. Lost re-election. |
2 | 3rd | Anti- Administration | |||||
Democratic- Republican |
4th | 2 | Elected in 1795. [data unknown/missing] |
March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801 |
Democratic- Republican |
Timothy Bloodworth | 2 | |||||
5th | ||||||||||||
3 | Jesse Franklin | Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1805 |
Elected in 1799. Lost re-election. |
3 | 6th | ||||||
7th | 3 | Elected in 1800. Resigned to return to the State Superior Court. |
March 4, 1801 – February 17, 1807[1] |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() David Stone |
3 | ||||||
8th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1805 – December 22, 1805 |
Montfort Stokes was elected in 1804 but refused the position. | 4 | 9th | ||||||||
4 | ![]() James Turner |
Democratic- Republican |
December 22, 1805 – November 21, 1816 |
Elected to finish the vacant term. | ||||||||
February 17, 1807[1] – March 3, 1807 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
10th | 4 | Elected in 1806. Retired. |
March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1813 |
Democratic- Republican |
Jesse Franklin | 4 | ||||||
11th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected November 26, 1810. Resigned due to ill health. |
5 | 12th | ||||||||||
13th | 5 | Elected in 1812. Resigned. |
March 4, 1813 – December 24, 1814 |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() David Stone |
5 | ||||||
December 24, 1814 – December 1814 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Stone's term. Resigned without having qualified. |
December 1814 – December 5, 1815 |
Democratic- Republican |
Francis Locke Jr. | 6 | ||||||||
14th | ||||||||||||
December 5, 1815 – December 13, 1815 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Locke's term. | December 13, 1815 – November 14, 1828 |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() Nathaniel Macon |
7 | ||||||||
Vacant | November 21, 1816 – December 4, 1816 |
|||||||||||
5 | ![]() Montfort Stokes |
Democratic- Republican |
December 4, 1816 – March 3, 1823 |
Elected to finish Turner's term. | ||||||||
Elected December 4, 1816. Lost re-election. |
6 | 15th | ||||||||||
16th | 6 | Re-elected in 1818. | ||||||||||
17th | ||||||||||||
6 | ![]() John Branch |
Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1823 – March 9, 1829 |
Elected in 1822. | 7 | 18th | ||||||
Jacksonian | 19th | 7 | Re-elected in 1825. Resigned. |
Jacksonian | ||||||||
20th | ||||||||||||
November 14, 1828 – December 15, 1828 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Macon's term. Retired. |
December 15, 1828 – March 3, 1831 |
Jacksonian | ![]() |
8 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1828. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy. |
8 | 21st | ||||||||||
Vacant | March 9, 1829 – December 9, 1829 |
|||||||||||
7 | ![]() Bedford Brown |
Jacksonian | December 9, 1829 – November 16, 1840 |
Elected to finish Branch's term. | ||||||||
22nd | 8 | Elected in 1830. Resigned. |
March 4, 1831 – March 19, 1836 |
Jacksonian | ![]() Willie Mangum |
9 | ||||||
23rd | Anti-Jacksonian | |||||||||||
Re-elected in 1835. Resigned rather than disobey instructions from the N.C. General Assembly. |
9 | 24th | ||||||||||
March 19, 1836 – December 5, 1836 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Mangum's term. | December 5, 1836 – November 16, 1840 |
Jacksonian | ![]() Robert Strange |
10 | ||||||||
Democratic | 25th | 9 | Elected to full term in 1836. Resigned rather than disobey instructions from the N.C. General Assembly. |
Democratic | ||||||||
26th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | November 16, 1840 – November 25, 1840 |
November 16, 1840 – November 25, 1840 |
Vacant | |||||||||
8 | ![]() Willie Mangum |
Whig | November 25, 1840 – March 3, 1853 |
Elected to finish Brown's term. | Elected to finish Strange's term. [data unknown/missing] |
November 25, 1840 – March 3, 1843 |
Whig | ![]() William Alexander Graham |
11 | |||
Elected in 1841. | 10 | 27th | ||||||||||
28th | 10 | Elected in 1843. Resigned rather than disobey instructions from the N.C. General Assembly. |
March 4, 1843 – July 25, 1846 |
Democratic | ![]() William H. Haywood Jr. |
12 | ||||||
29th | ||||||||||||
July 25, 1846 – November 25, 1846 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Haywood's term. | November 25, 1846 – March 3, 1855 |
Whig | ![]() George Badger |
13 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1847. Lost re-election. |
11 | 30th | ||||||||||
31st | 11 | Re-elected in 1849. Retired. | ||||||||||
32nd | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1853 – December 6, 1854 |
Legislature failed to elect | 12 | 33rd | ||||||||
9 | David Reid | Democratic | December 6, 1854 – March 3, 1859 |
Elected to finish vacant term. Lost re-election. | ||||||||
34th | 12 | Elected in 1855. Resigned to become U.S. District Court Judge. |
March 4, 1855 – May 5, 1858 |
Democratic | ![]() Asa Biggs |
14 | ||||||
35th | ||||||||||||
May 5, 1858 – May 7, 1858 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Biggs's term. | May 7, 1858 – March 11, 1861 |
Democratic | ![]() Thomas Clingman |
15 | ||||||||
Elected November 23, 1858 to finish Biggs's term. | ||||||||||||
10 | ![]() Thomas Bragg |
Democratic | March 4, 1859 – March 8, 1861 |
Elected in 1858 or 1859. Resigned and subsequently expelled for support of the Confederate States. |
13 | 36th | ||||||
37th | 13 | Re-elected in 1861. Resigned and subsequently expelled for support of the Confederate States. | ||||||||||
Civil War and Reconstruction | March 11, 1861 – July 14, 1868 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Vacant | July 11, 1861 – July 14, 1868 |
Civil War and Reconstruction | ||||||||||
38th | ||||||||||||
14 | 39th | |||||||||||
40th | 14 | |||||||||||
11 | ![]() Joseph Abbott |
Republican | July 14, 1868 – March 3, 1871 |
. Lost renomination. |
. Retired. |
July 14, 1868 – March 3, 1873 |
Republican | ![]() John Pool |
16 | |||
41st | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1871 – January 30, 1872 |
Legislature failed to elect | 15 | 42nd | ||||||||
12 | ![]() Matt W. Ransom |
Democratic | January 30, 1872 – March 3, 1895 |
Elected to finish vacant term. | ||||||||
43rd | 15 | Elected in 1872. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1879 |
Democratic | ![]() Augustus Merrimon |
17 | ||||||
44th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1876. | 16 | 45th | ||||||||||
46th | 16 | Elected in 1879. | March 4, 1879 – April 14, 1894 |
Democratic | ![]() Zebulon Vance |
18 | ||||||
47th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1883. | 17 | 48th | ||||||||||
49th | 17 | Re-elected in 1884. | ||||||||||
50th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1889. Lost re-election. |
18 | 51st | ||||||||||
52nd | 18 | Re-elected in 1890. Died. | ||||||||||
53rd | ||||||||||||
April 14, 1894 – April 19, 1894 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Vance's term. Successor qualified. |
April 19, 1894 – January 23, 1895 |
Democratic | ![]() Thomas J. Jarvis |
19 | ||||||||
Elected November 7, 1894 to finish Vance's term. Qualified January 23, 1895. |
January 23, 1895 – March 3, 1903 |
Republican | ![]() Jeter Pritchard |
20 | ||||||||
13 | ![]() Marion Butler |
Populist | March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1901 |
Elected in 1894. Lost re-election. |
19 | 54th | ||||||
55th | 19 | Re-elected January 20, 1897.[2] Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
56th | ||||||||||||
14 | ![]() Furnifold M. Simmons |
Democratic | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1931 |
Elected January 22, 1901.[3] | 20 | 57th | ||||||
58th | 20 | Elected in 1903. | March 4, 1903 – December 12, 1930 |
Democratic | ![]() Lee S. Overman |
21 | ||||||
59th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected January 22, 1907.[4] | 21 | 60th | ||||||||||
61st | 21 | Re-elected January 19, 1909 | ||||||||||
62nd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected January 21, 1913 | 22 | 63rd | ||||||||||
64th | 22 | Re-elected in 1914. | ||||||||||
65th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1918. | 23 | 66th | ||||||||||
67th | 23 | Re-elected in 1920. | ||||||||||
68th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1924. Lost renomination. |
24 | 69th | ||||||||||
70th | 24 | Re-elected in 1926. Died. | ||||||||||
71st | ||||||||||||
Appointed to continue Overman's term. Lost election to finish Overman's term. |
December 13, 1930 – December 4, 1932 |
Democratic | ![]() Cameron A. Morrison |
22 | ||||||||
15 | ![]() Josiah Bailey |
Democratic | March 4, 1931 – December 15, 1946 |
Elected in 1930. | 25 | 72nd | ||||||
Elected to finish Overman's term. | December 5, 1932 – January 3, 1945 |
Democratic | ![]() Robert Reynolds |
23 | ||||||||
73rd | 25 | Elected to full term in 1932. | ||||||||||
74th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1936. | 26 | 75th | ||||||||||
76th | 26 | Re-elected in 1938. Retired. | ||||||||||
77th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1942. Died. |
27 | 78th | ||||||||||
79th | 27 | Elected in 1944. | January 3, 1945 – May 12, 1954 |
Democratic | ![]() Clyde R. Hoey |
24 | ||||||
Vacant | December 15, 1946 – December 18, 1946 |
|||||||||||
16 | ![]() William B. Umstead |
Democratic | December 18, 1946 – December 30, 1948 |
Appointed to continue Bailey's term. Lost election to finish Bailey's term. | ||||||||
80th | ||||||||||||
17 | ![]() J. Melville Broughton |
Democratic | December 31, 1948 – March 6, 1949 |
Elected to finish Bailey's term. | ||||||||
Elected to full term in 1948. Died. |
28 | 81st | ||||||||||
Vacant | March 6, 1949 – March 29, 1949 |
|||||||||||
18 | ![]() Frank Graham |
Democratic | March 29, 1949 – November 26, 1950 |
Appointed to continue Broughton's term. Lost nomination to finish Broughton's term. | ||||||||
19 | Willis Smith |
Democratic | November 27, 1950 – June 26, 1953 |
Elected to finish Broughton's term. Died. | ||||||||
82nd | 28 | Re-elected in 1950. Died. | ||||||||||
83rd | ||||||||||||
May 12, 1954 – June 5, 1954 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Hoey's term. Elected November 2, 1954 to finish Hoey's term. |
June 5, 1954 – December 31, 1974 |
Democratic | ![]() Sam Ervin |
25 | ||||||||
Vacant | June 26, 1953 – July 10, 1953 |
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20 | ![]() Alton A. Lennon |
Democratic | July 10, 1953 – November 28, 1954 |
Appointed to continue Smith's term. Lost nomination to finish Smith's term. | ||||||||
21 | ![]() W. Kerr Scott |
Democratic | November 29, 1954 – April 16, 1958 |
Elected November 2, 1954 to finish Smith's term. | ||||||||
Elected to full term in 1954. Died. |
29 | 84th | ||||||||||
85th | 29 | Re-elected in 1956. | ||||||||||
Vacant | April 16, 1958 – April 19, 1958 |
|||||||||||
22 | ![]() B. Everett Jordan |
Democratic | April 19, 1958 – January 3, 1973 |
Appointed to continue Scott's term. Elected November 4, 1958 to finish Scott's term. | ||||||||
86th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1960. | 30 | 87th | ||||||||||
88th | 30 | Re-elected in 1962. | ||||||||||
89th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1966. Lost renomination. |
31 | 90th | ||||||||||
91st | 31 | Re-elected in 1968. Retired and resigned early. | ||||||||||
92nd | ||||||||||||
23 | ![]() Jesse Helms |
Republican | January 3, 1973 – January 3, 2003 |
Elected in 1972. | 32 | 93rd | ||||||
December 31, 1974 – January 3, 1975 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
94th | 32 | Elected in 1974. Lost re-election. |
January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1981 |
Democratic | ![]() Robert B. Morgan |
26 | ||||||
95th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1978. | 33 | 96th | ||||||||||
97th | 33 | Elected in 1980. Died. |
January 3, 1981 – June 29, 1986 |
Republican | ![]() John P. East |
27 | ||||||
98th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1984. | 34 | 99th | ||||||||||
June 29, 1986 – July 14, 1986 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue East's term. Lost election to finish East's term. |
July 14, 1986 – November 4, 1986 |
Republican | ![]() James T. Broyhill |
28 | ||||||||
Elected to finish East's term. | November 5, 1986 – January 3, 1993 |
Democratic | ![]() Terry Sanford |
29 | ||||||||
100th | 34 | Elected to full term in 1986. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
101st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1990. | 35 | 102nd | ||||||||||
103rd | 35 | Elected in 1992. Lost re-election. |
January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1999 |
Republican | ![]() Lauch Faircloth |
30 | ||||||
104th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1996. Retired. |
36 | 105th | ||||||||||
106th | 36 | Elected in 1998. Retired to run for U.S. President. |
January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005 |
Democratic | ![]() John Edwards |
31 | ||||||
107th | ||||||||||||
24 | ![]() Elizabeth Dole |
Republican | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009 |
Elected in 2002. Lost re-election. |
37 | 108th | ||||||
109th | 37 | Elected in 2004. | January 3, 2005 – Present |
Republican | ![]() Richard Burr |
32 | ||||||
110th | ||||||||||||
25 | ![]() Kay Hagan |
Democratic | January 3, 2009 ��� January 3, 2015 |
Elected in 2008. Lost re-election. |
38 | 111th | ||||||
112th | 38 | Re-elected in 2010. | ||||||||||
113th | ||||||||||||
26 | ![]() Thom Tillis |
Republican | January 3, 2015 – Present |
Elected in 2014. | 39 | 114th | ||||||
115th | 39 | Re-elected in 2016. Retiring at end of term. | ||||||||||
116th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2020. | 40 | 117th | ||||||||||
118th | 40 | To be decided in the 2022 election. | ||||||||||
119th | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2026 election. | 41 | 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 four living U.S. former senators from North Carolina. The most recent and most recently serving senator to die was Kay Hagan (served 2009–2015) on October 28, 2019.
Senator | Years in office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Jim Broyhill | July 14, 1986 – November 4, 1986 | August 19, 1927 |
Lauch Faircloth | January 3, 1993 – January 3, 1999 | January 14, 1928 |
John Edwards | January 3, 1999 – January 3, 2005 | June 10, 1953 |
Elizabeth Dole | January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2009 | July 29, 1936 |
Superlatives[]
Longest service[]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Jesse Helms | January 3, 1973 | January 3, 2003 | 30 years, 0 days (10,957 days) |
Furnifold McLendel Simmons | March 4, 1901 | March 3, 1931 | 29 years, 364 days (10,956 days) |
Lee Slater Overman | March 4, 1903 | December 30, 1930 | 27 years, 301 days (10,163 days) |
Matt Whitaker Ransom | January 20, 1872 | March 3, 1895 | 23 years, 42 days (8,443 days) |
Sam Ervin | June 5, 1954 | December 31, 1974 | 20 years, 209 days (7,514 days) |
Shortest service[]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
J. Melville Broughton | December 31, 1948 | March 6, 1949 | 2 months and 6 days (65 days) |
Jim Broyhill | July 14, 1986 | November 4, 1986 | 3 months and 3 weeks (113 days) |
Thomas Jordan Jarvis | April 19, 1894 | January 23, 1895 | 9 months and 4 days (279 days) |
Alton Lennon | July 10, 1953 | November 28, 1954 | 1 year, 4 months, 2 weeks and 4 days (506 days) |
Frank Porter Graham | March 29, 1949 | November 26, 1950 | 1 year, 7 months and 4 weeks (607 days) |
Youngest at beginning of service[]
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
David Stone | February 17, 1770 | March 4, 1801 | 31 years and 15 days |
Marion Butler | May 20, 1863 | March 4, 1895 | 31 years, 9 months and 12 days |
Bedford Brown | June 6, 1795 | December 9, 1829 | 34 years, 6 months and 3 days |
Benjamin Hawkins | August 15, 1754 | November 27, 1789 | 35 years, 3 months and 12 days |
William Alexander Graham | September 5, 1804 | November 25, 1840 | 36 years, 2 months and 20 days |
Oldest at end of service[]
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Jesse Helms | October 18, 1921 | January 3, 2003 | 81 years, 2 months and 16 days |
Sam Ervin | September 27, 1896 | December 31, 1974 | 78 years, 3 months and 4 days |
Furnifold McLendel Simmons | January 20, 1854 | March 3, 1931 | 77 years, 1 month and 11 days |
Lee Slater Overman | January 3, 1854 | December 12, 1930 | 76 years, 11 months and 9 days |
Clyde R. Hoey | December 11, 1877 | May 12, 1954 | 76 years, 5 months and 1 day |
See also[]
- United States congressional delegations from North Carolina
- List of United States representatives from North Carolina
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b This date is approximate. Stone's resignation letter was read on February 17, but it could have been delivered on as early as February 11, 1807, according to the Annals of Congress (pages 66 to 68).
- ^ "PRITCHARD IN PRITCHARD IN NORTH CAROLINA". The New York Times. January 21, 1897. p. 2.
- ^ "North Carolina Elects a Democrat". The New York Times. January 23, 1901. p. 5.
- ^ The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1908. New York: The Tribune Association. 1908. p. 259.
External links[]
- "Our Campaigns - United States - North Carolina". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved August 26, 2020.
- United States senators from North Carolina
- Lists of North Carolina politicians
- Lists of United States senators by state