List of United States senators from Rhode Island

Current delegation

Jack Reed (D)

Sheldon Whitehouse (D)

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

Living former senators[]

As of August 2021, there is one living former U.S. senator from Rhode Island. The most recent senator to die was Claiborne Pell (served 1961–1997) on January 1, 2009. The most recently serving senator to die was John Chafee (served 1976–1999), who died in office on October 24, 1999.

Senator	Term of office	Date of birth (and age)
Lincoln Chafee	1999–2007	(1953-03-26) March 26, 1953 (age 68)

Superlatives[]

Longest service[]

Senator	First served	Last served	Length of service
Claiborne Pell	January 3, 1961	January 3, 1997	36 years, 0 days (13,149 days)
Nelson W. Aldrich	October 5, 1881	March 3, 1911	29 years, 149 days (10,740 days)
John Pastore	December 19, 1950	December 28, 1976	26 years, 9 days (9,506 days)
Henry B. Anthony	March 4, 1859	September 2, 1884	25 years, 182 days (9,314 days)
Jack Reed	January 3, 1997	Present	24 years, 237 days (9,003 days)

Shortest service[]

Senator	First served	Last served	Length of service
William Paine Sheffield Sr.	November 19, 1884	January 20, 1885	2 months and 1 day (62 days)
Francis Malbone	March 4, 1809	June 4, 1809	3 months (92 days)
Samuel G. Arnold	December 1, 1862	March 3, 1863	3 months and 2 days (92 days)
John Brown Francis	January 25, 1844	March 3, 1845	1 year, 1 month and 6 days (403 days)
Edward L. Leahy	August 24, 1949	December 10, 1950	1 year, 3 months, 2 weeks and 2 days (473 days)

Youngest at beginning of service[]

Senator	Date of birth	First served	Age
William Sprague IV	September 12, 1830	March 4, 1863	32 years, 5 months and 20 days
Christopher Ellery	November 1, 1768	May 6, 1801	32 years, 6 months and 5 days
Ray Greene	February 2, 1765	November 13, 1797	32 years, 9 months and 11 days
James Fenner	January 22, 1771	March 4, 1805	34 years, 1 month and 10 days
William Hunter	November 26, 1774	October 28, 1811	36 years, 11 months and 2 days

Oldest at end of service[]

Senator	Date of birth	Last served	Age
Theodore F. Green	October 2, 1867	January 3, 1961	93 years, 3 months and 1 day
LeBaron Bradford Colt	June 25, 1846	August 18, 1924	78 years, 1 month and 24 days
Claiborne Pell	November 22, 1918	January 3, 1997	78 years, 1 month and 12 days
Asher Robbins	October 26, 1761	March 3, 1839	77 years, 4 months and 5 days
John Chafee	October 22, 1922	October 24, 1999	77 years and 2 days

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). January 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). January 14, 1809.

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

[1]

[2]

show v t 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

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show v t Rhode Island's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators	Jack Reed (D) Sheldon Whitehouse (D)
Representatives (ordered by district)	David Cicilline (D) James Langevin (D)

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