List of United States Senators from Virginia
Virginia ratified the Constitution on June 25, 1788. Its Senate seats were declared vacant in March 1861, due to its secession from the Union, but senators representing its western counties continued to sit until March 1863. Virginia's Senate seats were again filled from January 1870.
List of Senators
Class 1 Class 1 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that were elected for only one U.S. Congress in the first election of 1788, and the seat was contested again for the 2nd, 5th, and every three Congresses (six years) thereafter. The seat in recent years has been contested in 2000, 2006, and 2012. The next election is in 2018. |
C o n g r e s s |
Class 2 Class 2 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that were elected for the first two United States Congresses in the first election of 1788, and the seat was contested again for the 3rd, 6th, and every three Congresses (six years) thereafter. The seat in recent years has been contested in 2002, 2008, and 2014. The next election is in 2020. | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | William Grayson |
Anti- Administration |
March 4, 1789 – March 12, 1790 |
Elected in 1788. Died. |
1 | 1st Congress | 1 | Elected in 1788. Resigned. |
March 4, 1789 – October 8, 1792 |
Anti- Administration |
Richard H. Lee |
1 |
Vacant | March 12, 1790 – March 31, 1790 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
2 | John Walker |
Pro- Administration |
March 31, 1790 – November 9, 1790 |
Appointed to continue Grayson's term. Retired. | ||||||||
3 | James Monroe |
Anti- Administration |
November 9, 1790 – March 27, 1794 |
Elected to finish Grayson's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1791. Resigned to become U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary to France. |
2 | 2nd Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | October 8, 1792 – October 18, 1792 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Lee's term. | October 18, 1792 – May 11, 1794 |
Anti- Administration |
John Taylor of Caroline |
2 | ||||||||
3rd Congress | 2 | Re-elected in 1793. Resigned. | ||||||||||
Vacant | March 27, 1794 – November 18, 1794 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 11, 1794 – December 29, 1794 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
4 | Stevens T. Mason |
Anti- Administration |
November 18, 1794 – May 10, 1803 |
Elected to finish Monroe's term. | ||||||||
Elected to finish Taylor's term. Re-elected in 1798, but died before new term began. |
December 29, 1794 – January 24, 1799 |
Anti- Administration |
Henry Tazewell |
3 | ||||||||
Democratic- Republican |
4th Congress | Democratic- Republican | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1797. | 3 | 5th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | January 24, 1799 – December 5, 1799 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
6th Congress | 3 | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Tazewell's term. Resigned to become collector of the port of Norfolk. |
December 5, 1799 – May 22, 1804 |
Democratic- Republican |
Wilson C. Nicholas |
4 | ||||||||
7th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1803. Died. |
4 | 8th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 10, 1803 – June 4, 1803 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
5 | John Taylor of Caroline |
Democratic- Republican |
June 4, 1803 – December 7, 1803 |
Appointed to continue Mason's term. Retired. | ||||||||
6 | Abraham B. Venable |
Democratic- Republican |
December 7, 1803 – June 7, 1804 |
Elected to finish Mason's term. Resigned to become president of Bank of Virginia. | ||||||||
Vacant | May 22, 1804 – August 11, 1804 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Vacant | June 7, 1804 – August 11, 1804 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
7 | William B. Giles |
Democratic- Republican |
August 11, 1804 – December 3, 1804 |
Appointed to continue Venable's term. Resigned when elected to finish Wilson Nicholas's Class 2 term.[1] |
Appointed to continue Nicholas's term. Resigned when elected to finish Abraham B. Venable's Class 1 term.[1] |
August 11, 1804 – December 3, 1804 |
Democratic- Republican |
Andrew Moore |
5 | |||
8 | Andrew Moore |
Democratic- Republican |
December 4, 1804 – March 3, 1809 |
Elected to finish Venable's term.[1] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
Elected to finish Nicholas's term. | December 4, 1804 – March 3, 1815 |
Democratic- Republican |
William B. Giles |
6 | |||
9th Congress | 4 | Re-elected in 1804. | ||||||||||
10th Congress | ||||||||||||
9 | Richard Brent |
Democratic- Republican |
March 4, 1809 – December 30, 1814 |
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Died. |
5 | 11th Congress | ||||||
12th Congress | 5 | Re-elected in 1811. Resigned. | ||||||||||
13th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | December 30, 1814 – January 2, 1815 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
10 | James Barbour |
Democratic- Republican |
January 2, 1815 – March 7, 1825 |
Elected to finish Brent's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1815. | 6 | 14th Congress | Vacant | March 4, 1815 – January 3, 1816 |
Vacant | |||||||
Elected to finish Giles's term. Lost re-election. |
January 3, 1816 – March 3, 1817 |
Democratic- Republican |
Armistead T. Mason |
7 | ||||||||
15th Congress | 6 | Elected in 1817. Resigned because of ill health. |
March 4, 1817 – December 4, 1819 |
Democratic- Republican |
John W. Eppes |
8 | ||||||
16th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | December 4, 1819 – December 14, 1819 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Eppes's term. Resigned. |
December 14, 1819 – December 15, 1822 |
Democratic- Republican |
James Pleasants |
9 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1821. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of War. |
7 | 17th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | December 15, 1822 – December 18, 1822 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Pleasants's term. | December 18, 1822 – August 21, 1824 |
Democratic- Republican |
John Taylor of Caroline |
10 | ||||||||
Crawford Republican |
18th Congress | 7 | Re-elected in 1823. Died. |
Crawford Republican | ||||||||
Vacant | August 21, 1824 – December 7, 1824 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Taylor's term. | December 7, 1824 – July 16, 1832 |
Jackson Republican |
Littleton Tazewell |
11 | ||||||||
Jacksonian | 19th Congress | Jacksonian | ||||||||||
Vacant | March 7, 1825 – December 26, 1825 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
11 | John Randolph |
Jacksonian | December 26, 1825 – March 3, 1827 |
Appointed to continue Barbour's term. Lost election to next term. | ||||||||
12 | John Tyler |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1827 – February 29, 1836 |
Elected in 1827. | 8 | 20th Congress | ||||||
21st Congress | 8 | Re-elected in 1829. Resigned. | ||||||||||
22nd Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | July 16, 1832 – December 10, 1832 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Tazewell's term. Resigned. |
December 10, 1832 – February 22, 1834 |
Jacksonian | William C. Rives |
12 | ||||||||
Anti- Jacksonian |
Re-elected in 1833. Resigned. |
9 | 23rd Congress | |||||||||
Vacant | February 22, 1834 – February 26, 1834 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Rives's term. | February 26, 1834 – July 4, 1836 |
Anti- Jacksonian |
Benjamin W. Leigh |
13 | ||||||||
24th Congress | 9 | Re-elected in 1835. Resigned. | ||||||||||
Vacant | February 29, 1836 – March 3, 1836 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
13 | William C. Rives |
Jacksonian | March 4, 1836 – March 3, 1839 |
Elected to finish Tyler's term. Legislature failed to elect in 1839. | ||||||||
Vacant | July 4, 1836 – December 12, 1836 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Leigh's term. Resigned to become judge of the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals. |
December 12, 1836 – March 13, 1837 |
Jacksonian | Richard E. Parker |
14 | ||||||||
Democratic | 25th Congress | Democratic | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Parker's term. Lost re-election. |
March 14, 1837 – March 3, 1841 |
Democratic | William H. Roane |
15 | ||||||||
Vacant | March 3, 1839 – January 18, 1841 |
Vacant | 10 | 26th Congress | ||||||||
William C. Rives |
Whig | January 18, 1841 – March 3, 1845 |
Re-elected late in 1841. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | |||||||||
27th Congress | 10 | Elected in 1840. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1841 – March 3, 1847 |
Whig | William S. Archer |
16 | ||||||
28th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1845 – December 3, 1845 |
[Data unknown/missing. You can help!] | 11 | 29th Congress | ||||||||
14 | Isaac S. Pennybacker |
Democratic | December 3, 1845 – January 12, 1847 |
Elected to finish the vacancy. Died. | ||||||||
Vacant | January 12, 1847 – January 21, 1847 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
15 | James M. Mason |
Democratic | January 21, 1847 – July 11, 1861 |
Elected to finish Pennybacker's term. | ||||||||
30th Congress | 11 | Elected in 1846. | March 4, 1847 – July 11, 1861 |
Democratic | Robert M. T. Hunter |
17 | ||||||
31st Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1850. | 12 | 32nd Congress | ||||||||||
33rd Congress | 12 | Re-elected in 1852. | ||||||||||
34th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1856. Expelled for his support of the Confederacy.[2][3] |
13 | 35th Congress | ||||||||||
36th Congress | 13 | Re-elected in 1858. Expelled for his support of the Confederacy.[2][3] | ||||||||||
37th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | July 11, 1861 – July 13, 1861 |
Vacant | Vacant | July 11, 1861 – July 13, 1861 |
Vacant | |||||||
16 | Waitman T. Willey |
Unionist | July 13, 1861 – March 3, 1863[4] |
Elected to finish Mason's term. Retired. |
Elected to finish Hunter's term.[3] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] |
July 13, 1861 – March 3, 1865 |
Unionist | John S. Carlile |
18 | |||
17 | Lemuel J. Bowden |
Unionist | March 4, 1863 – January 2, 1864 |
Elected in 1863. Died. |
14 | 38th Congress | ||||||
Vacant | January 2, 1864 – January 26, 1870 |
Joseph Segar (U) presented his credentials on February 17, 1865, but was not seated.[4][5] Civil War and Reconstruction | ||||||||||
39th Congress | 14 | John Underwood (U) presented his credentials on March 9, 1865, but was not seated.[5] Civil War and Reconstruction |
March 4, 1865 – January 26, 1870 |
Vacant | ||||||||
40th Congress | ||||||||||||
15 | 41st Congress | |||||||||||
18 | John F. Lewis |
Republican | January 26, 1870 – March 3, 1875 |
Elected to finish the vacant term. Retired. |
Elected to finish the vacant term. | January 26, 1870 – March 3, 1871 |
Democratic | John W. Johnston |
19 | |||
42nd Congress | 15 | Vacant | March 4, 1871 – March 15, 1871 | |||||||||
Re-elected late in 1871. | March 15, 1871 – March 3, 1883 |
Democratic | John W. Johnston | |||||||||
43rd Congress | ||||||||||||
19 | Robert E. Withers |
Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1881 |
Elected in 1875. Lost re-election. |
16 | 44th Congress | ||||||
45th Congress | 16 | Re-elected in 1877. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
46th Congress | ||||||||||||
20 | William Mahone |
Readjuster | March 4, 1881 – March 3, 1887 |
Elected in 1881. Lost re-election. |
17 | 47th Congress | ||||||
48th Congress | 17 | Elected in 1883. Retired. |
March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1889 |
Readjuster | Harrison H. Riddleberger |
20 | ||||||
49th Congress | ||||||||||||
21 | John W. Daniel |
Democratic | March 4, 1887 – June 29, 1910 |
Elected in 1887. | 18 | 50th Congress | ||||||
51st Congress | 18 | Elected in 1889. Died. |
March 4, 1889 – May 14, 1892 |
Democratic | John S. Barbour, Jr. |
21 | ||||||
52nd Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | May 14, 1892 – May 28, 1892 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Barbour's term. Elected to finish Barbour's term. Retired. |
May 28, 1892 – March 3, 1895 |
Democratic | Eppa Hunton |
22 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1893. | 19 | 53rd Congress | ||||||||||
54th Congress | 19 | Elected in 1894. | March 4, 1895 – November 12, 1919 |
Democratic | Thomas S. Martin |
23 | ||||||
55th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1899. | 20 | 56th Congress | ||||||||||
57th Congress | 20 | Re-elected in 1900. | ||||||||||
58th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1904. Re-elected in 1910, but died before that term began. |
21 | 59th Congress | ||||||||||
60th Congress | 21 | Re-elected in 1906. | ||||||||||
61st Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | June 29, 1910 – August 1, 1910 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
22 | Claude A. Swanson |
Democratic | August 1, 1910 – March 3, 1933 |
Appointed to finish Daniel's last term. | ||||||||
Re-appointed on February 28, 1911 to begin Daniel's next term. Elected to finish Daniel's next term. |
22 | 62nd Congress | ||||||||||
63rd Congress | 22 | Re-elected in 1912. | ||||||||||
64th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1916. | 23 | 65th Congress | ||||||||||
66th Congress | 23 | Re-elected in 1918. Died. | ||||||||||
Vacant | November 12, 1919 – February 2, 1920 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Martin's term, but did not immediately qualify, preferring to remain as U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. Elected to finish Martin's term. |
February 2, 1920 – May 28, 1946 |
Democratic | Carter Glass |
24 | ||||||||
67th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1922. | 24 | 68th Congress | ||||||||||
69th Congress | 24 | Re-elected in 1924. | ||||||||||
70th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1928. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy. |
25 | 71st Congress | ||||||||||
72nd Congress | 25 | Re-elected in 1930. | ||||||||||
23 | Harry F. Byrd |
Democratic | March 4, 1933 – November 10, 1965 |
Appointed to continue Swanson's term. Elected to finish Swanson's term. |
73rd Congress | |||||||
Re-elected in 1934. | 26 | 74th Congress | ||||||||||
75th Congress | 26 | Re-elected in 1936. | ||||||||||
76th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1940. | 27 | 77th Congress | ||||||||||
78th Congress | 27 | Re-elected in 1942. Died. | ||||||||||
79th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | May 28, 1946 – May 31, 1946 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Glass's term. Retired. |
May 31, 1946 – November 5, 1946 |
Democratic | Thomas G. Burch |
25 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Glass's term. | November 5, 1946 – December 30, 1966 |
Democratic | A. Willis Robertson |
26 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1946. | 28 | 80th Congress | ||||||||||
81st Congress | 28 | Re-elected in 1948. | ||||||||||
82nd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1952. | 29 | 83rd Congress | ||||||||||
84th Congress | 29 | Re-elected in 1954. | ||||||||||
85th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1958. | 30 | 86th Congress | ||||||||||
87th Congress | 30 | Re-elected in 1960. Lost re-nomination, and retired early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||||
88th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1964. Resigned for health reasons. |
31 | 89th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | November 10, 1965 – November 12, 1965 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
24 | Harry F. Byrd, Jr. |
Democratic | November 12, 1965 – January 3, 1983 |
Appointed to continue his father's term. Elected to finish his father's term. | ||||||||
Appointed to finish Robertson's term, having already been elected to the next term. | December 31, 1966 – January 3, 1973 |
Democratic | William B. Spong, Jr. |
27 | ||||||||
90th Congress | 31 | Elected in 1966. Lost re-election. | ||||||||||
91st Congress | ||||||||||||
Independent | Re-elected in 1970. | 32 | 92nd Congress | |||||||||
93rd Congress | 32 | Elected in 1972. Retired, then resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. |
January 3, 1973 – January 1, 1979 |
Republican | William L. Scott |
28 | ||||||
94th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1976. Retired. |
33 | 95th Congress | ||||||||||
Appointed to finish Scott's term, having already been elected to the next term. | January 2, 1979 – January 3, 2009 |
Republican | John Warner |
29 | ||||||||
96th Congress | 33 | Elected in 1978. | ||||||||||
97th Congress | ||||||||||||
25 | Paul S. Trible, Jr. |
Republican | January 3, 1983 – January 3, 1989 |
Elected in 1982. Retired. |
34 | 98th Congress | ||||||
99th Congress | 34 | Re-elected in 1984. | ||||||||||
100th Congress | ||||||||||||
26 | Chuck Robb |
Democratic | January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2001 |
Elected in 1988. | 35 | 101st Congress | ||||||
102nd Congress | 35 | Re-elected in 1990. | ||||||||||
103rd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1994. Lost re-election. |
36 | 104th Congress | ||||||||||
105th Congress | 36 | Re-elected in 1996. | ||||||||||
106th Congress | ||||||||||||
27 | George Allen |
Republican | January 3, 2001 – January 3, 2007 |
Elected in 2000. Lost re-election. |
37 | 107th Congress | ||||||
108th Congress | 37 | Re-elected in 2002. Retired. | ||||||||||
109th Congress | ||||||||||||
28 | Jim Webb |
Democratic | January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2013 |
Elected in 2006. Retired.[6] |
38 | 110th Congress | ||||||
111th Congress | 38 | Elected in 2008. | January 3, 2009 – Present |
Democratic | Mark Warner |
30 | ||||||
112th Congress | ||||||||||||
29 | Tim Kaine |
Democratic | January 3, 2013 – Present |
Elected in 2012. | 39 | 113th Congress | ||||||
114th Congress | 39 | Re-elected in 2014. | ||||||||||
115th Congress | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2018 election. | 40 | 116th Congress | ||||||||||
117th Congress | 40 | To be determined in the 2020 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 1 | Class 2 |
Superlatives (top 5)
Longest service
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Harry F. Byrd | March 4, 1933 | November 10, 1965 | 32 years, 8 months, 6 days |
John W. Warner | January 2, 1979 | January 3, 2009 | 30 years, 1 day |
E. Carter Glass | February 20, 1920 | May 28, 1946 | 26 years, 3 months, 8 days |
Thomas S. Martin | March 4, 1895 | November 12, 1919 | 24 years, 8 months, 8 days |
John W. Daniel | March 4, 1887 | June 29, 1910 | 23 years, 3 months, 25 days |
Shortest service
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Richard E. Parker | December 15, 1836 | February 13, 1837 | 0 years, 1 month, 29 days |
Thomas G. Burch | May 31, 1946 | November 5, 1946 | 0 years, 5 months, 5 days |
Abraham B. Venable | December 7, 1803 | June 7, 1804 | 0 years, 6 months, 0 days |
John Walker | March 31, 1790 | November 9, 1790 | 0 years, 7 months, 9 days |
Lemuel J. Bowden | March 4, 1863 | January 2, 1864 | 0 years, 9 months, 29 days |
Youngest at beginning of service
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Armistead T. Mason | August 4, 1787 | January 3, 1816 | 28 years, 4 months, 30 days |
James Monroe | April 28, 1758 | November 9, 1790 | 32 years, 6 months, 9 days |
Stevens T. Mason | December 29, 1760 | November 17, 1794 | 33 years, 10 months, 19 days |
Paul S. Trible, Jr. | December 29, 1946 | January 3, 1983 | 36 years, 0 months, 5 days |
John Tyler, Jr. | March 29, 1790 | March 4, 1827 | 36 years, 11 months, 3 days |
Oldest at end of service
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
E. Carter Glass | January 4, 1858 | May 28, 1946 | 88 years, 4 months, 24 days |
John W. Warner | February 18, 1927 | January 3, 2009 | 81 years, 10 months, 20 days |
A. Willis Robertson | May 27, 1887 | December 30, 1966 | 79 years, 7 months, 3 days |
Harry F. Byrd | June 10, 1887 | November 10, 1965 | 78 years, 5 months, 0 days |
Thomas G. Burch | July 3, 1869 | May 31, 1946 | 76 years, 10 months, 28 days |
Living former U.S. Senators from Virginia
As of April 2015, there are four former U.S. Senators who are currently living, three from Class 1 and one from Class 2.
Senator | Term of office | Class | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|---|
John Warner | 1979–2009 | 2 | February 18, 1927 |
Chuck Robb | 1989–2001 | 1 | June 26, 1939 |
George Allen | 2001–2007 | 1 | March 8, 1952 |
Jim Webb | 2007–2013 | 1 | February 9, 1946 |
See also
- United States congressional delegations from Virginia
- List of United States Representatives from Virginia
References
- 1 2 3 On August 11, 1804, the Governor of Virginia appointed William Giles to the Class 1 vacancy and Andrew Moore to the Class 2 vacancy. Before either had taken the oath of office, the legislature elected Giles to fill the Class 2 vacancy and Moore to the Class 1 vacancy, thus reversing who would take which seat.
- 1 2 James M. Mason and Robert M. T. Hunter "withdrew" from the Senate on March 28, 1861, with other senators sympathetic to the Confederacy. They were both expelled by a resolution of July 11, 1861.
- 1 2 3 Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, (1774–2005), "Official Annotated Membership Roster by State with Vacancy and Special Election Information for the 37th Congress".
- 1 2 Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress, (1774–2005), "Official Annotated Membership Roster by State with Vacancy and Special Election Information for the 38th Congress".
- 1 2 Segar and Underwood were not seated on the premise that the Union-friendly legislature was illegitimate despite having seated Bowden and Carlile based credentials from the same legislature. In reality, the Senate refused because it did not want to set a precedent for easing reentry of Confederate states. See "Musical Chairs (1861–1869)". United States Senate. Retrieved March 20, 2009.
- ↑ Sen. Jim Webb announces retirement plans Washington Post. February 9, 2011.
|