History / Congress

U.S. Senate seat, Massachusetts (class 2)

47 members have held this seat since Mar 4, 1789. Now: Edward J. Markey D.

Holders
47
18 R · 10 D · 7 F · 6 W · 4 A · 1 PA · 1 DR
Longest tenure
22 years
Leverett Saltonstall
Current
12 years
Edward J. Markey, since Jan 6, 2015
history/seat/ma-sen-2Every holder, newest first
+47
180018201840186018801900192019401960198020002020Caleb Strong · 1789-03-04 – 1793-03-04 · Pro-AdministrationCaleb Strong · 1793-12-02 – 1797-03-04 · FederalistSamuel Dexter · 1799-12-02 – 1801-03-04 · FederalistTimothy Pickering · 1803-10-17 – 1805-03-04 · FederalistTimothy Pickering · 1805-12-02 – 1811-03-04 · FederalistJoseph Bradley Varnum · 1811-11-04 – 1817-03-04 · Democratic RepublicanHarrison Gray Otis · 1817-12-01 – 1823-03-04 · FederalistJames Lloyd · 1823-12-01 – 1826-05-24 · AdamsNathaniel Silsbee · 1829-12-07 – 1835-03-04 · AdamsJohn Davis · 1835-12-07 – 1841-03-04 · WhigIsaac Chapman Bates · 1841-05-31 – 1846-01-01 · WhigJohn Davis · 1847-12-06 – 1853-03-04 · WhigEdward Everett · 1853-12-05 – 1855-03-04 · WhigHenry Wilson · 1855-12-03 – 1859-03-04 · RepublicanHenry Wilson · 1859-12-05 – 1865-03-04 · RepublicanHenry Wilson · 1865-12-04 – 1874-01-01 · RepublicanGeorge Frisbie Hoar · 1877-10-15 – 1883-03-04 · RepublicanGeorge Frisbie Hoar · 1883-12-03 – 1889-03-04 · RepublicanGeorge Frisbie Hoar · 1889-12-02 – 1895-03-04 · RepublicanGeorge Frisbie Hoar · 1895-12-02 – 1901-03-04 · RepublicanGeorge Frisbie Hoar · 1901-12-02 – 1904-10-01 · RepublicanWinthrop Murray Crane · 1904-10-12 – 1907-03-04 · RepublicanWinthrop Murray Crane · 1907-12-02 – 1913-03-04 · RepublicanJohn Wingate Weeks · 1913-04-07 – 1919-03-04 · RepublicanDavid Ignatius Walsh · 1919-05-19 – 1925-03-04 · DemocratFrederick Huntington Gillett · 1925-12-07 – 1931-03-04 · RepublicanMarcus Allen Coolidge · 1931-12-07 – 1937-01-04 · DemocratHenry Cabot Lodge Jr. · 1937-01-05 – 1943-01-04 · RepublicanHenry Cabot Lodge Jr. · 1943-01-06 – 1944-02-04 · RepublicanSinclair Weeks · 1944-02-08 – 1944-12-20 · RepublicanLeverett Saltonstall · 1945-01-03 – 1967-01-04 · RepublicanEdward William Brooke III · 1967-01-10 – 1979-01-04 · RepublicanPaul Efthemios Tsongas · 1979-01-15 – 1985-01-04 · DemocratJohn F. Kerry · 1997-01-07 – 2003-01-04 · DemocratJohn F. Kerry · 2003-01-07 – 2009-01-04 · DemocratJohn F. Kerry · 2009-01-06 – 2013-02-02 · DemocratWilliam M. Cowan · 2013-02-06 – 2013-07-17 · DemocratEdward J. Markey · 2015-01-06 – present · DemocratTheodore Sedgwick · 1796-01-01 – 1799-03-04 · FederalistDwight Foster · 1800-01-01 – 1804-01-01 · FederalistJames Lloyd · 1822-06-05 – 1823-03-04 · AdamsNathaniel Silsbee · 1826-01-01 – 1829-03-04 · AdamsJohn Davis · 1845-12-01 – 1847-03-04 · WhigJulius Rockwell · 1854-01-01 – 1856-01-01 · WhigGeorge Sewel Boutwell · 1873-12-01 – 1877-03-04 · RepublicanJohn F. Kerry · 1985-01-03 – 1997-01-04 · DemocratEdward J. Markey · 2013-07-16 – 2015-01-04 · Democrat
Edward J. Markey D
Jan 6, 2015 – present · 12 years
Edward J. Markey D
Jul 16, 2013 – Jan 4, 2015 · 18 months
William M. Cowan D
Feb 6, 2013 – Jul 17, 2013 · 5 months
John F. Kerry D
Jan 6, 2009 – Feb 2, 2013 · 4.1 years
John F. Kerry D
Jan 7, 2003 – Jan 4, 2009 · 6 years
John F. Kerry D
Jan 7, 1997 – Jan 4, 2003 · 6 years
John F. Kerry D
Jan 3, 1985 – Jan 4, 1997 · 12 years
Paul Efthemios Tsongas D
Jan 15, 1979 – Jan 4, 1985 · 6 years
Edward William Brooke III R
Jan 10, 1967 – Jan 4, 1979 · 12 years
Leverett Saltonstall R
Jan 3, 1945 – Jan 4, 1967 · 22 years
Sinclair Weeks R
Feb 8, 1944 – Dec 20, 1944 · 10 months
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. R
Jan 6, 1943 – Feb 4, 1944 · 13 months
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. R
Jan 5, 1937 – Jan 4, 1943 · 6 years
Marcus Allen Coolidge D
Dec 7, 1931 – Jan 4, 1937 · 5.1 years
Frederick Huntington Gillett R
Dec 7, 1925 – Mar 4, 1931 · 5.2 years
David Ignatius Walsh D
May 19, 1919 – Mar 4, 1925 · 5.8 years
John Wingate Weeks R
Apr 7, 1913 – Mar 4, 1919 · 5.9 years
Winthrop Murray Crane R
Dec 2, 1907 – Mar 4, 1913 · 5.3 years
Winthrop Murray Crane R
Oct 12, 1904 – Mar 4, 1907 · 2.4 years
George Frisbie Hoar R
Dec 2, 1901 – Oct 1, 1904 · 2.8 years
George Frisbie Hoar R
Dec 2, 1895 – Mar 4, 1901 · 5.3 years
George Frisbie Hoar R
Dec 2, 1889 – Mar 4, 1895 · 5.3 years
George Frisbie Hoar R
Dec 3, 1883 – Mar 4, 1889 · 5.3 years
George Frisbie Hoar R
Oct 15, 1877 – Mar 4, 1883 · 5.4 years
George Sewel Boutwell R
Dec 1, 1873 – Mar 4, 1877 · 3.3 years
Henry Wilson R
Dec 4, 1865 – Jan 1, 1874 · 8.1 years
Henry Wilson R
Dec 5, 1859 – Mar 4, 1865 · 5.2 years
Henry Wilson R
Dec 3, 1855 – Mar 4, 1859 · 3.2 years
Julius Rockwell W
Jan 1, 1854 – Jan 1, 1856 · 2 years
Edward Everett W
Dec 5, 1853 – Mar 4, 1855 · 15 months
John Davis W
Dec 6, 1847 – Mar 4, 1853 · 5.2 years
John Davis W
Dec 1, 1845 – Mar 4, 1847 · 15 months
Isaac Chapman Bates W
May 31, 1841 – Jan 1, 1846 · 4.6 years
John Davis W
Dec 7, 1835 – Mar 4, 1841 · 5.2 years
Nathaniel Silsbee A
Dec 7, 1829 – Mar 4, 1835 · 5.2 years
Nathaniel Silsbee A
Jan 1, 1826 – Mar 4, 1829 · 3.2 years
James Lloyd A
Dec 1, 1823 – May 24, 1826 · 2.5 years
James Lloyd A
Jun 5, 1822 – Mar 4, 1823 · 9 months
Harrison Gray Otis F
Dec 1, 1817 – Mar 4, 1823 · 5.3 years
Joseph Bradley Varnum DR
Nov 4, 1811 – Mar 4, 1817 · 5.3 years
Timothy Pickering F
Dec 2, 1805 – Mar 4, 1811 · 5.3 years
Timothy Pickering F
Oct 17, 1803 – Mar 4, 1805 · 17 months
Dwight Foster F
Jan 1, 1800 – Jan 1, 1804 · 4 years
Samuel Dexter F
Dec 2, 1799 – Mar 4, 1801 · 15 months
Theodore Sedgwick F
Jan 1, 1796 – Mar 4, 1799 · 3.2 years
Caleb Strong F
Dec 2, 1793 – Mar 4, 1797 · 3.3 years
Caleb Strong PA
Mar 4, 1789 – Mar 4, 1793 · 4 years

Dates are from the @unitedstates congress-legislators project. Consecutive terms of one person are merged.