History / Congress

U.S. Senate seat, Rhode Island (class 1)

39 members have held this seat since Jun 12, 1790. Now: Sheldon Whitehouse D.

Holders
39
16 R · 10 D · 5 F · 4 W · 2 A · 1 LaO · 1 LR
Longest tenure
23 years
John Hubbard Chafee
Current
20 years
Sheldon Whitehouse, since Jan 4, 2007
history/seat/ri-sen-1Every holder, newest first
+39
180018201840186018801900192019401960198020002020Theodore Foster · 1790-06-12 – 1797-03-04 · FederalistTheodore Foster · 1797-05-15 – 1803-03-04 · RepublicanSamuel John Potter · 1803-10-17 – 1805-03-04 · RepublicanFrancis Malbone · 1809-05-22 – 1810-01-01 · FederalistWilliam Hunter · 1811-11-04 – 1815-03-04 · FederalistWilliam Hunter · 1815-12-04 – 1821-03-04 · FederalistJames De Wolf · 1821-12-03 – 1826-01-01 · RepublicanAsher Robbins · 1827-12-03 – 1833-03-04 · AdamsAsher Robbins · 1833-12-02 – 1839-03-04 · WhigNathan Fellows Dixon · 1839-12-02 – 1843-03-04 · WhigJohn Brown Francis · 1844-01-01 – 1845-03-04 · Law and OrderAlbert Collins Greene · 1845-12-01 – 1851-03-04 · WhigCharles Tillinghast James · 1851-12-01 – 1857-03-04 · DemocratJames Fowler Simmons · 1857-12-07 – 1863-03-04 · RepublicanWilliam Sprague · 1863-12-07 – 1875-03-04 · Republican → Liberal RepublicanAmbrose Everett Burnside · 1875-12-06 – 1881-03-04 · RepublicanNelson Wilmarth Aldrich · 1881-10-05 – 1887-03-04 · RepublicanNelson Wilmarth Aldrich · 1887-12-05 – 1893-03-04 · RepublicanNelson Wilmarth Aldrich · 1893-08-07 – 1899-03-04 · RepublicanNelson Wilmarth Aldrich · 1899-12-04 – 1905-03-04 · RepublicanNelson Wilmarth Aldrich · 1905-12-04 – 1911-03-04 · RepublicanHenry Frederick Lippitt · 1911-04-04 – 1917-03-04 · RepublicanPeter Goelet Gerry · 1917-04-02 – 1923-03-04 · DemocratPeter Goelet Gerry · 1923-12-03 – 1929-03-04 · DemocratFelix Hebert · 1929-04-15 – 1935-01-04 · RepublicanJames Howard McGrath · 1947-01-03 – 1949-08-24 · DemocratEdward Laurence Leahy · 1949-08-24 – 1950-12-19 · DemocratJohn Orlando Pastore · 1950-12-19 – 1959-01-04 · DemocratJohn Orlando Pastore · 1959-01-07 – 1971-01-04 · DemocratJohn Orlando Pastore · 1971-01-21 – 1976-12-29 · DemocratJohn Hubbard Chafee · 1976-12-29 – 1999-10-25 · RepublicanLincoln D. Chafee · 1999-11-02 – 2007-01-04 · RepublicanSheldon Whitehouse · 2007-01-04 – present · DemocratBenjamin Howland · 1804-01-01 – 1809-03-04 · RepublicanChristopher Grant Champlin · 1809-05-22 – 1812-01-01 · FederalistAsher Robbins · 1825-12-05 – 1827-03-04 · AdamsWilliam Sprague · 1842-01-01 – 1845-03-04 · WhigSamuel Greene Arnold · 1862-01-01 – 1863-03-04 · RepublicanPeter Goelet Gerry · 1935-01-03 – 1947-01-04 · Democrat
Sheldon Whitehouse D
Jan 4, 2007 – present · 20 years
Lincoln D. Chafee R
Nov 2, 1999 – Jan 4, 2007 · 7.2 years
John Hubbard Chafee R
Dec 29, 1976 – Oct 25, 1999 · 23 years
John Orlando Pastore D
Jan 21, 1971 – Dec 29, 1976 · 5.9 years
John Orlando Pastore D
Jan 7, 1959 – Jan 4, 1971 · 12 years
John Orlando Pastore D
Dec 19, 1950 – Jan 4, 1959 · 8 years
Edward Laurence Leahy D
Aug 24, 1949 – Dec 19, 1950 · 16 months
James Howard McGrath D
Jan 3, 1947 – Aug 24, 1949 · 2.6 years
Peter Goelet Gerry D
Jan 3, 1935 – Jan 4, 1947 · 12 years
Felix Hebert R
Apr 15, 1929 – Jan 4, 1935 · 5.7 years
Peter Goelet Gerry D
Dec 3, 1923 – Mar 4, 1929 · 5.3 years
Peter Goelet Gerry D
Apr 2, 1917 – Mar 4, 1923 · 5.9 years
Henry Frederick Lippitt R
Apr 4, 1911 – Mar 4, 1917 · 5.9 years
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich R
Dec 4, 1905 – Mar 4, 1911 · 5.2 years
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich R
Dec 4, 1899 – Mar 4, 1905 · 5.2 years
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich R
Aug 7, 1893 – Mar 4, 1899 · 5.6 years
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich R
Dec 5, 1887 – Mar 4, 1893 · 5.2 years
Nelson Wilmarth Aldrich R
Oct 5, 1881 – Mar 4, 1887 · 5.4 years
Ambrose Everett Burnside R
Dec 6, 1875 – Mar 4, 1881 · 5.2 years
William Sprague R→LR
Dec 7, 1863 – Mar 4, 1875 · 11 years
Samuel Greene Arnold R
Jan 1, 1862 – Mar 4, 1863 · 14 months
James Fowler Simmons R
Dec 7, 1857 – Mar 4, 1863 · 5.2 years
Charles Tillinghast James D
Dec 1, 1851 – Mar 4, 1857 · 5.3 years
Albert Collins Greene W
Dec 1, 1845 – Mar 4, 1851 · 5.3 years
John Brown Francis LaO
Jan 1, 1844 – Mar 4, 1845 · 14 months
William Sprague W
Jan 1, 1842 – Mar 4, 1845 · 3.2 years
Nathan Fellows Dixon W
Dec 2, 1839 – Mar 4, 1843 · 3.3 years
Asher Robbins W
Dec 2, 1833 – Mar 4, 1839 · 5.3 years
Asher Robbins A
Dec 3, 1827 – Mar 4, 1833 · 5.3 years
Asher Robbins A
Dec 5, 1825 – Mar 4, 1827 · 15 months
James De Wolf R
Dec 3, 1821 – Jan 1, 1826 · 4.1 years
William Hunter F
Dec 4, 1815 – Mar 4, 1821 · 5.2 years
William Hunter F
Nov 4, 1811 – Mar 4, 1815 · 3.3 years
Francis Malbone F
May 22, 1809 – Jan 1, 1810 · 7 months
Christopher Grant Champlin F
May 22, 1809 – Jan 1, 1812 · 2.6 years
Benjamin Howland R
Jan 1, 1804 – Mar 4, 1809 · 5.2 years
Samuel John Potter R
Oct 17, 1803 – Mar 4, 1805 · 17 months
Theodore Foster R
May 15, 1797 – Mar 4, 1803 · 5.8 years
Theodore Foster F
Jun 12, 1790 – Mar 4, 1797 · 6.7 years

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