List of United States senators from Rhode Island

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

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | May 29, 1790 – Jun 7, 1790

| Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790.

| rowspan=2 | 1

| rowspan=2

| rowspan=3 | 1

| Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790.

| nowrap | May 29, 1790 – Jun 7, 1790

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=11 | 1

| rowspan=11 align=left | 100px Theodore Foster

| rowspan=3 | Pro- Admin.

| rowspan=11 nowrap | Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1803

| Elected in 1790.

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1790.

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Jun 7, 1790 – Mar 3, 1793

| rowspan=2 | Anti-Admin.

| rowspan=2 align=right | Joseph Stanton Jr.

! rowspan=2 | 1

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1791.

| rowspan=3 | 2

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | 2

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1793.Resigned.

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1793 – Oct 1797

| | Pro-Admin.

| rowspan=3 align=right | William Bradford

! rowspan=3 | 2

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=8 | Federalist

| rowspan=2 | Federalist

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=7 | Re-elected in 1797.Retired.

| rowspan=7 | 3

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| nowrap | Oct 1797 – Nov 13, 1797

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=1 | Elected in 1797 to finish Bradford's term.

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Nov 13, 1797 – Mar 5, 1801

| rowspan=3 | Federalist

| rowspan=3 align=right | 100px Ray Greene

! rowspan=3 | 3

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=7 | 3

| rowspan=2 | Re-elected in 1798.Resigned.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| nowrap | Mar 5, 1801 – May 6, 1801

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4 | Elected in 1801 to finish Greene's term.Lost re-election.

| rowspan=4 nowrap | May 6, 1801 – Mar 3, 1805

| rowspan=4 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=4 align=right | 100px Christopher Ellery

! rowspan=4 | 4

|- style="height:2em"

! 2

| align=left | Samuel J. Potter

| | Democratic- Republican

| nowrap | Mar 4, 1803 – Sep 26, 1804

| Elected in 1802.Died.

| rowspan=7 | 4

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Sep 26, 1804 – Oct 29, 1804

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=5 | 3

| rowspan=5 align=left | Benjamin Howland

| rowspan=5 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=5 nowrap | Oct 29, 1804 – Mar 3, 1809

| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1804 to finish Potter's term.Retired.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=7 | 4

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1804.Resigned.

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Mar 4, 1805 – Sep 1807

| rowspan=2 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=2 align=right | 100px James Fenner

! rowspan=2 | 5

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| nowrap | Sep 1807 – Oct 26, 1807

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4 | Elected to finish Fenner's term.

| rowspan=4 nowrap | Oct 26, 1807 – Mar 3, 1811

| rowspan=4 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=4 align=right | 100px Elisha Mathewson

! rowspan=4 | 6

|- style="height:2em"

! 4

| align=left | 100px Francis Malbone

| | Federalist

| nowrap | Mar 4, 1809 – Jun 4, 1809

| Elected in 1808.Died.

| rowspan=7 | 5

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Jun 4, 1809 – Jun 26, 1809

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=2 | 5

| rowspan=2 align=left | 100px Christopher G. Champlin

| rowspan=2 | Federalist

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Jun 26, 1809 – Oct 12, 1811

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1809 to finish Malbone's term.Resigned.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

| rowspan=5 | 5

| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1810.Retired.

| rowspan=5 nowrap | Mar 4, 1811 – Mar 3, 1817

| rowspan=5 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=5 align=right | 100px Jeremiah B. Howell

! rowspan=5 | 7

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Oct 12, 1811 – Oct 28, 1811

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=7 | 6

| rowspan=7 align=left | 100px William Hunter

| rowspan=7 | Federalist

| rowspan=7 nowrap | Oct 28, 1811 – Mar 3, 1821

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1811 to finish Malbone's term.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | Re-elected in 1814.

| rowspan=5 | 6

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | 6

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1816.Died.

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Mar 4, 1817 – Dec 25, 1820

| rowspan=2 | Federalist

| rowspan=2 align=right | 100px James Burrill Jr.

! rowspan=2 | 8

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| nowrap | Dec 25, 1820 – Jan 9, 1821

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1821 to finish Burrill's term.

| rowspan=12 nowrap | Jan 9, 1821 – Mar 3, 1841

| rowspan=3 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=12 align=right | 100px Nehemiah R. Knight

! rowspan=12 | 9

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=3 | 7

| rowspan=3 align=left | 100px James DeWolf

| rowspan=2 | Democratic- Republican

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1821 – Oct 31, 1825

| rowspan=3 | Election date unknown.Resigned.

| rowspan=4 | 7

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4 | 7

| rowspan=4 | Re-elected in 1823.

|- style="height:2em"

| | National Republican

| rowspan=2

| rowspan=7 | National Republican

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=7 | 8

| rowspan=7 align=left | 100px Asher Robbins

| rowspan=6 | National Republican

| rowspan=7 nowrap | Oct 31, 1825 – Mar 3, 1839

| Elected in 1825 to finish DeWolf's term.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1827.

| rowspan=3 | 8

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 8

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1829.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1833.

| rowspan=3 | 9

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 9

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1835.

|- style="height:2em"

| | Whig

| rowspan=2 | Whig

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=2 | 9

| rowspan=2 align=left | 100px Nathan F. Dixon I

| rowspan=2 | Whig

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Mar 4, 1839 – Jan 29, 1842

| rowspan=2 | Election date unknown.Died.

| rowspan=7 | 10

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

| rowspan=7 | 10

| rowspan=7 | Elected in 1841.Lost re-election.

| rowspan=7 nowrap | Mar 4, 1841 – Mar 3, 1847

| rowspan=7 | Whig

| rowspan=7 align=right | 100px James F. Simmons

! rowspan=7 | 10

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Jan 29, 1842 – Feb 18, 1842

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=2 | 10

| rowspan=2 align=left | 100px William Sprague III

| rowspan=2 | Whig

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Feb 18, 1842 – Jan 17, 1844

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1842 to finish Dixon's term.Resigned.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Jan 17, 1844 – Jan 25, 1844

|- style="height:2em"

! 11

| align=left | 100px John Brown Francis

| | Law and Order

| nowrap | Jan 25, 1844 – Mar 3, 1845

| Elected in 1844 to finish Sprague's term.Retired.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=3 | 12

| rowspan=3 align=left | 100px Albert C. Greene

| rowspan=3 | Whig

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1845 – Mar 3, 1851

| rowspan=3 | Election date unknown.Retired.

| rowspan=3 | 11

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 11

| rowspan=3 | Election date unknown.

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1847 – Mar 3, 1853

| rowspan=3 | Whig

| rowspan=3 align=right | 100px John Hopkins Clarke

! rowspan=3 | 11

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=4 | 13

| rowspan=4 align=left | 100px Charles T. James

| rowspan=4 | Democratic

| rowspan=4 nowrap | Mar 4, 1851 – Mar 3, 1857

| rowspan=4 | Election date unknown.Retired.

| rowspan=4 | 12

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=2

| rowspan=4 | 12

| nowrap | Mar 4, 1853 – Jul 20, 1853

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Elected late.Retired.

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jul 20, 1853 – Mar 3, 1859

| rowspan=3 | Democratic

| rowspan=3 align=right | 100px Philip Allen

! rowspan=3 | 12

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=3 | 14

| rowspan=3 align=left | 100px James F. Simmons

| rowspan=3 | Republican

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1857 – Aug 15, 1862

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1856.Resigned.

| rowspan=5 | 13

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | 13

| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1858.

| rowspan=17 nowrap | Mar 4, 1859 – Sep 2, 1884

| rowspan=17 | Republican

| rowspan=17 align=right | 100px Henry B. Anthony

! rowspan=17 | 13

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Aug 15, 1862 – Dec 1, 1862

|- style="height:2em"

! 15

| align=left | 100px Samuel G. Arnold

| | Constitutional Union

| nowrap | Dec 1, 1862 – Mar 3, 1863

| Elected in 1862 to finish Simmons's term.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=6 | 16

| rowspan=6 align=left | 100px William Sprague IV

| rowspan=6 | Republican

| rowspan=6 nowrap | Mar 4, 1863 – Mar 3, 1875

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1862.

| rowspan=3 | 14

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 14

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1864.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1868.Retired.

| rowspan=3 | 15

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 15

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1870.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=4 | 17

| rowspan=4 align=left | 100px Ambrose Burnside

| rowspan=4 | Republican

| rowspan=4 nowrap | Mar 4, 1875 – Sep 13, 1881

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1874.

| rowspan=3 | 16

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | 16

| rowspan=5 | Re-elected in 1876.

|- style="height:2em"

| Re-elected in 1880.Died.

| rowspan=8 | 17

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Sep 13, 1881 – Oct 5, 1881

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=20 | 18

| rowspan=20 align=left | 100px Nelson W. Aldrich

| rowspan=20 | Republican

| rowspan=20 nowrap | Oct 5, 1881 – Mar 3, 1911

| rowspan=6 | Elected in 1881 to finish Burnside's term.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4

| rowspan=6 | 17

| Re-elected in 1882.Died.

|- style="height:2em"

| nowrap | Sep 2, 1884 – Nov 19, 1884

| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| Appointed to continue Anthony's term.

| nowrap | Nov 19, 1884 – Jan 20, 1885

| | Republican

| align=right | 100px William P. Sheffield

! 14

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1885 to finish Anthony's term.

| rowspan=4 nowrap | Jan 20, 1885 – Apr 9, 1889

| rowspan=4 | Republican

| rowspan=4 align=right | 100px Jonathan Chace

! rowspan=4 | 15

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4 | Re-elected in 1886.

| rowspan=4 | 18

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=2

| rowspan=4 | 18

| Re-elected in 1888.Resigned.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1889 to finish Chace's term.Retired.

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Apr 10, 1889 – Mar 3, 1895

| rowspan=3 | Republican

| rowspan=3 align=right | 100px Nathan F. Dixon III

! rowspan=3 | 16

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1892.

| rowspan=3 | 19

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 19

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1894.

| rowspan=6 nowrap | Mar 4, 1895 – Mar 3, 1907

| rowspan=6 | Republican

| rowspan=6 align=right | 100px George P. Wetmore

! rowspan=10 | 17

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1898.

| rowspan=3 | 20

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 20

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1900.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4 | Re-elected Jan 18, 1905.Retired.

| rowspan=4 | 21

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=2

| rowspan=4 | 21

| Legislature failed to elect.

| nowrap | Mar 4, 1907 – Jan 22, 1908

| colspan=2 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1908 to finish the vacant term.Retired.

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 22, 1908– Mar 3, 1913

| rowspan=3 | Republican

| rowspan=3 align=right | 100px George P. Wetmore

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=3 | 19

| rowspan=3 align=left | 100px Henry F. Lippitt

| rowspan=3 | Republican

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1911 – Mar 3, 1917

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1910.Lost re-election.

| rowspan=3 | 22

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 22

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1913.

| rowspan=6 nowrap | Mar 4, 1913 – Aug 18, 1924

| rowspan=6 | Republican

| rowspan=6 align=right | 100px LeBaron Bradford Colt

! rowspan=6 | 18

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=8 | 20

| rowspan=8 align=left | 100px Peter G. Gerry

| rowspan=8 | Democratic

| rowspan=8 nowrap | Mar 4, 1917 – Mar 3, 1929

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1916.

| rowspan=3 | 23

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | 23

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1918.Died.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | Re-elected in 1922.Lost re-election.

| rowspan=5 | 24

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| nowrap | Aug 18, 1924 – Nov 4, 1924

| colspan=7 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"

| Elected in 1924 to finish Colt's term.

| rowspan=7 nowrap | Nov 4, 1924 – Jan 3, 1937

| rowspan=7 | Republican

| rowspan=7 align=right | 100px Jesse H. Metcalf

! rowspan=7 | 19

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 24

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1924.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=3 | 21

| rowspan=3 align=left | 100px Felix Hebert

| rowspan=3 | Republican

| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1929 – Jan 3, 1935

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1928.Lost re-election.

| rowspan=3 | 25

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 25

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1930Lost re-election.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=6 | 22

| rowspan=6 align=left | 100px Peter G. Gerry

| rowspan=6 | Democratic

| rowspan=6 nowrap | Jan 3, 1935 – Jan 3, 1947

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1934.

| rowspan=3 | 26

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 26

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1936.

| rowspan=15 nowrap | Jan 3, 1937 – Jan 3, 1961

| rowspan=15 | Democratic

| rowspan=15 align=right | 100px Theodore F. Green

! rowspan=15 | 20

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1940.Retired.

| rowspan=3 | 27

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 27

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1942.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=2 | 23

| rowspan=2 align=left | 100px J. Howard McGrath

| rowspan=2 | Democratic

| rowspan=2 nowrap | Jan 3, 1947 – Aug 23, 1949

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1946.Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.

| rowspan=6 | 28

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4

| rowspan=6 | 28

| rowspan=6 | Re-elected in 1948.

|- style="height:2em"

! 24

| align=left | 100px Edward L. Leahy

| | Democratic

| nowrap | Aug 24, 1949 – Dec 10, 1950

| Appointed to continue McGrath's term.Retired.

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Dec 10, 1950 – Dec 19, 1950

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=14 | 25

| rowspan=14 align=left | 100px John Pastore

| rowspan=14 | Democratic

| rowspan=14 nowrap | Dec 19, 1950 – Dec 28, 1976

| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1950 to finish McGrath's term.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1952.

| rowspan=3 | 29

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 29

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1954.Retired.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1958.

| rowspan=3 | 30

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 30

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1960.

| rowspan=19 nowrap | Jan 3, 1961 – Jan 3, 1997

| rowspan=19 | Democratic

| rowspan=19 align=right | 100px Claiborne Pell

! rowspan=19 | 21

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1964.

| rowspan=3 | 31

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 31

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1966.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1970.Retired and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority.

| rowspan=4 | 32

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=4 | 32

| rowspan=4 | Re-elected in 1972.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=2

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=13 | 26

| rowspan=13 align=left | 100px John Chafee

| rowspan=13 | Republican

| rowspan=13 nowrap | Dec 29, 1976 – Oct 24, 1999

| Appointed to finish Pastore's term, having been elected to the next term.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1976.

| rowspan=3 | 33

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 33

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1978.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1982.

| rowspan=3 | 34

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 34

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1984.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1988.

| rowspan=3 | 35

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 35

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1990.Retired.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1994.Announced retirement, then died.

| rowspan=5 | 36

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=5 | 36

| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1996.

| rowspan=17 nowrap | Jan 3, 1997 – present

| rowspan=17 | Democratic

| rowspan=17 align=right | 100px Jack Reed

! rowspan=17 | 22

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"

| colspan=3 | Vacant

| nowrap | Oct 24, 1999 – Nov 2, 1999

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=4 | 27

| rowspan=4 align=left | 100px Lincoln Chafee

| rowspan=4 | Republican

| rowspan=4 nowrap | Nov 2, 1999 – Jan 3, 2007

| Appointed to finish his father's term.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 2000 to a full term.Lost re-election.

| rowspan=3 | 37

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 37

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2002.

|- style="height:2em"

! rowspan=11 | 28

| rowspan=11 align=left | 100px Sheldon Whitehouse

| rowspan=11 | Democratic

| rowspan=11 nowrap | Jan 3, 2007 – present

| rowspan=3 | Elected in 2006.

| rowspan=3 | 38

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 38

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2008.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2012.

| rowspan=3 | 39

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 39

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2014.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3| Re-elected in 2018.

| rowspan=3 | 40

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=3 | 40

| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2020.

|- style="height:2em"

| rowspan=2| Re-elected in 2024.

| rowspan=2|41

|- style="height:2em"

| 41

| colspan=5 | To be determined in the 2026 election.

References

External links

Congressional Biographical Directory

List of senators

See also

References

External links