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List of United States senators from Virginia

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Current delegation

Virginia has sent senators to the U.S. Senate since 1789. 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 1865. Virginia's Senate seats were again filled from January 1870. Virginia's current senators are Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. Harry F. Byrd was Virginia's longest-serving senator (1933–1965).

List of senators

[edit]
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.
# Senator Party Dates in office Electoral history T T Electoral history Dates in office Party Senator #
1
William Grayson
Anti-
Admin.
Mar 4, 1789 –
Mar 12, 1790
Elected in 1788.
Died.
1 1st 1 Elected in 1788.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1789 –
Oct 8, 1792
Anti-
Admin.

Richard H. Lee
1
Vacant Mar 12, 1790 –
Mar 31, 1790
2
John Walker
Pro-
Admin.
Mar 31, 1790 –
Nov 9, 1790
Appointed to continue Grayson's term.
Retired.
3
James Monroe
Anti-
Admin.
Nov 9, 1790 –
May 27, 1794
Elected to finish Grayson's term.
Re-elected in 1791.
Resigned to become U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary to France.
2 2nd
Oct 8, 1792 –
Oct 18, 1792
Vacant
Elected to finish Lee's term. Oct 18, 1792 –
May 11, 1794
Anti-
Admin.

John Taylor
2
3rd 2 Re-elected in 1793.
Resigned.
Vacant May 27, 1794 –
Nov 18, 1794
May 11, 1794 –
Dec 29, 1794
Vacant
4 Stevens T. Mason Anti-
Admin.
Nov 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.
Dec 29, 1794 –
Jan 24, 1799
Anti-
Admin.

Henry Tazewell
3
Democratic-
Republican
4th Democratic-
Republican
Re-elected in 1796. 3 5th
Jan 24, 1799 –
Dec 5, 1799
Vacant
6th 3
Elected to finish Tazewell's term.
Resigned to become collector of the port of Norfolk.
Dec 5, 1799 –
May 22, 1804
Democratic-
Republican

Wilson C. Nicholas
4
7th
Re-elected in 1803.
Died.
4 8th
Vacant May 10, 1803 –
Jun 4, 1803
5
John Taylor
Democratic-
Republican
Jun 4, 1803 –
Dec 7, 1803
Appointed to continue Mason's term.
Retired.
6
Abraham B. Venable
Democratic-
Republican
Dec 7, 1803 –
Jun 7, 1804
Elected to finish Mason's term.
Resigned to become President of the Bank of Virginia.
May 22, 1804 –
Aug 11, 1804
Vacant
Vacant Jun 7, 1804 –
Aug 11, 1804
7
William B. Giles
Democratic-
Republican
Aug 11, 1804 –
Dec 3, 1804
Appointed to continue Mason's term.
Resigned when elected to finish Tazewell's class 2 term.[1]
Appointed to continue Tazewell's term.
Resigned when elected to finish Stevens T. Mason's class 1 term.[1]
Aug 11, 1804 –
Dec 3, 1804
Democratic-
Republican

Andrew Moore
5
8
Andrew Moore
Democratic-
Republican
Dec 4, 1804 –
Mar 3, 1809
Elected to finish Mason's term.[1]
Retired.[2]
Elected to finish Tazewell's term. Dec 4, 1804 –
Mar 3, 1815
Democratic-
Republican

William B. Giles
6
9th 4 Re-elected in 1804.
10th
9
Richard Brent
Democratic-
Republican
Mar 4, 1809 –
Dec 30, 1814
Elected in 1809.[2]
Died.
5 11th
12th 5 Re-elected in 1811.
Resigned.
13th
Vacant Dec 30, 1814 –
Jan 2, 1815
10
James Barbour
Democratic-
Republican
Jan 2, 1815 –
Mar 7, 1825
Elected to finish Brent's term, having already been elected to the next term.
Elected in 1814. 6 14th John Eppes (DR) was elected in 1815, but declined to serve. Mar 4, 1815 –
Jan 3, 1816
Vacant
Elected to finish Giles's term.
Lost re-election.
Jan 3, 1816 –
Mar 3, 1817
Democratic-
Republican

Armistead T. Mason
7
15th 6 Elected in 1816.
Resigned because of ill health.
Mar 4, 1817 –
Dec 4, 1819
Democratic-
Republican

John Eppes
8
16th
Dec 4, 1819 –
Dec 14, 1819
Vacant
Elected in 1819 to finish Eppes's term.
Resigned.
Dec 14, 1819 –
Dec 15, 1822
Democratic-
Republican

James Pleasants
9
Re-elected in 1821.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of War.
7 17th
Dec 15, 1822 –
Dec 18, 1822
Vacant
Elected to finish Eppes's term. Dec 18, 1822 –
Aug 21, 1824
Democratic-
Republican

John Taylor
10
18th 7 Re-elected in 1823.
Died.
Aug 21, 1824 –
Dec 7, 1824
Vacant
Elected to finish Taylor's term. Dec 7, 1824 –
Jul 16, 1832
Democratic–
Republican

Littleton Tazewell
11
Jacksonian 19th Jacksonian
Vacant Mar 7, 1825 –
Dec 26, 1825
11
John Randolph
Jacksonian Dec 26, 1825 –
Mar 3, 1827
Appointed to finish Barbour's term.
Lost election to next term.
12
John Tyler
Jacksonian Mar 4, 1827 –
Feb 29, 1836
Elected in 1827. 8 20th
21st 8 Re-elected in 1829.
Resigned.
22nd
Jul 16, 1832 –
Dec 10, 1832
Vacant
Elected to finish Tazewell's term.
Resigned.
Dec 10, 1832 –
Feb 22, 1834
Jacksonian
William C. Rives
12
National
Republican
Re-elected in 1833.
Resigned.
9 23rd
Feb 22, 1834 –
Feb 26, 1834
Vacant
Elected to finish Tazewell's term. Feb 26, 1834 –
Jul 4, 1836
National
Republican

Benjamin W. Leigh
13
24th 9 Re-elected in 1835.
Resigned.
Vacant Feb 29, 1836 –
Mar 3, 1836
13
William C. Rives
Jacksonian Mar 4, 1836 –
Mar 3, 1839
Elected to finish Tyler's term
Jul 4, 1836 –
Dec 12, 1836
Vacant
Elected to finish Leigh's term.
Resigned to become judge of the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals.
Dec 12, 1836 –
Mar 13, 1837
Jacksonian
Richard E. Parker
14
Democratic 25th Democratic
Elected to finish Leigh's term.
Lost re-election.
Mar 14, 1837 –
Mar 3, 1841
Democratic
William H. Roane
15
Vacant Mar 3, 1839 –
Jan 18, 1841
Legislature failed to elect. 10 26th

William C. Rives
Whig Jan 18, 1841 –
Mar 3, 1845
Re-elected late in 1841.
27th 10 Elected in 1840.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1841 –
Mar 3, 1847
Whig
William S. Archer
16
28th
Vacant Mar 4, 1845 –
Dec 3, 1845
11 29th
14
Isaac S. Pennybacker
Democratic Dec 3, 1845 –
Jan 12, 1847
Elected to finish the vacant term.
Died.
Vacant Jan 12, 1847 –
Jan 21, 1847
15
James M. Mason
Democratic Jan 21, 1847 –
Jul 11, 1861[3]
Elected to finish the vacant term that happened in 1845.
30th 11 Elected in 1846. Mar 4, 1847 –
Jul 11, 1861[3]
Democratic
Robert M. T. Hunter
17
31st
Re-elected in 1850. 12 32nd
33rd 12 Re-elected in 1852.
34th
Re-elected in 1856.
Expelled for his support of the Confederacy.[4]
13 35th
36th 13 Re-elected in 1858.
Expelled for his support of the Confederacy.[4]
37th
Vacant Jul 11, 1861 –
Jul 13, 1861
Jul 11, 1861 –
Jul 13, 1861
Vacant
16
Waitman T. Willey
Union Jul 13, 1861 –
Mar 3, 1863[5]
Elected to finish Mason's term.
Retired.
Elected to finish Hunter's term.[3] Jul 13, 1861 –
Mar 3, 1865
Union
John S. Carlile
18
17
Lemuel J. Bowden
Union Mar 4, 1863 –
Jan 2, 1864
Elected in 1863.
Died.
14 38th
Vacant Jan 2, 1864 –
Jan 26, 1870
Joseph Segar (U) presented his credentials, but was not seated.[5][6]
Civil War and Reconstruction.
39th 14 John Underwood (U) presented his credentials, but was not seated.[6]
Civil War and Reconstruction.
Mar 4, 1865 –
Jan 26, 1870
Vacant
40th
15 41st
18
John F. Lewis
Republican Jan 26, 1870 –
Mar 3, 1875
Elected to finish the vacant term.
Retired.
Elected to finish the vacant term. Jan 26, 1870 –
Mar 3, 1871
Democratic
John W. Johnston
19
42nd 15 Mar 4, 1871 –
Mar 15, 1871
Vacant
Re-elected late in 1871. Mar 15, 1871 –
Mar 3, 1883
Democratic
John W. Johnston
43rd
19
Robert E. Withers
Democratic Mar 4, 1875 –
Mar 3, 1881
Elected in 1875.
Lost re-election.
16 44th
45th 16 Re-elected in 1877.
Lost re-election.
46th
20
William Mahone
Readjuster Mar 4, 1881 –
Mar 3, 1887
Elected in 1881.
Lost re-election.
17 47th
48th 17 Elected early in 1881.
Retired.
Mar 4, 1883 –
Mar 3, 1889
Readjuster
Harrison H. Riddleberger
20
49th
21
John W. Daniel
Democratic Mar 4, 1887 –
Jun 29, 1910
Elected in 1887. 18 50th
51st 18 Elected early in 1887.
Died.
Mar 4, 1889 –
May 14, 1892
Democratic
John S. Barbour Jr.
21
52nd
May 14, 1892 –
May 28, 1892
Vacant
Appointed to continue Barbour's term.
Elected in 1893 to finish Barbour's term.[7]
Retired.
May 28, 1892 –
Mar 3, 1895
Democratic
Eppa Hunton
22
Re-elected early in 1891. 19 53rd
54th 19 Elected early in 1893.[8] Mar 4, 1895 –
Nov 12, 1919
Democratic
Thomas S. Martin
23
55th
Re-elected in 1899. 20 56th
57th 20 Re-elected early in 1899.
58th
Re-elected in 1904.
Re-elected in 1910, but died.
21 59th
60th 21 Re-elected in 1906.
61st
Vacant Jun 29, 1910 –
Aug 1, 1910
Vacant
22
Claude A. Swanson
Democratic Aug 1, 1910 –
Mar 3, 1933
Appointed to finish Daniel's last term.
Re-appointed to begin Daniel's next term.
Elected in 1912 to finish Daniel's next term.
22 62nd
63rd 22 Re-elected in 1912.
64th
Re-elected in 1916. 23 65th
66th 23 Re-elected in 1918.
Died.
Nov 12, 1919 –
Feb 2, 1920
Vacant
Appointed Nov 18, 1919 to continue Martin's term, but remained U.S. Secretary of the Treasury until he resigned and then he became United States Senator.
Elected in 1920 to finish Martin's term.
Feb 2, 1920 –
May 28, 1946
Democratic
Carter Glass
24
67th
Re-elected in 1922. 24 68th
69th 24 Re-elected in 1924.
70th
Re-elected in 1928.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
25 71st
72nd 25 Re-elected in 1930.
23
Harry F. Byrd
Democratic Mar 4, 1933 –
Nov 10, 1965
Appointed to continue Swanson's term.
Elected in 1933 to finish Swanson's term.
73rd
Re-elected in 1934. 26 74th
75th 26 Re-elected in 1936.
76th
Re-elected in 1940. 27 77th
78th 27 Re-elected in 1942.
Died.
79th
May 28, 1946 –
May 31, 1946
Vacant
Appointed to continue Glass's term.
Retired.
May 31, 1946 –
Nov 5, 1946
Democratic
Thomas G. Burch
25
Elected to finish Glass's term. Nov 5, 1946 –
Dec 30, 1966
Democratic
A. Willis Robertson
26
Re-elected in 1946. 28 80th
81st 28 Re-elected in 1948.
82nd
Re-elected in 1952. 29 83rd
84th 29 Re-elected in 1954.
85th
Re-elected in 1958. 30 86th
87th 30 Re-elected in 1960.
Lost re-nomination and resigned early to give his successor preferential seniority.
88th
Re-elected in 1964.
Resigned for health reasons.
31 89th
Vacant Nov 10, 1965 –
Nov 12, 1965
24
Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Democratic Nov 12, 1965 –
Jan 3, 1983
Appointed to continue his father's term.
Elected in 1966 to finish his father's term.
Appointed to finish Robertson's term, having been elected to the next term. Dec 31, 1966 –
Jan 3, 1973
Democratic
William Spong
27
90th 31 Elected in 1966.
Lost re-election.
91st
Independent Democrat Re-elected in 1970 as an Independent, but referred to himself as an independent Democrat. 32 92nd
93rd 32 Elected in 1972.
Retired and resigned early to give his successor preferential seniority.
Jan 3, 1973 –
Jan 1, 1979
Republican
William Scott
28
94th
Re-elected in 1976.
Retired.
33 95th
Appointed to finish Scott's term, having been elected to the next term. Jan 2, 1979 –
Jan 3, 2009
Republican
John Warner
29
96th 33 Elected in 1978.
97th
25
Paul Trible
Republican Jan 3, 1983 –
Jan 3, 1989
Elected in 1982.
Retired.
34 98th
99th 34 Re-elected in 1984.
100th
26
Chuck Robb
Democratic Jan 3, 1989 –
Jan 3, 2001
Elected in 1988. 35 101st
102nd 35 Re-elected in 1990.
103rd
Re-elected in 1994.
Lost re-election.
36 104th
105th 36 Re-elected in 1996.
106th
27
George Allen
Republican Jan 3, 2001 –
Jan 3, 2007
Elected in 2000.
Lost re-election.
37 107th
108th 37 Re-elected in 2002.
Retired.
109th
28
Jim Webb
Democratic Jan 3, 2007 –
Jan 3, 2013
Elected in 2006.
Retired.[9]
38 110th
111th 38 Elected in 2008. Jan 3, 2009 –
present
Democratic
Mark Warner
30
112th
29
Tim Kaine
Democratic Jan 3, 2013 –
present
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
120th 41 To be determined in the 2026 election.
# Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T C T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator #
Class 1 Class 2

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c On Aug 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.
  2. ^ a b "Virginia 1809 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). Jan 16, 1809.
  3. ^ a b c 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 Archived June 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine".
  4. ^ a b James M. Mason and Robert M. T. Hunter "withdrew" from the Senate on Mar 28, 1861, with other senators sympathetic to the Confederacy. They were both expelled by a resolution of Jul 11, 1861.
  5. ^ a b 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 Archived June 10, 2011, at the Wayback Machine".
  6. ^ a b 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.
  7. ^ Byrd, p. 180.
  8. ^ ""TWO VIRGINIA SENATORS ELECTED"". The New York Times. December 20, 1893.
  9. ^ Sen. Jim Webb announces retirement plans Washington Post. Feb 9, 2011.