List of United States Senators from Massachusetts
This is a chronological listing of the United States Senators from Massachusetts. United States Senators are popularly elected, for a six-year term, beginning January 3. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Before 1914, they were chosen by the Massachusetts General Court, and before 1935, their terms began March 4. The current Senators are Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey.
Contents
Mid-term vacancy appointment processes
Through the 20th century, mid-term vacancies were filled with the governor's appointee, with the appointment expiring at the next biennial state election. In 2004, the Democratic-controlled state legislature changed the vacancy-filling process, mandating that a special election occur, which removed the Governor's appointment power. This statute was enacted over the veto by the Governor, Mitt Romney. The leadership of the Massachusetts legislature at the time was concerned that the Republican governor Mitt Romney would appoint a Republican if Democratic Senator John Kerry were elected President of the United States in the 2004 election.[1][2][3][4] Generally, the law requires a special election within 145 to 160 days from the date of the filing of a Senate resignation. The law contemplates resignations that become effective some period of time after the filing of the resignation, so long as the election occurs after effective date of the resignation.[5]
While terminally ill with brain cancer, Ted Kennedy requested that the Massachusetts legislature change the law to allow an interim appointment. Kennedy died shortly thereafter, and the legislature quickly passed a bill providing for an interim appointment.[6] On September 24, 2009, Governor Patrick signed the bill and appointed Paul G. Kirk, who had previously served as one of Kennedy's congressional aides and as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
List of Senators
Class 1 Class 1 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that were elected for only one Congress in the first elections of 1788/1789, 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, with a special election in 2010. The next election will be 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 1788/1789, and the seat was next 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, with a special election taking place in 2013. The next election will be in 2020. |
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# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T e r m |
T e r m |
Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | ![]() Tristram Dalton |
Pro- Administration |
March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1791 |
Elected in 1789. Lost re-election. |
1 | 1st Congress | 1 | Elected in 1789. | March 4, 1789 – June 1, 1796 |
Pro- Administration |
![]() Caleb Strong |
1 |
2 | ![]() George Cabot |
Pro- Administration |
March 4, 1791 – June 9, 1796 |
Elected in 1790. Resigned. |
2 | 2nd Congress | ||||||
3rd Congress | 2 | Re-elected in 1793. Resigned. |
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Federalist | 4th Congress | Federalist | ||||||||||
Vacant | June 9, 1796 – June 11, 1796 |
Vacant | Vacant | June 1, 1796 – June 11, 1796 |
Vacant | |||||||
3 | ![]() Benjamin Goodhue |
Federalist | June 11, 1796 – November 8, 1800 |
Elected to finish Cabot's term. | Elected to finish Strong's term. Retired to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. |
June 11, 1796 – March 3, 1799 |
Federalist | 100px Theodore Sedgwick |
2 | |||
Also elected to full term in 1796. Resigned. |
3 | 5th Congress | ||||||||||
6th Congress | 3 | Elected in 1799. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of War. |
March 4, 1799 – May 30, 1800 |
Federalist | ![]() Samuel Dexter |
3 | ||||||
Vacant | May 31, 1800 – June 5, 1800 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Dexter's term. Resigned. |
June 6, 1800 – March 2, 1803 |
Federalist | ![]() Dwight Foster |
4 | ||||||||
Vacant | November 8, 1800 – November 14, 1800 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
4 | ![]() Jonathan Mason |
Federalist | November 14, 1800 – March 3, 1803 |
Elected to finish Goodhue's term. | ||||||||
7th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 2, 1803 – March 3, 1803 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
5 | ![]() John Quincy Adams |
Federalist | March 4, 1803 – June 8, 1808 |
Elected in 1802. Resigned, having broken with the Federalist Party and lost re-election to the next term. |
4 | 8th Congress | Elected to finish Foster's term. | March 4, 1803 – March 3, 1811 |
Federalist | ![]() Timothy Pickering |
5 | |
9th Congress | 4 | Re-elected in 1804 or 1805. Lost re-election. |
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10th Congress | ||||||||||||
6 | 100px James Lloyd |
Federalist | June 9, 1808 – May 1, 1813 |
Elected to finish Adams's term, having already been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected to full term in 1808. Resigned. |
5 | 11th Congress | ||||||||||
12th Congress | 5 | The State Senate deadlocked in the 1810 election. | March 4, 1811 – June 28, 1811 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected after the spring 1811 state elections gave Democratic-Republicans control of the body. | June 29, 1811 – March 3, 1817 |
Democratic- Republican |
![]() Joseph Bradley Varnum |
6 | ||||||||
13th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | May 1, 1813 – May 5, 1813 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
7 | ![]() Christopher Gore |
Federalist | May 5, 1813 – May 30, 1816 |
Appointed to finish Lloyd's term. | ||||||||
Elected to full term in 1815. Resigned, unhappy with the politics of Washington and suffering from poor health. |
6 | 14th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 31, 1816 – June 11, 1816 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
8 | Eli P. Ashmun | Federalist | June 12, 1816 – May 10, 1818 |
Elected to finish Gore's term. Resigned. |
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15th Congress | 6 | Elected in 1817. Resigned to run for Mayor of Boston. |
March 4, 1817 – May 30, 1822 |
Federalist | ![]() Harrison Gray Otis |
7 | ||||||
Vacant | May 11, 1818 – June 4, 1818 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
9 | ![]() Prentiss Mellen |
Federalist | June 5, 1818 – May 15, 1820 |
Elected to finish Ashmun's term. Resigned to become Chief Justice of Maine. |
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16th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | May 16, 1820 – June 12, 1820 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
10 | 100px Elijah H. Mills |
Federalist | June 12, 1820 – March 3, 1827 |
Elected to finish Mellen's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1820 or 1821. Lost re-election in 1826. |
7 | 17th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 30, 1822 – June 5, 1822 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Otis's term. | June 5, 1822 – May 23, 1826 |
Federalist | 100px James Lloyd |
8 | ||||||||
Adams-Clay Federalist |
18th Congress | 7 | Re-elected in 1822. Resigned. |
Adams-Clay Federalist |
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Anti- Jacksonian |
19th Congress | Anti- Jacksonian |
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Vacant | May 23, 1826 – May 31, 1826 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Lloyd's term. | May 31, 1826 – March 3, 1835 |
Anti- Jacksonian |
100px Nathaniel Silsbee |
9 | ||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1827 – June 8, 1827 |
Vacant | 8 | 20th Congress | Adams | |||||||
11 | ![]() Daniel Webster |
Adams | June 8, 1827 – February 22, 1841 |
Elected late in 1827. | ||||||||
21st Congress | 8 | Re-elected in 1828. Retired. |
Anti- Jacksonian |
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Anti- Jacksonian |
22nd Congress | |||||||||||
Re-elected in 1833. | 9 | 23rd Congress | ||||||||||
24th Congress | 9 | Elected in 1835. Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts. |
March 4, 1835 – January 5, 1841 |
Anti- Jacksonian |
![]() John Davis |
10 | ||||||
Whig | 25th Congress | Whig | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1839. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State. |
10 | 26th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | January 5, 1841 – January 13, 1841 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Davis's term. | January 13, 1841 – March 16, 1845 |
Whig | ![]() Isaac C. Bates |
11 | ||||||||
12 | ![]() Rufus Choate |
Whig | February 23, 1841 – March 3, 1845 |
Elected to finish Webster's term. Retired. |
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27th Congress | 10 | Elected to full term in 1841. Died. |
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28th Congress | ||||||||||||
13 | ![]() Daniel Webster |
Whig | March 4, 1845 – July 22, 1850 |
Elected in 1845. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State again. |
11 | 29th Congress | ||||||
Vacant | March 16, 1845 – March 24, 1845 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Elected to finish Bates's term. | March 24, 1845 – March 3, 1853 |
Whig | ![]() John Davis |
12 | ||||||||
30th Congress | 11 | Re-elected in 1847. Retired. |
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31st Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | July 23, 1850 – July 30, 1850 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
14 | ![]() Robert Charles Winthrop |
Whig | July 30, 1850 – February 1, 1851 |
Appointed to continue Webster's term. Lost election to finish Webster's term. |
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15 | ![]() Robert Rantoul, Jr. |
Democratic | February 1, 1851 – March 3, 1851 |
Elected to finish Webster's term. Retired. |
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Vacant | March 4, 1851 – April 24, 1851 |
In 1851, Democrats gained control of the Massachusetts General Court in coalition with the Free Soilers. However, the legislature deadlocked on who should succeed Daniel Webster. Democrats refused to vote for Charles Sumner (the Free Soilers' choice). Sumner was eventually elected late. | 12 | 32nd Congress | ||||||||
16 | ![]() Charles Sumner |
Free Soil | April 24, 1851 – March 11, 1874 |
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33rd Congress | 12 | Elected in 1853. Resigned. |
March 4, 1853 – June 1, 1854 |
Whig | ![]() Edward Everett |
13 | ||||||
Vacant | June 1, 1854 – June 3, 1854 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Everett's term. Successor was elected. |
June 3, 1854 – January 31, 1855 |
Whig | ![]() Julius Rockwell |
14 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Everett's term. | January 31, 1855 – March 3, 1873 |
Free Soil | ![]() Henry Wilson |
15 | ||||||||
34th Congress | Republican | |||||||||||
Republican | Re-elected in 1857. | 13 | 35th Congress | |||||||||
36th Congress | 13 | Re-elected in 1859. | ||||||||||
37th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1863. | 14 | 38th Congress | ||||||||||
39th Congress | 14 | Re-elected in 1865. | ||||||||||
40th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1869. Died. |
15 | 41st Congress | ||||||||||
42nd Congress | 15 | Re-elected in 1871. Resigned to become U.S. Vice President. |
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Liberal Republican | 43rd Congress | Vacant | March 3, 1873 – March 17, 1873 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected to finish Wilson's term. | March 17, 1873 – March 3, 1877 |
Republican | ![]() George S. Boutwell |
16 | ||||||||
Vacant | March 12, 1874 – April 16, 1874 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
17 | ![]() William B. Washburn |
Republican | April 17, 1874 – March 3, 1875 |
Elected to finish Sumner's term. Retired. |
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18 | ![]() Henry L. Dawes |
Republican | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1893 |
Elected in 1875. | 16 | 44th Congress | ||||||
45th Congress | 16 | Elected in 1877. | March 4, 1877 – September 30, 1904 |
Republican | ![]() George Frisbie Hoar |
17 | ||||||
46th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1881. | 17 | 47th Congress | ||||||||||
48th Congress | 17 | Re-elected in 1883. | ||||||||||
49th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1887. Retired. |
18 | 50th Congress | ||||||||||
51st Congress | 18 | Re-elected in 1889. | ||||||||||
52nd Congress | ||||||||||||
19 | ![]() Henry Cabot Lodge |
Republican | March 4, 1893 – November 9, 1924 |
Elected in 1893. | 19 | 53rd Congress | ||||||
54th Congress | 19 | Re-elected in 1895. | ||||||||||
55th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1898. | 20 | 56th Congress | ||||||||||
57th Congress | 20 | Re-elected in 1901. Died. |
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58th Congress | ||||||||||||
Vacant | September 30, 1904 – October 12, 1904 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Hoar's term. Elected to finish Hoar's term. |
October 12, 1904 – March 3, 1913 |
Republican | ![]() Winthrop M. Crane |
18 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1904. | 21 | 59th Congress | ||||||||||
60th Congress | 21 | Re-elected in 1907. Retired. |
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61st Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1910. | 22 | 62nd Congress | ||||||||||
63rd Congress | 22 | Elected in 1912. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919 |
Republican | ![]() John W. Weeks |
19 | ||||||
64th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1916. | 23 | 65th Congress | ||||||||||
66th Congress | 23 | Elected in 1918. Lost re-election. |
March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1925 |
Democratic | ![]() David I. Walsh |
20 | ||||||
67th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1922. Died. |
24 | 68th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | November 9, 1924 – November 13, 1924 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
20 | ![]() William M. Butler |
Republican | November 13, 1924 – December 6, 1926 |
Appointed to continue Lodge's term. Lost election to finish Lodge's term. |
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69th Congress | 24 | Elected in 1924. Retired. |
March 4, 1925 – March 3, 1931 |
Republican | 100px Frederick H. Gillett |
21 | ||||||
21 | ![]() David I. Walsh |
Democratic | December 6, 1926 – January 3, 1947 |
Elected to finish Lodge's term. | ||||||||
70th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1928. | 25 | 71st Congress | ||||||||||
72nd Congress | 25 | Elected in 1930. Retired. |
March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1937 |
Democratic | ![]() Marcus A. Coolidge |
22 | ||||||
73rd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1934. | 26 | 74th Congress | ||||||||||
75th Congress | 26 | Elected in 1936. | January 3, 1937 – February 3, 1944 |
Republican | ![]() Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. |
23 | ||||||
76th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1940. Lost re-election. |
27 | 77th Congress | ||||||||||
78th Congress | 27 | Re-elected in 1942. Resigned to return to active duty in the U.S. Army. |
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Vacant | February 4, 1944 – February 7, 1944 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Lodge's term. Did not run for election to finish the term and resigned early. |
February 8, 1944 – December 19, 1944 |
Republican | ![]() Sinclair Weeks |
24 | ||||||||
Vacant | December 19, 1944 – January 3, 1945 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
79th Congress | Elected to finish Lodge's term. | January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1967 |
Republican | ![]() Leverett Saltonstall |
25 | |||||||
22 | ![]() Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr. |
Republican | January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953 |
Elected in 1946. Lost re-election. |
28 | 80th Congress | ||||||
81st Congress | 28 | Re-elected in 1948. | ||||||||||
82nd Congress | ||||||||||||
23 | ![]() John F. Kennedy |
Democratic | January 3, 1953 – December 22, 1960 |
Elected in 1952. | 29 | 83rd Congress | ||||||
84th Congress | 29 | Re-elected in 1954. | ||||||||||
85th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1958. Resigned to become U.S. President. |
30 | 86th Congress | ||||||||||
Vacant | December 22, 1960 – December 27, 1960 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
24 | ![]() Benjamin Smith |
Democratic | December 27, 1960 – November 7, 1962 |
Appointed to continue John Kennedy's term. Did not run for election to finish the term. |
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87th Congress | 30 | Re-elected in 1960. Retired. |
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25 | ![]() ![]() Ted Kennedy. |
Democratic | November 7, 1962 – August 25, 2009 |
Elected to finish his brother's term. | ||||||||
88th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1964. | 31 | 89th Congress | ||||||||||
90th Congress | 31 | Elected in 1966. | January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1979 |
Republican | ![]() Edward Brooke |
26 | ||||||
91st Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1970. | 32 | 92nd Congress | ||||||||||
93rd Congress | 32 | Re-elected in 1972. Lost re-election. |
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94th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1976. | 33 | 95th Congress | ||||||||||
96th Congress | 33 | Elected in 1978. Retired, then resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. |
January 3, 1979 – January 2, 1985 |
Democratic | 100px Paul Tsongas |
27 | ||||||
97th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1982. | 34 | 98th Congress | ||||||||||
Appointed early to finish Tsongas's term, having already been elected to the next term. | January 2, 1985 – February 1, 2013 |
Democratic | ![]() John Kerry |
28 | ||||||||
99th Congress | 34 | Elected in 1984. | ||||||||||
100th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1988. | 35 | 101st Congress | ||||||||||
102nd Congress | 35 | Re-elected in 1990. | ||||||||||
103rd Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1994. | 36 | 104th Congress | ||||||||||
105th Congress | 36 | Re-elected in 1996. | ||||||||||
106th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2000. | 37 | 107th Congress | ||||||||||
108th Congress | 37 | Re-elected in 2002. | ||||||||||
109th Congress | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2006. Died. |
38 | 110th Congress | ||||||||||
111th Congress | 38 | Re-elected in 2008. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State. |
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Vacant | August 25, 2009 – September 24, 2009 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
26 | ![]() Paul G. Kirk |
Democratic | September 24, 2009 – February 4, 2010 |
Appointed to continue Ted Kennedy's term. Did not run for election to finish the term.[7] |
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27 | ![]() Scott Brown |
Republican | February 4, 2010 – January 3, 2013 |
Elected to finish Ted Kennedy's term. Lost re-election. |
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112th Congress | ||||||||||||
28 | ![]() Elizabeth Warren |
Democratic | January 3, 2013 – Present |
Elected in 2012. | 39 | 113th Congress | ||||||
Appointed to continue Kerry's term. Did not run for election to finish the term.[8] |
February 1, 2013 – July 16, 2013 |
Democratic | ![]() Mo Cowan |
29 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Kerry's term. | July 16, 2013 – Present |
Democratic | ![]() Ed Markey |
30 | ||||||||
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 |
Living former U.S. Senators from Massachusetts
As of April 2015[update], there are four living former U.S. Senators from Massachusetts, two from Class 1 and two from Class 2.
Senator | Term of office | Class | Date of birth (and age) |
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John Kerry | 1985–2013 | 2 | December 11, 1943 |
Paul G. Kirk | 2009–2010 | 1 | January 18, 1938 |
Scott Brown | 2010–2013 | 1 | September 12, 1959 |
Mo Cowan | 2013 | 2 | April 4, 1969 |
References
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