List of current United States Senators by seniority.html |
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The seniority in the United States Senate is based upon a series of ranked factors; only resorting to the next factor when tied.1
"Senior senator" and "junior senator" are terms commonly used to describe United States senators. Each state sends two senators to serve in the Senate; the longer (continuously) serving of the two is by convention referred to as the senior senator, and the other is referred to as the junior senator. If both are elected at the same time (e.g., one in a regular election and the other simultaneously to fill the seat of a senator who resigned), the one who is sworn in first is senior.
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Benefits of seniority
There is no mandated difference in rights or power, although Senate rules give more power to senators with more seniority. Generally, senior senators will have more power, though being a member of the majority party is more advantageous than being senior. In addition, by custom the senior senators from the president's party control federal patronage appointments in their states. Thus being the junior senator is disadvantageous if the senior one is from the same party.
Some of the perquisites of seniority offered by the U.S. Senate:
- Senators are given preferential treatment for committee assignments based on seniority. Although the committee chairmanship is an elected position, it is traditionally given to the most senior senator of the majority party serving on the committee. Ranking member (called vice-chairman in some select committees) of a committee is the most senior member of the minority party thereon.
- Greater seniority enables a senator to choose a desk closer to the front of the Senate Chamber.
- Senators with higher seniority may choose to move into better office space as those offices are vacated.
- Seniority determines the ranking in the United States order of precedence although other factors, such as being a former President or First Lady, can place an individual higher in the order of precedence.
Factors considered
There are 11 factors considered in calculating seniority:
- Amount of consecutive time serving as U.S. senator
- Previous U.S. senator (non-consecutive)
- Length of time serving as a senator in previous non-consecutive terms
- Previous U.S. representative
- Length of time serving as a U.S. representative
- Previous president
- Previous vice president
- Previous cabinet member
- Previous state governor
- Population of state based on the most recent census when the senator took office
- Alphabetical by last name (in the rare instance that two senators came from the same state on the same day and have identical credentials)
Current seniority list
The president pro tempore of the Senate is traditionally the most senior member of the majority party. The current president pro tempore, Robert Byrd, is also the dean of the United States Senate.
Only relevant factors are listed below. For instance, Robert Byrd's time with the House of Representatives no longer has any bearing on his seniority, so it is not listed.
For senators whose seniority is based on their states' respective populations, the state population ranking, as determined by the relevant United States Census2345 is given.
| Rank | Name | Seniority date | Second factor | Third factor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert Byrd (D-WV) | January 3, 1959 | ||
| 2 | Ted Kennedy (D-MA) | November 7, 1962 | ||
| 3 | Daniel Inouye (D-HI) | January 3, 1963 | ||
| 4 | Joe Biden6 (D-DE) | January 3, 1973 | ||
| 5 | Patrick Leahy (D-VT) | January 3, 1975 | ||
| 6 | Richard Lugar (R-IN) | January 3, 1977 | Indiana 11th in population (1970) | |
| 7 | Orrin Hatch (R-UT) | Utah 36th in population (1970) | ||
| 8 | Max Baucus (D-MT) | December 15, 1978 | ||
| 9 | Thad Cochran (R-MS) | December 27, 1978 | ||
| 10 | Carl Levin (D-MI) | January 3, 1979 | ||
| 11 | Chris Dodd (D-CT) | January 3, 1981 | Former U.S. representative (6 years) | Connecticut 24th in population (1970) |
| 12 | Chuck Grassley (R-IA) | Iowa 25th in population (1970) | ||
| 13 | Arlen Specter (R-PA) | |||
| 14 | Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) | January 3, 1983 | ||
| 15 | John Kerry (D-MA)7 | January 2, 1985 | ||
| 16 | Tom Harkin (D-IA) | January 3, 1985 | Former U.S. representative | |
| 17 | Mitch McConnell (R-KY) | |||
| 18 | Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) | January 15, 1985 | ||
| 19 | Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) | January 3, 1987 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | |
| 20 | Richard Shelby (R-AL) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | ||
| 21 | John McCain (R-AZ) | Former U.S. representative (4 years) | Arizona 29th in population (1980) | |
| 22 | Harry Reid (D-NV) | Nevada 43rd in population (1980) | ||
| 23 | Kit Bond (R-MO) | Former governor | ||
| 24 | Kent Conrad (D-ND) | |||
| 25 | Herb Kohl (D-WI) | January 3, 1989 | Wisconsin 16th in population (1980) | |
| 26 | Joe Lieberman (ID-CT)8 | Connecticut 25th in population (1980) | ||
| 27 | Daniel Akaka (D-HI) | May 16, 1990 | ||
| 28 | Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) | November 10, 1992 | ||
| 29 | Byron Dorgan (D-ND) | December 15, 1992 | ||
| 30 | Barbara Boxer (D-CA) | January 3, 1993 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | |
| 31 | Judd Gregg (R-NH) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | ||
| 32 | Russ Feingold (D-WI) | Wisconsin 16th in population (1990) | ||
| 33 | Patty Murray (D-WA) | Washington 18th in population (1990) | ||
| 34 | Bob Bennett (R-UT) | Utah 35th in population (1990) | ||
| 35 | Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) | June 14, 1993 | ||
| 36 | Jim Inhofe (R-OK) | November 17, 1994 | ||
| 37 | Olympia Snowe (R-ME) | January 3, 1995 | Former U.S. representative (16 years) | |
| 38 | Jon Kyl (R-AZ) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | ||
| 39 | Ron Wyden (D-OR) | February 6, 1996 | ||
| 40 | Sam Brownback (R-KS) | November 7, 1996 | ||
| 41 | Pat Roberts (R-KS) | January 3, 1997 | Former U.S. representative (16 years) | |
| 42 | Richard Durbin (D-IL) | Former U.S. representative (14 years) | ||
| 43 | Tim Johnson (D-SD) | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | ||
| 44 | Jack Reed (D-RI) | Former U.S. representative (6 years) | ||
| 45 | Mary Landrieu (D-LA) | Louisiana 21st in population (1990) | ||
| 46 | Jeff Sessions (R-AL) | Alabama 22nd in population (1990) | ||
| 47 | Susan Collins (R-ME) | Maine 38th in population (1990) | ||
| 48 | Mike Enzi (R-WY) | Wyoming 50th in population (1990) | ||
| 49 | Chuck Schumer (D-NY) | January 3, 1999 | Former U.S. representative (18 years) | |
| 50 | Jim Bunning (R-KY) | Former U.S. representative (12 years) | ||
| 51 | Mike Crapo (R-ID) | Former U.S. representative (6 years) | ||
| 52 | Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) | Former U.S. representative (4 years) | ||
| 53 | George Voinovich (R-OH) | Former governor | Ohio 7th in population (1990) | |
| 54 | Evan Bayh (D-IN) | Indiana 15th in population (1990) | ||
| 55 | Bill Nelson (D-FL) | January 3, 2001 | Former U.S. representative (12 years) | |
| 56 | Tom Carper (D-DE) | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | ||
| 57 | Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) | Former U.S. representative (4 years) | Michigan 8th in population (1990) | |
| 58 | John Ensign (R-NV) | Nevada 39th in population (1990) | ||
| 59 | Maria Cantwell (D-WA) | Former U.S. representative (2 years) | ||
| 60 | Ben Nelson (D-NE) | Former governor | ||
| 61 | Hillary Rodham Clinton910 (D-NY) | |||
| 62 | Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) | December 20, 2002 | ||
| 63 | Frank Lautenberg11 (D-NJ) | January 3, 2003 | Former U.S. Senator | |
| 64 | Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) | Former U.S. representative (8 years) | Georgia 10th in population (2000) | |
| 65 | Lindsey Graham (R-SC) | South Carolina 26th in population (2000) | ||
| 66 | Lamar Alexander (R-TN) | Former Cabinet member | ||
| 67 | John Cornyn12 (R-TX) | Texas 2nd in population (2000) | ||
| 68 | Mark Pryor (D-AR) | Arkansas 33rd in population (2000) | ||
| 69 | Richard Burr (R-NC) | January 3, 2005 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | |
| 70 | Jim DeMint (R-SC) | Former U.S. representative (6 years) | South Carolina 26th in population (2000) | |
| 71 | Tom Coburn (R-OK) | Oklahoma 27th in population (2000) | ||
| 72 | John Thune (R-SD) | South Dakota 46th in population (2000) | ||
| 73 | Johnny Isakson (R-GA) | Former U.S. representative (5 years, 10 months) | ||
| 74 | David Vitter (R-LA) | Former U.S. representative (5 years, 7 months) | ||
| 75 | Mel Martinez (R-FL) | Former Cabinet member | ||
| 76 | Ken Salazar13 (D-CO) | |||
| 77 | Bob Menendez (D-NJ) | January 18, 2006 | ||
| 78 | Ben Cardin (D-MD) | January 3, 2007 | Former U.S. representative (20 years) | |
| 79 | Bernie Sanders (I-VT) | Former U.S. representative (16 years) | ||
| 80 | Sherrod Brown (D-OH) | Former U.S. representative (14 years) | ||
| 81 | Bob Casey, Jr. (D-PA) | Pennsylvania 6th in population (2000) | ||
| 82 | Jim Webb14 (D-VA) | Virginia 12th in population (2000) | ||
| 83 | Bob Corker (R-TN) | Tennessee 16th in population (2000) | ||
| 84 | Claire McCaskill (D-MO) | Missouri 17th in population (2000) | ||
| 85 | Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)15 | Minnesota 21st in population (2000) | ||
| 86 | Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) | Rhode Island 43rd in population (2000) | ||
| 87 | Jon Tester (D-MT) | Montana 44th in population (2000) | ||
| 88 | John Barrasso (R-WY) | June 25, 2007 | ||
| 89 | Roger Wicker (R-MS) | December 31, 2007 | ||
| 90 | Mark Udall (D-CO) | January 3, 2009 | Former U.S. representative (10 years) | Colorado 24th in population (2000) |
| 91 | Tom Udall (D-NM) | New Mexico 36th in population (2000) | ||
| 92 | Mike Johanns (R-NE) | Former Cabinet member | ||
| 93 | Mark Warner (D-VA) | Former governor | Virginia 12th in population (2000) | |
| 94 | Jim Risch (R-ID) | Idaho 39th in population (2000) | ||
| 95 | Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) | New Hampshire 41st in population (2000) | ||
| 96 | Kay Hagan (D-NC) | North Carolina 11th in population (2000) | ||
| 97 | Jeff Merkley (D-OR) | Oregon 28th in population (2000) | ||
| 98 | Mark Begich (D-AK) | Alaska 47th in population (2000) | ||
| 99 | There are two disputed seats: one from Illinois and one from Minnesota | |||
| 100 | ||||
Disputed seats
Two seats are in dispute.
- Illinois: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich appointed Roland Burris to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Senator (and President-elect) Barack Obama. The Democratic leadership announced it will block Burris from taking the seat due to Blagojevich's alleged previous attempt to sell the seat.16 The Senate's ability to refuse to seat Burris is a matter of debate;17 it is therefore unclear whether or when Burris will take his seat. The seniority rank of whomever takes that seat is unclear at this time.
- Minnesota: Due to a disuputed election between Norm Coleman and Al Franken, neither of them is seated, and eventually one of them will be seated in during the 111th Congress.16 Their seniority will be determined depending on which candidate is seated. Coleman would be expected to retain his seniority, between John Cornyn and Mark Pryor. It is unclear whether Franken's seniority would date back to January 3, 2009, in which case he would rank between Kay Hagan and Jeff Merkley, or the day he is seated, in which case he would rank last.
Upcoming changes expected
At least three changes in membership are expected early in the 111th Congress.
- Colorado: Ken Salazar, if his cabinet appointment is confirmed, will soon be replaced, leading to a vacancy to be filled by appointment, and the other Senator, Mark Udall, would become the Senate's most junior "senior senator". Governor Bill Ritter has announced he will appoint Michael Bennet to Salazar's seat.18
- Delaware: On January 15, 2009, Joe Biden will resign to become Vice President of the United States, and will be replaced by Ted Kaufman.
- New York: Hillary Clinton, if her cabinet appointment is confirmed, will soon resign, leading to a vacancy to be filled by appointment.
See also
Notes
- ^ "A Chronological List of United States Senators 1789-Present". Official website of the United States Senate.
- ^ 1971 U.S Census Report Contains 1970 Census results.
- ^ 1981 U.S Census Report Contains 1980 Census results.
- ^ 1991 U.S Census Report Contains 1990 Census results.
- ^ 2000 Census State Population Rankings
- ^ Joe Biden has been elected to both the vice-presidency of the United States and a new Senate term. He will step down from his Senate seat on or before January 20, 2009. Delaware governor Ruth Ann Minner has announced that she will appoint Ted Kaufman as his successor, and Kaufman will be sworn in after all other new Senators have been and thus will be among the last in seniority. (See Upcoming changes expected, above)
- ^ John Kerry is currently the Senate's most senior "junior senator".
- ^ Joe Lieberman won re-election as a third party candidate in 2006 and caucuses with the Democratic Party. However, he has chosen to refer to himself as an "Independent Democrat." Despite the party change, Lieberman retains his seniority since there is no break in his Senate service.
- ^ Hillary Clinton's status as a former First Lady, while having some bearing on ceremonial precedence, has no effect on her Seniority within the United states Senate.
- ^ Hillary Clinton has been chosen to be Secretary of State and is expected to resign her Senate seat in early 2009. (See Upcoming changes expected, above)
- ^ Frank Lautenberg served a previous term as U.S. Senator from New Jersey from January 1983 to January 2001, but under the rules, does not retain seniority from that prior service. Lautenberg has sought restoration of his seniority based on his prior service, but has not received it. - HillNews.com
- ^ Phil Gramm resigned early, effective November 30, 2002, so that Cornyn could take senate office on December 2, 2002, and move into Gramm's office suite in order to begin organizing his staff. Cornyn did not, however, gain seniority, owing to a 1980 Rules Committee policy that no longer gave seniority to senators who entered Congress early for the purpose of gaining advantageous office space.
- ^ Ken Salazar has been chosen to be Secretary of the Interior and is expected to resign his Senate seat in 2009. (See Upcoming changes expected, above)
- ^ Senator Webb served as Secretary of the Navy; however, that has not been a Cabinet-level position since 1947 and therefore does not affect his Seniority.
- ^ Amy Klobuchar is currently the Senate's most junior "senior senator". However, if Ken Salazar of Colorado is confirmed as Interior Secretary, Mark Udall will become the most junior "senior senator".
- ^ a b Burris, Franken to be blocked from taking office
- ^ "Democrats pressured to bar governor's Senate appointment".
- ^ Ritter: Bennet brings 'new-generation approach' to Senate
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