List of United States Senators from Delaware

This is a listing of the United States Senators from Delaware. They were originally elected by the Delaware General Assembly for designated six-year terms beginning March 4. Frequently portions of the term would remain only upon a senator's death or resignation. From 1914 the senators were popularly elected on the first Tuesday after November 1, and starting 1935 the beginning of their term is January 3, not March 4.

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, 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 elections of 1788, 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. The next election will be in 2020.
#	Senator	Party	Years in office	Electoral history	T e r m		T e r m	Electoral history	Years in office	Party	Senator	#
1	George Read	Pro- Administration	March 4, 1789 – September 18, 1793	Elected in 1788.	1	1st Congress	1	Elected in 1788. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!].	March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793	Anti- Administration	Richard Bassett	1
		Re-elected in 1790. Resigned to become Chief Justice of Delaware.		2	2nd Congress	Pro- Administration
					3rd Congress	2	Elected in 1793. Resigned.	March 4, 1793 – January 19, 1798	Pro-Administration	John M. Vining	2
Vacant			September 18, 1793 – February 7, 1795
2	Henry Latimer	Pro- Administration	February 7, 1795 – February 28, 1801						Elected in 1795 to finish Read's term.
		Federalist			4th Congress
		Re-elected in 1796. Resigned.		3	5th Congress
							Elected in 1798 to finish Vining's term. Died.	January 19, 1798 – August 11, 1798	Federalist	Joshua Clayton	3
								August 11, 1798 – January 17, 1799	Vacant
							Elected in 1799 to finish Clayton's term.	January 17, 1799 – November 6, 1804	Federalist	William H. Wells	4
					6th Congress	3	Re-elected in 1799. Resigned.
3	Samuel White	Federalist	February 28, 1801 – November 4, 1809						Appointed to finish Latimer's term
		7th Congress
		Re-elected in 1803.		4	8th Congress
								November 6, 1804 – November 13, 1804	Vacant
							Elected in 1804 to finish Wells's term.	November 13, 1804 – March 3, 1813	Federalist	James A. Bayard	5
					9th Congress	4	Re-elected in 1805.
					10th Congress
		Re-elected in 1809. Died.		5	11th Congress
Vacant			November 4, 1809 – January 12, 1810
4	Outerbridge Horsey	Federalist	January 12, 1810 – March 3, 1821						Elected in 1810 to finish White's term.
		12th Congress			5	Re-elected in 1811. Resigned.
		13th Congress					March 3, 1813 – May 21, 1813	Vacant
						Elected in 1813 to finish Bayard's term. Retired.	May 21, 1813 – March 3, 1817	Federalist	William H. Wells	6
		Re-elected in 1814. Retired.		6				14th Congress
					15th Congress	6	Elected in 1817. Legislature failed to elect.	March 4, 1817 – March 3, 1823	Federalist	Nicholas Van Dyke	7
					16th Congress
Vacant			March 4, 1821 – January 23, 1822		7				17th Congress
5	Caesar A. Rodney	Democratic- Republican	January 24, 1822 – January 29, 1823	Elected late to finish vacant term. Resigned to become U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Provinces of the River Plate.
Vacant			January 29, 1823 – January 8, 1824
						18th Congress	7		March 4, 1823 – January 7, 1824	Vacant
								Re-elected late. Died.	January 7, 1824 – May 21, 1826	Adams-Clay Federalist	Nicholas Van Dyke
6	Thomas Clayton	Adams-Clay Federalist	January 8, 1824 – March 3, 1827	Elected in 1824 to finish Rodney's term. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!].
		Anti- Jacksonian				19th Congress				Anti- Jacksonian
								May 21, 1826 – November 8, 1826	Vacant
		Appointed to continue Van Dyke's term. Retired.						November 8, 1826 – January 12, 1827	Anti- Jacksonian	Daniel Rodney	8
		Elected in 1827 to finish Van Dyke's term. Retired.						January 12, 1827 – March 3, 1829	Jacksonian	Henry M. Ridgely	9
7	Louis McLane		Jacksonian	March 4, 1827 – April 16, 1829	Elected in 1827. Resigned to become U.S. Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to England.	8			20th Congress
		21st Congress	8				Elected in 1829.	March 4, 1829 – December 29, 1836	Anti-Jacksonian	John M. Clayton	10
Vacant				April 16, 1829 – January 7, 1830
8	Arnold S. Naudain	Anti-Jacksonian		January 7, 1830 – June 16, 1836	Elected in 1830 to finish McLane's term.
		22nd Congress
		Re-elected in 1832. Resigned.			9	23rd Congress
			24th Congress			9	Re-elected in 1835. Resigned.
9	Richard H. Bayard	Anti-Jacksonian		June 17, 1836 – September 19, 1839					Elected in 1836 to finish Naudain's term.
							December 29, 1836 – January 9, 1837	Vacant
		Elected in 1837 to finish his cousin's term.					January 9, 1837 – March 3, 1847	Anti-Jacksonian	Thomas Clayton	11
			Whig					25th Congress			Whig
			Re-elected in 1838 or 1839. Resigned to become Chief Justice of Delaware.		10			26th Congress
	Vacant		September 19, 1839 – January 11, 1841
	Richard H. Bayard	Whig	January 12, 1841 – March 3, 1845	Elected in 1841 to finish his own term. Retired.
		27th Congress				10		Re-elected in 1841. [Data unknown/missing. You can help!].
		28th Congress
10	John M. Clayton	Whig	March 4, 1845 – February 23, 1849	Elected in 1845. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.	11						29th Congress
		30th Congress				11	Elected in 1846 or 1847. Retired.	March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853	Whig	Presley Spruance	12
11	John Wales		Whig	February 23, 1849 – March 3, 1851					Elected in 1849 to finish Clayton's term. Lost re-election.
		31st Congress
12	James A. Bayard, Jr.	Democratic	March 4, 1851 – January 29, 1864	Elected in 1851.	12				32nd Congress
		33rd Congress				12	Elected in 1853. Died.	March 4, 1853 – November 9, 1856	Whig	John M. Clayton	13
		34th Congress
								November 9, 1856 – November 19, 1856	Vacant
							Appointed to continue Clayton's term. Declined nomination to finish Clayton's term.	November 19, 1856 – January 14, 1857	Whig	Joseph P. Comegys	14
							Elected in 1857 to finish Clayton's term. Lost re-election.	January 14, 1857 – March 3, 1859	Democratic	Martin W. Bates	15
		Re-elected in 1857.		13	35th Congress
					36th Congress	13	Elected in 1858.	March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1871	Democratic	Willard Saulsbury, Sr.	16
					37th Congress
		Re-elected in 1863. Resigned.		14	38th Congress
13	George R. Riddle	Democratic	January 29, 1864 – March 29, 1867						Elected in 1864 to finish Bayard's term. Died.
		39th Congress			14	Re-elected in 1864. Lost re-election.
		40th Congress
Vacant			March 29, 1867 – April 5, 1867
14	James A. Bayard, Jr.	Democratic	April 5, 1867 – March 3, 1869				Appointed to continue Riddle's term. Elected January 19, 1869 to finish Riddle's term.[1] Retired.
15	Thomas F. Bayard	Democratic	March 4, 1869 – March 6, 1885	Elected in 1869.			15		41st Congress
		42nd Congress			15	Elected in 1870.		March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1889	Democratic	Eli M. Saulsbury	17
		43rd Congress
		Re-elected in 1875.		16			44th Congress
					45th Congress	16	Re-elected in 1876.
					46th Congress
		Re-elected in 1881. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.		17	47th Congress
					48th Congress	17	Re-elected in 1883. Lost re-election.
					49th Congress
Vacant			March 6, 1885 – March 18, 1885
16	George Gray	Democratic	March 18, 1885 – March 3, 1899						Elected in 1885 to finish Bayard's term.
		Re-elected in 1887.		18	50th Congress
					51st Congress	18	Election year unknown. Lost re-election.	March 4, 1889 – March 3, 1895	Republican	Anthony C. Higgins	18
					52nd Congress
		Re-elected in 1893. Lost re-election.		19	53rd Congress
					54th Congress	19	Legislature failed to elect in 1895	March 4, 1895 – January 19, 1897	Vacant
							Elected in 1897 to finish vacant term. Lost re-election.	January 19, 1897 – March 3, 1901	Democratic	Richard R. Kenney	19
					55th Congress
Vacant			March 4, 1899 – March 1, 1903	Legislature failed to elect	20				56th Congress
						57th Congress	20	Legislature failed to elect in 1901	March 4, 1901 – March 2, 1903	Vacant
17	L. Heisler Ball	Republican	March 2, 1903 – March 3, 1905	Elected in 1903 to finish vacant term.				Elected in 1903 to finish vacant term. Retired.	March 2, 1903 – March 3, 1907	Republican	J. Frank Allee	20
		58th Congress
Vacant			March 4, 1905 – June 12, 1906	Legislature failed to elect	21	59th Congress
18	Henry A. du Pont	Republican	June 13, 1906 – March 3, 1917	Elected in 1906 to finish vacant term.
		60th Congress				21	Elected in 1907. Retired.	March 4, 1907 – March 3, 1913	Republican	Harry A. Richardson	21
		61st Congress
		Re-elected in 1911. Lost re-election.		22	62nd Congress
					63rd Congress	22	Elected in 1913. Lost re-election.	March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1919	Democratic	Willard Saulsbury, Jr.	22
					64th Congress
19	Josiah O. Wolcott	Democratic	March 4, 1917 – July 2, 1921	Elected in 1916. Resigned to become Chancellor of Delaware.	23				65th Congress
		66th Congress				23	Elected in 1919. Lost renomination.	March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1925	Republican	L. Heisler Ball	23
		67th Congress
20	T. Coleman du Pont		Republican	July 7, 1921 – November 6, 1922					Appointed to finish Wolcott's term. Lost election to finish Wolcott's term.
21	Thomas F. Bayard, Jr.		Democratic	November 7, 1922 – March 3, 1929					Elected in 1922 to finish Wolcott's term.
		Elected in 1922. Lost re-election.	24		68th Congress
					69th Congress	24	Elected in 1924. Resigned.	March 4, 1925 – December 8, 1928	Republican	T. Coleman du Pont	24
					70th Congress
								December 8, 1928 – December 10, 1928	Vacant
							Appointed to continue du Pont's term. Elected in 1928 to finish du Pont's term.	December 10, 1928 – January 3, 1937	Republican	Daniel O. Hastings	25
22	John G. Townsend, Jr.	Republican	March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1941	Elected in 1928.	25				71st Congress
		72nd Congress				25	Re-elected in 1930. Lost re-election.
		73rd Congress
		Re-elected in 1934. Lost re-election.		26	74th Congress
					75th Congress	26	Elected in 1936. Lost renomination.	January 3, 1937 – January 3, 1943	Democratic	James H. Hughes	26
					76th Congress
23	James M. Tunnell	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1947	Elected in 1940. Lost re-election.	27				77th Congress
		78th Congress				27	Elected in 1942. Lost re-election.	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1949	Republican	C. Douglass Buck	27
		79th Congress
24	John J. Williams	Republican	January 3, 1947 – December 31, 1970	Elected in 1946.	28				80th Congress
		81st Congress				28	Elected in 1948.	January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1961	Democratic	J. Allen Frear, Jr.	28
		82nd Congress
		Re-elected in 1952.		29	83rd Congress
					84th Congress	29	Re-elected in 1954. Lost re-election.
					85th Congress
		Re-elected in 1958.		30	86th Congress
					87th Congress	30	Elected in 1960.	January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1973	Republican	J. Caleb Boggs	29
					88th Congress
		Re-elected in 1964. Resigned to give successor preferential seniority.		31	89th Congress
					90th Congress	31	Re-elected in 1966. Lost re-election.
					91st Congress
25	William V. Roth, Jr.	Republican	January 1, 1971 – January 3, 2001						Appointed to finish Williams's term, having been elected to the next term
		Elected in 1970.		32	92nd Congress
					93rd Congress	32	Elected in 1972.	January 3, 1973 – January 15, 2009	Democratic	Joe Biden	30
					94th Congress
		Re-elected in 1976.		33	95th Congress
					96th Congress	33	Re-elected in 1978.
					97th Congress
		Re-elected in 1982.		34	98th Congress
					99th Congress	34	Re-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. Lost re-election.		36	104th Congress
					105th Congress	36	Re-elected in 1996.
					106th Congress
26	Thomas R. Carper	Democratic	January 3, 2001 – Present	Elected in 2000.	37				107th Congress
		108th Congress				37	Re-elected in 2002.
		109th Congress
		Re-elected in 2006.		38	110th Congress
					111th Congress	38	Re-elected in 2008. Resigned to become U.S. Vice President.
							Appointed to continue Biden's term. Retired.	January 16, 2009 – November 15, 2010	Democratic	Ted Kaufman	31
							Elected in 2010 to finish Biden's term.	November 15, 2010 – Present	Democratic	Chris Coons	32
					112th Congress
		Re-elected in 2012.		39	113th Congress
					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 Delaware

As of October 2016, there are two former U.S. Senators from Delaware who are currently living at this time, both from Class 2. The most recent senator to die was William V. Roth Jr. of Class 1 (1971-2001) on December 13, 2003. The most recent Class 2 senator to die was J. Caleb Boggs (1961-1973) on March 26, 1993.

Senator	Term of office	Class	Date of birth (and age)
Joe Biden	1973–2009	2	November 20, 1942
Ted Kaufman	2009–2010	2	March 15, 1939

References

1. Byrd & Wolff, page 90.

• Byrd, Robert C.; Wolff, Wendy (October 1, 1993). "The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992" (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company.

See also

• United States congressional delegations from Delaware
• List of United States Representatives from Delaware