List of United States senators from California
California elects United States senators to class 1 and class 3. The state has been represented by 47 people in the Senate since it was admitted to the Union on September 9, 1850. Its U.S. senators are Democrats Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler. Dianne Feinstein was the state's longest serving senator, served from 1992 until her death in 2023.
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 3 Class 3 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2004, 2010, and 2016, and 2022. The next election will be in 2028. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
1 | John C. Frémont |
Democratic | Sep 9, 1850 – Mar 3, 1851 |
Elected in 1849. | 1 | 31st | 1 | Elected in 1849. | Sep 9, 1850 – Mar 3, 1855 |
Democratic | William M. Gwin |
1 |
Vacant | Mar 4, 1851 – Jan 29, 1852 |
Legislature failed to elect. | 2 | 32nd | ||||||||
2 | John B. Weller |
Democratic | Jan 30, 1852 – Mar 3, 1857 |
Elected late in 1852.Lost re-election. | ||||||||
33rd | ||||||||||||
34th | 2 | Legislature failed to elect. | Mar 4, 1855 – Jan 13, 1857 |
Vacant | ||||||||
Elected late in 1857. | Jan 14, 1857 – Mar 3, 1861 |
Democratic | William M. Gwin | |||||||||
3 | David C. Broderick |
Democratic | Mar 4, 1857 – Sep 16, 1859 |
Elected in 1856.Died. | 3 | 35th | ||||||
36th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | Sep 17, 1859 – Nov 2, 1859 |
|||||||||||
4 | Henry P. Haun |
Democratic | Nov 3, 1859 – Mar 4, 1860 |
Appointed to continue Broderick's term.Lost election to finish Broderick's term. | ||||||||
5 | Milton Latham |
Democratic | Mar 5, 1860 – Mar 3, 1863 |
Elected in 1860 to finish Broderick's term.Lost re-election. | ||||||||
37th | 3 | Elected in 1860.Retired. | Mar 4, 1861 – Mar 3, 1867 |
Democratic | James A. McDougall |
2 | ||||||
6 | John Conness |
Republican | Mar 4, 1863 – Mar 3, 1869 |
Elected during the 1862/1863 cycle.[lower-alpha 1] | 4 | 38th | ||||||
39th | ||||||||||||
40th | 4 | Elected during the 1866/1867 cycle. | Mar 4, 1867 – Mar 3, 1873 |
Republican | Cornelius Cole |
3 | ||||||
7 | Eugene Casserly |
Democratic | Mar 4, 1869 – Nov 29, 1873 |
Elected in 1868.Resigned. | 5 | 41st | ||||||
42nd | ||||||||||||
43rd | 5 | Elected in 1872 or 1873.Retired. | Mar 4, 1873 – Mar 3, 1879 |
Republican | Aaron A. Sargent |
4 | ||||||
Vacant | Nov 30, 1873 – Dec 22, 1873 |
|||||||||||
8 | John S. Hager |
Democratic | Dec 23, 1873 – Mar 3, 1875 |
Elected in 1873 to finish Casserly's term.Retired. | ||||||||
9 | Newton Booth |
Anti-Monopoly | Mar 4, 1875 – Mar 3, 1881 |
Elected early in 1873.Retired. | 6 | 44th | ||||||
45th | ||||||||||||
46th | 6 | Elected in 1878.Retired. | Mar 4, 1879 – Mar 3, 1885 |
Democratic | James T. Farley |
5 | ||||||
10 | John Franklin Miller |
Republican | Mar 4, 1881 – Mar 8, 1886 |
Elected in 1880.Died. | 7 | 47th | ||||||
48th | ||||||||||||
49th | 7 | Elected in 1885. | Mar 4, 1885 – Jun 21, 1893 |
Republican | Leland Stanford |
6 | ||||||
Vacant | Mar 9, 1886 – Mar 22, 1886 |
|||||||||||
11 | George Hearst |
Democratic | Mar 23, 1886 – Aug 3, 1886 |
Appointed to continue Miller's term.Successor elected. | ||||||||
12 | Abram Williams |
Republican | Aug 4, 1886 – Mar 3, 1887 |
Elected in 1886 to finish Miller's term.Retired. | ||||||||
13 | George Hearst |
Democratic | Mar 4, 1887 – Feb 28, 1891 |
Elected in 1887.Died. | 8 | 50th | ||||||
51st | ||||||||||||
Vacant | Mar 1, 1891 – Mar 18, 1891 |
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52nd | 8 | Re-elected in 1891.Died. | ||||||||||
14 | Charles N. Felton |
Republican | Mar 19, 1891 – Mar 3, 1893 |
Elected in 1891 to finish Hearst's term.Retired. | ||||||||
15 | Stephen M. White |
Democratic | Mar 4, 1893 – Mar 3, 1899 |
Elected in 1893.Retired. | 9 | 53rd | ||||||
Jun 22, 1893 – Jul 25, 1893 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Stanford's term.Elected in 1895 to finish Stanford's term.[1] | Jul 26, 1893 – Mar 3, 1915 |
Republican | George C. Perkins |
7 | ||||||||
54th | ||||||||||||
55th | 9 | Re-elected in 1897.[2] | ||||||||||
Vacant | Mar 4, 1899 – Feb 6, 1900 |
10 | 56th | |||||||||
16 | Thomas R. Bard |
Republican | Feb 7, 1900 – Mar 3, 1905 |
Elected late in 1900.Lost re-election. | ||||||||
57th | ||||||||||||
58th | 10 | Re-elected in 1903.[3] | ||||||||||
17 | Frank P. Flint |
Republican | Mar 4, 1905 – Mar 3, 1911 |
Elected in 1905.[4]Retired. | 11 | 59th | ||||||
60th | ||||||||||||
61st | 11 | Re-elected in 1909.[5]Retired. | ||||||||||
18 | John D. Works |
Republican | Mar 4, 1911 – Mar 3, 1917 |
Elected in 1911.Retired. | 12 | 62nd | ||||||
63rd | ||||||||||||
64th | 12 | Elected in 1914.Lost re-election. | Mar 4, 1915 – Mar 3, 1921 |
Democratic | James D. Phelan |
8 | ||||||
19 | Hiram Johnson |
Republican | Mar 4, 1917 – Aug 6, 1945 |
Elected in 1916.Not seated until March 16 in order to remain Governor of California. | 13 | 65th | ||||||
66th | ||||||||||||
67th | 13 | Elected in 1920. | Mar 4, 1921 – Mar 3, 1933 |
Republican | Samuel M. Shortridge |
9 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1922. | 14 | 68th | ||||||||||
69th | ||||||||||||
70th | 14 | Re-elected in 1926.Lost renomination. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1928. | 15 | 71st | ||||||||||
72nd | ||||||||||||
73rd | 15 | Elected in 1932.Lost renomination, then resigned. | Mar 4, 1933 – Nov 8, 1938 |
Democratic | William Gibbs McAdoo |
10 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1934. | 16 | 74th | ||||||||||
75th | ||||||||||||
Appointed to finish McAdoo's term.Retired. | Nov 9, 1938 – Jan 3, 1939 |
Democratic | Thomas M. Storke |
11 | ||||||||
76th | 16 | Elected in 1938. | Jan 3, 1939 – Nov 30, 1950 |
Democratic | Sheridan Downey |
12 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1940.Died. | 17 | 77th | ||||||||||
78th | ||||||||||||
79th | 17 | Re-elected in 1944.Ran for re-election, but dropped out of renomination race due to ill health.Resigned early due to ill health. | ||||||||||
Vacant | Aug 7, 1945 – Aug 25, 1945 |
|||||||||||
20 | William Knowland |
Republican | Aug 26, 1945 – Jan 3, 1959 |
Appointed to continue Johnson's term.Elected in 1946 to finish Johnson's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected to full term in 1946. | 18 | 80th | ||||||||||
81st | ||||||||||||
Appointed to finish Downey's term, having been elected to the next term. |
Dec 1, 1950 – Jan 1, 1953 |
Republican | Richard Nixon |
13 | ||||||||
82nd | 18 | Elected in 1950.Resigned to become U.S. Vice President. | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Nixon's term.Elected in 1954 to finish Nixon's term.[1] | Jan 2, 1953 – Jan 3, 1969 |
Republican | Thomas Kuchel |
14 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1952.Retired to run for Governor of California. | 19 | 83rd | ||||||||||
84th | ||||||||||||
85th | 19 | Re-elected in 1956. | ||||||||||
21 | Clair Engle |
Democratic | Jan 3, 1959 – Jul 30, 1964 |
Elected in 1958.Died. | 20 | 86th | ||||||
87th | ||||||||||||
88th | 20 | Re-elected in 1962.Lost renomination. | ||||||||||
Vacant | Jul 31, 1964 – Aug 3, 1964 |
|||||||||||
22 | Pierre Salinger |
Democratic | Aug 4, 1964 – Dec 31, 1964 |
Appointed to finish Engle's term.Lost election to full term, resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||
23 | George Murphy |
Republican | Jan 1, 1965 – Jan 1, 1971 |
Appointed early to finish Engle's term, having been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected in 1964.Lost re-election, resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | 21 | 89th | ||||||||||
90th | ||||||||||||
91st | 21 | Elected in 1968. | Jan 3, 1969 – Jan 3, 1993 |
Democratic | Alan Cranston |
15 | ||||||
24 | John V. Tunney |
Democratic | Jan 2, 1971 – Jan 1, 1977 |
Appointed to finish Murphy's term, having been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected in 1970.Lost re-election, resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | 22 | 92nd | ||||||||||
93rd | ||||||||||||
94th | 22 | Re-elected in 1974. | ||||||||||
25 | S. I. Hayakawa |
Republican | Jan 2, 1977 – Jan 3, 1983 |
Appointed to finish Tunney's term, having been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected in 1976.Retired. | 23 | 95th | ||||||||||
96th | ||||||||||||
97th | 23 | Re-elected in 1980. | ||||||||||
26 | Pete Wilson |
Republican | Jan 3, 1983 – Jan 7, 1991 |
Elected in 1982. | 24 | 98th | ||||||
99th | ||||||||||||
100th | 24 | Re-elected in 1986.Retired. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 1988.Resigned to become Governor of California. | 25 | 101st | ||||||||||
102nd | ||||||||||||
27 | John Seymour |
Republican | Jan 7, 1991 – Nov 3, 1992 |
Appointed to continue Wilson's term.Lost election to finish Wilson's term. | ||||||||
28 | Dianne Feinstein |
Democratic | Nov 4, 1992 – Sep 29, 2023 |
Elected in 1992 to finish Wilson's term. | ||||||||
103rd | 25 | Elected in 1992. | Jan 3, 1993 – Jan 3, 2017 |
Democratic | Barbara Boxer |
16 | ||||||
Re-elected in 1994. | 26 | 104th | ||||||||||
105th | ||||||||||||
106th | 26 | Re-elected in 1998. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 2000. | 27 | 107th | ||||||||||
108th | ||||||||||||
109th | 27 | Re-elected in 2004. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 2006. | 28 | 110th | ||||||||||
111th | ||||||||||||
112th | 28 | Re-elected in 2010.Retired. | ||||||||||
Re-elected in 2012. | 29 | 113th | ||||||||||
114th | ||||||||||||
115th | 29 | Elected in 2016.Resigned to become U.S. Vice President.[6] | Jan 3, 2017 – Jan 18, 2021 |
Democratic | Kamala Harris |
17 | ||||||
Re-elected in 2018.Announced retirement, then died. | 30 | 116th | ||||||||||
117th | ||||||||||||
Appointed to continue Harris's term.Elected in 2022 to finish Harris's term.[lower-alpha 2] | Jan 18, 2021 – present |
Democratic | Alex Padilla |
18 | ||||||||
118th | 30 | Elected to full term in 2022.[lower-alpha 2] | ||||||||||
Vacant | Sep 29, 2023 – Oct 1, 2023 |
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29 | Laphonza Butler |
Democratic | Oct 1, 2023 – present |
Appointed to continue Feinstein's term.Retiring when her successor will be elected. | ||||||||
To be determined in the 2024 special election. | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2024 election. | 31 | 119th | ||||||||||
120th | ||||||||||||
121st | 31 | To be determined in the 2028 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 1 | Class 3 |
Living former senators[edit]
As of November 2024, there are four living former U.S. senators from California. The most recent and most recently serving senator to die was Dianne Feinstein (served 1992–2023), who died in office on September 29, 2023.
Senator | Term of office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Pete Wilson | 1983–1991 | August 23, 1933 |
John Seymour | 1991–1992 | December 3, 1937 |
Barbara Boxer | 1993–2017 | November 11, 1940 |
Kamala Harris | 2017–2021 | October 20, 1964 |
Superlatives[edit]
Longest service[edit]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Dianne Feinstein | November 4, 1992Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | September 29, 2023Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 30 years, 329 days (11,285 days) |
Hiram Johnson | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 28 years, 155 days (10,382 days) |
Alan Cranston | January 3, 1969Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | January 3, 1993Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 24 years, 0 days (8,766 days) |
Barbara Boxer | January 3, 1993Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | January 3, 2017Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 24 years, 0 days (8,766 days) |
George Clement Perkins | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 21 years, 220 days (7,889 days) |
Shortest service[edit]
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Thomas M. Storke | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 1 month, 3 weeks and 3 days (54 days) |
Henry P. Haun | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 4 months and 1 day (122 days) |
Pierre Salinger | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 4 months, 3 weeks and 6 days (149 days) |
John C. Frémont | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 5 months, 3 weeks and 1 day (175 days) |
Abram Williams | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | Script error: No such module "Date table sorting". | 6 months, 3 weeks and 6 days (211 days) |
Youngest at beginning of service[edit]
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Milton Latham | May 23, 1827 | March 5, 1860 | 32 years, 9 months and 11 days |
John V. Tunney | June 26, 1934 | January 2, 1971 | 36 years, 6 months and 7 days |
David C. Broderick | February 4, 1820 | March 4, 1857 | 37 years and 1 month |
William Knowland | June 26, 1908 | August 26, 1945 | 37 years and 2 months |
John C. Frémont | January 21, 1813 | September 10, 1850 | 37 years, 7 months and 20 days |
Oldest at end of service[edit]
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Dianne Feinstein | June 22, 1933 | September 28, 2023 | 90 years, 3 months and 6 days |
Hiram Johnson | September 2, 1866 | August 6, 1945 | 78 years, 11 months and 4 days |
Alan Cranston | June 19, 1914 | January 3, 1993 | 78 years, 6 months and 15 days |
S. I. Hayakawa | July 18, 1906 | January 3, 1983 | 76 years, 5 months and 16 days |
Barbara Boxer | November 11, 1940 | January 3, 2017 | 76 years, 1 month and 23 days |
See also[edit]
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Other articles of the topic California : Bankrol Hayden, Spümcø, Inc., N.W.A
Other articles of the topic Politics : Anan Foundation, Social Activist, Ewald Max Hoyer, Incumbent, Frank Blackburn, Uttarakhand Kranti Dal
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- List of United States representatives from California
- United States congressional delegations from California
- Elections in California
Notes[edit]
- ↑ John Conness was elected as a Democrat, but changed party to Republican after the election.[citation needed]
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Padilla was elected to finish the remainder of Kamala Harris's term in a special election held the same day as the general election for the next term, which he also won.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Byrd, p. 83.
- ↑ "Perkins Re-elected in California". The New York Times. January 14, 1897. p. 12.
- ↑ "Perkins of California Re-elected". The New York Times. January 14, 1903. p. 12.
- ↑ The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. 1905. p. 108. Search this book on
- ↑ "Perkins of California Re-elected". The New York Times. January 13, 1909. p. 5.
- ↑ Bowman, Bridget (November 7, 2020). "Win by Biden and Harris opens up California Senate seat". Roll Call. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- "States in the Senate – California's United States senators". via Senate.gov.
- "Party Division in the Senate, 1789-Present". via Senate.gov.
- Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy, ed. The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160632563. Search this book on