Seniority in the United States Senate

Seniority in the United States Senate is valuable as it confers a number of benefits and is based on length of continuous service, with ties broken by a series of factors. Customarily, the terms "senior senator" and "junior senator" are used to distinguish the two senators representing a particular state.

Benefits of seniority

The United States Constitution does not mandate differences in rights or power, but Senate rules give more power to senators with more seniority. Generally, senior senators will have more power, especially within their own caucuses. In addition, by custom, senior senators from the president's party control federal patronage appointments in their states.

The president pro tempore of the Senate is traditionally the most senior member of the majority party.

There are several benefits, including the following:

  • Senators are given preferential treatment in choosing committee assignments based on seniority. Seniority on a committee is based on length of time serving on that committee, which means a senator may rank above another in committee seniority but be more junior in the full Senate. 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, and not already holding a conflicting position such as chairmanship of another committee. The ranking member of a committee (called the vice-chairman in some select committees) is elected in the same way.
  • 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 Spouse, can place an individual higher in the order of precedence.

Determining the beginning of a term

The beginning of an appointment does not necessarily coincide with the date the Senate convenes or when the new Senator is sworn in. In the case of Senators first elected in a general election for the upcoming Congress, their terms begin on the first day of the new Congress. Since 1935, that means January 3 of odd-numbered years. The seniority date for an appointed senator is usually the date of the appointment, although the actual term does not begin until they take the oath of office. An incoming Senator who holds another office, including membership in the U.S. House of Representatives, must resign from that office before becoming a Senator.

Determining length of seniority

A senator's seniority is primarily determined by length of continuous service; for example, a senator who has served for 12 years is more senior than one who has served for 10 years. Because several new senators usually join at the beginning of a new Congress, seniority is determined by prior federal or state government service and, if necessary, the amount of time spent in the tiebreaking office. These tiebreakers in order are:[1]

  1. Former Senator
  2. Former Vice President
  3. Former House member
  4. Former Cabinet secretary
  5. Former state Governor
  6. Population of state based on the most recent census when the senator took office
  7. Alphabetical by last name (in case two senators came from the same state on the same day and have identical credentials)

When more than one senator has served in the same previous role, length of time in that prior office is used to break the tie. For instance, Ben Cardin, Bernie Sanders, Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, Bob Corker, Claire McCaskill, Amy Klobuchar, Sheldon Whitehouse and Jon Tester took office on January 3, 2007, and the first three senators mentioned had previously served in the House of Representatives. Cardin, having served 20 years, is more senior than Sanders, who served 16 years, who in turn is more senior than Brown who served 14 years. Casey, Corker, McCaskill, Klobuchar, Whitehouse, and Tester rank in that order because as of the 2000 census, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Missouri, Minnesota, Rhode Island, and Montana had populations that ranked in that order, so Tester was ranked 100th in seniority when the 110th Congress convened.

Current seniority list

Only relevant factors are listed below. For senators whose seniority is based on their state's respective population, the state population ranking is given as determined by the relevant United States Census current at the time that they first took their seat.[2][3][4]

   Republican R (51)        Democratic D (47)        Independent I (2)

Current
rank		 Historical
rank[5][1]		 Senator
Party-State		 Seniority date First tie-breaker Second tie-breaker Committee and leadership positions
1 1692 Patrick Leahy
D – Vermont		 January 3, 1975 Ranking Member: Appropriations
President pro tempore emeritus
2 1708 Orrin Hatch
R – Utah		 January 3, 1977 President pro tempore
Chair: Finance
3 1745 Chuck Grassley
R – Iowa		 January 3, 1981 Chair: Judiciary
4 1766 Mitch McConnell
R – Kentucky		 January 3, 1985 Majority Leader
5 1775 Richard Shelby
R[n 1] – Alabama		 January 3, 1987 Chair: Appropriations
6 1801 Dianne Feinstein
D – California		 November 4, 1992 Ranking Member: Judiciary
7 1810 Patty Murray
D – Washington		 January 3, 1993 Ranking Member: HELP
Assistant Minority Leader
8 1816 Jim Inhofe
R – Oklahoma		 November 16, 1994 Chair: Armed Services
9 1827 Ron Wyden
D – Oregon		 February 6, 1996 Ranking Member: Finance
10 1830 Pat Roberts
R – Kansas		 January 3, 1997 Former Representative (16 years) Chair: Agriculture
11 1831 Dick Durbin
D – Illinois		 Former Representative (14 years) Minority Whip
12 1835 Jack Reed
D – Rhode Island		 Former Representative (6 years) Ranking Member: Armed Services
13 1842 Susan Collins
R – Maine		 Maine 38th in population (1990) Chair: Aging
14 1843 Mike Enzi
R – Wyoming		 Wyoming 50th in population (1990) Chair: Budget
15 1844 Chuck Schumer
D – New York		 January 3, 1999 Former Representative (18 years) Minority Leader
16 1846 Mike Crapo
R – Idaho		 Former Representative (6 years) Chair: Banking
17 1854 Bill Nelson
D – Florida		 January 3, 2001 Former Representative (12 years) Ranking Member: Commerce
18 1855 Tom Carper
D – Delaware		 Former Representative (10 years) Ranking Member: Environment
19 1856 Debbie Stabenow
D – Michigan		 Former Representative (4 years) Ranking Member: Agriculture
Democratic Policy Committee Chair
20 1859 Maria Cantwell[n 2]
D – Washington		 Former Representative (2 years) Ranking Member: Energy
21 1867 Lisa Murkowski
R – Alaska		 December 20, 2002[n 3]   Chair: Energy
22 1869 Lindsey Graham
R – South Carolina		 January 3, 2003 Former Representative  
23 1871 Lamar Alexander
R – Tennessee		 Former Cabinet member Chair: HELP
24 1873 John Cornyn[n 4]
R – Texas		 Majority Whip
25 1876 Richard Burr
R – North Carolina		 January 3, 2005 Former Representative (10 years) Chair: Intelligence
26 1879 John Thune
R – South Dakota		 Former Representative (6 years) Chair: Commerce
Republican Conference Chair
27 1880 Johnny Isakson
R – Georgia		 Former Representative (5 yrs., 10 mos.) Chair: Veterans' Affairs
Chair: Ethics
28 1885 Bob Menendez
D – New Jersey		 January 17, 2006[n 3]   Ranking Member: Foreign Relations
29 1886 Ben Cardin
D – Maryland		 January 3, 2007 Former Representative (20 years) Ranking Member: Small Business
30 1887 Bernie Sanders
I – Vermont		 Former Representative (16 years) Ranking Member: Budget
31 1888 Sherrod Brown
D – Ohio		 Former Representative (14 years) Ranking Member: Banking
32 1890 Bob Casey Jr.
D – Pennsylvania		 Pennsylvania 6th in population (2000) Ranking Member: Aging
33 1891 Bob Corker
R – Tennessee		 Tennessee 16th in population (2000) Chair: Foreign Relations
34 1892 Claire McCaskill
D – Missouri		 Missouri 17th in population (2000) Ranking Member: Homeland Security
35 1893 Amy Klobuchar
D – Minnesota		 Minnesota 21st in population (2000) Ranking Member: Rules
36 1894 Sheldon Whitehouse
D – Rhode Island		 Rhode Island 43rd in population (2000)
37 1895 Jon Tester
D – Montana		 Montana 44th in population (2000) Ranking Member: Veterans' Affairs
38 1896 John Barrasso
R – Wyoming		 June 22, 2007[n 3] Chair: Environment
Republican Policy Committee Chair
39 1897 Roger Wicker
R – Mississippi		 December 31, 2007[n 3]
40 1899 Tom Udall
D – New Mexico		 January 3, 2009 Former Representative Vice Chair: Indian Affairs
41 1901 Jeanne Shaheen
D – New Hampshire		 Former Governor (6 years)
42 1902 Mark Warner
D – Virginia		 Former Governor (4 years) Vice Chair: Intelligence
Democratic Caucus Vice Chair
43 1903 Jim Risch
R – Idaho		 Former Governor (7 months) Chair: Small Business
44 1905 Jeff Merkley
D – Oregon
45 1909 Michael Bennet
D – Colorado		 January 21, 2009[n 3]
46 1910 Kirsten Gillibrand
D – New York		 January 26, 2009[n 3]
47 1916 Joe Manchin
D – West Virginia		 November 15, 2010 Former Governor
48 1917 Chris Coons
D – Delaware		 Vice Chair: Ethics
49 1919 Roy Blunt
R – Missouri		 January 3, 2011 Former Representative (14 years) Missouri 17th in population (2000) Chair: Rules
Republican Conference Vice Chair
50 1920 Jerry Moran
R – Kansas		 Kansas 33rd in population (2000)
51 1921 Rob Portman
R – Ohio		 Former Representative (12 years)
52 1922 John Boozman
R – Arkansas		 Former Representative (10 years)
53 1923 Pat Toomey
R – Pennsylvania		 Former Representative (6 years)
54 1924 John Hoeven
R – North Dakota		 Former Governor Chair: Indian Affairs
55 1925 Marco Rubio
R – Florida		 Florida 4th in population (2000)
56 1926 Ron Johnson
R – Wisconsin		 Wisconsin 20th in population (2000) Chair: Homeland Security
57 1927 Rand Paul
R – Kentucky		 Kentucky 25th in population (2000)
58 1928 Richard Blumenthal
D – Connecticut		 Connecticut 29th in population (2000)
59 1929 Mike Lee
R – Utah		 Utah 34th in population (2000)
60 1931 Dean Heller
R – Nevada		 May 9, 2011[n 3]
61 1932 Brian Schatz
D – Hawaii		 December 26, 2012[n 3]
62 1933 Tim Scott
R – South Carolina		 January 2, 2013[n 3]
63 1934 Tammy Baldwin
D – Wisconsin		 January 3, 2013 Former Representative (14 years) Democratic Caucus Secretary
64 1935 Jeff Flake
R – Arizona		 Former Representative (12 years)
65 1936 Joe Donnelly
D – Indiana		 Former Representative (6 years) Indiana 15th in population (2010)
66 1937 Chris Murphy
D – Connecticut		 Connecticut 29th in population (2010)
67 1938 Mazie Hirono
D – Hawaii		 Hawaii 40th in population (2010)
68 1939 Martin Heinrich
D – New Mexico		 Former Representative (4 years)  
69 1940 Angus King
I – Maine		 Former Governor (8 years)
70 1941 Tim Kaine
D – Virginia		 Former Governor (4 years)
71 1942 Ted Cruz
R – Texas		 Texas 2nd in population (2010)
72 1943 Elizabeth Warren
D – Massachusetts		 Massachusetts 14th in population (2010) Democratic Caucus Vice Chair
73 1944 Deb Fischer
R – Nebraska		 Nebraska 38th in population (2010)
74 1945 Heidi Heitkamp
D – North Dakota		 North Dakota 48th in population (2010)
75 1948 Ed Markey
D – Massachusetts		 July 16, 2013
76 1949 Cory Booker
D – New Jersey		 October 31, 2013
77 1951 Shelley Moore Capito
R – West Virginia		 January 3, 2015 Former Representative (14 years)
78 1952 Gary Peters
D – Michigan		 Former Representative (6 years) Michigan 8th in population (2010)
79 1953 Bill Cassidy[n 5]
R – Louisiana		 Louisiana 25th in population (2010)
80 1954 Cory Gardner
R – Colorado		 Former Representative (4 years) Colorado 22nd in population (2010) NRSC Chair
81 1955 James Lankford
R – Oklahoma		 Oklahoma 28th in population (2010)
82 1956 Tom Cotton
R – Arkansas		 Former Representative (2 years) Arkansas 32nd in population (2010)
83 1957 Steve Daines
R – Montana		 Montana 44th in population (2010)
84 1958 Mike Rounds
R – South Dakota		 Former Governor
85 1959 David Perdue
R – Georgia		 Georgia 9th in population (2010)
86 1960 Thom Tillis
R – North Carolina		 North Carolina 10th in population (2010)
87 1961 Joni Ernst
R – Iowa		 Iowa 30th in population (2010)
88 1962 Ben Sasse
R – Nebraska		 Nebraska 38th in population (2010)
89 1963 Dan Sullivan
R – Alaska		 Alaska 47th in population (2010)
90 1964 Chris Van Hollen
D – Maryland		 January 3, 2017 Former Representative (14 years) DSCC Chair
91 1965 Todd Young
R – Indiana		 Former Representative (6 years)
92 1966 Tammy Duckworth
D – Illinois		 Former Representative (4 years)
93 1967 Maggie Hassan
D – New Hampshire		 Former Governor
94 1968 Kamala Harris
D – California		 California 1st in population (2010)
95 1969 John Neely Kennedy
R – Louisiana		 Louisiana 25th in population (2010)
96 1970 Catherine Cortez Masto
D – Nevada		 Nevada 35th in population (2010)
97 1972 Tina Smith
D – Minnesota		 January 3, 2018 Minnesota 21st in population (2010)
98 1973 Doug Jones
D – Alabama		 Alabama 23rd in population (2010)
99 1974 Cindy Hyde-Smith
R – Mississippi		 April 2, 2018[n 3]
100 1819[n 6] Jon Kyl
R – Arizona		 September 4, 2018[n 3]
Rank Historical
rank		 Senator
Party-State		 Seniority date First tie-breaker Second tie-breaker Committee and leadership positions

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Richard Shelby's 1994 party change did not break his service or seniority.
  2. ↑ Maria Cantwell (#20) is the Senate's most senior junior senator.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 The seniority date for an appointed senator is the date of the appointment, not necessarily the date of taking the oath of office. See Determining the beginning of a term, above.
  4. ↑ John Cornyn's predecessor, Phil Gramm, resigned early, effective November 30, 2002, so that Senator-elect Cornyn could take office early, 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.
  5. ↑ Bill Cassidy (#79) is the Senate's most junior senior senator.
  6. ↑ Jon Kyl previously served in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2013.

References

  1. 1 2 "Senators of the United States 1789–present, A chronological list of senators since the First Congress in 1789" (PDF). Senate Historical Office. April 17, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ "1991 U.S Census Report" (PDF).
  3. ↑ American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. "2000 Census State Population Rankings". Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Resident Population Data (Text Version) – 2010 Census, by state and census region".
  5. ↑ "Historical rank" refers to the Senator's seniority over the entire history of the Senate since 1789. This is an absolute number that does not change from one Congress to the next.
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