Jump to content

List of United States senators from Georgia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Current delegation
Senator Jon Ossoff (D)
Senator Raphael Warnock (D)

Georgia was admitted to the Union on January 2, 1788. The state has had senators since the 1st Congress. Its Senate seats were declared vacant in March 1861 owing to its secession from the Union. They were again filled from February 1871.

United States senators are popularly elected to six-year terms that begin on January 3 of the year after their election. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Before 1914, Georgia's senators were chosen by the Georgia General Assembly, and before 1935, their terms began March 4. Popular Senate elections remained despite the General Assembly not taking action to ratify the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution that was passed in 1913.

Rebecca Latimer Felton was the first female U.S. senator, representing Georgia in the Senate for one day in 1922,[1] having been appointed to the seat to replace the late Thomas E. Watson.

Richard Russell Jr. was the state's longest serving senator, served from 1933 to 1971.

Since January 20, 2021, Georgia has been represented in the Senate by Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock. Ossoff defeated Republican David Perdue in the regularly-scheduled 2020 election, while Warnock defeated appointed Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler in the concurrent special election, both of which were decided in runoffs on January 5, 2021. Ossoff is the first Jewish senator from Georgia and Warnock the first black senator from Georgia.[2]

Georgia is one of sixteen states alongside Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, South Dakota and Utah to have a younger senior senator and an older junior senator.

List of senators

[edit]
Class 2
Class 2 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026.
C Class 3
Class 3 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2010, 2016, 2020 (special election), and 2022. The next election will be in 2028.
# Senator Party Dates in office Electoral history T T Electoral history Dates in office Party Senator #
1
William Few
Anti-
Admin.
Mar 4, 1789 –
Mar 4, 1793
Elected in 1789.
Lost re-election.
1 1st 1 Elected in 1789. Mar 4, 1789 –
Mar 4, 1801
Anti-
Admin.
James Gunn 1
2nd
2
James Jackson
Anti-
Admin.
Mar 4, 1793 –
Nov 16, 1795
Elected in 1793.
Resigned to run for the Georgia legislature.
2 3rd
Democratic-
Republican
4th 2 Re-elected in 1794.
Retired.
Federalist
3
George Walton
Federalist Nov 16, 1795 –
Feb 20, 1796
Appointed to continue Jackson's term.
Retired when successor elected.
4 Josiah Tattnall Democratic-
Republican
Feb 20, 1796 –
Mar 4, 1799
Elected to finish Jackson's term.
5th
5
Abraham Baldwin
Democratic-
Republican
Mar 4, 1799 –
Mar 4, 1807
Elected in 1799. 3 6th
7th 3 Elected in 1800.
Died.
Mar 4, 1801 –
Mar 19, 1806
Democratic-
Republican

James Jackson
2
8th
Re-elected in 1804.
Died.
4 9th
  Mar 19, 1806 –
Jun 19, 1806
Vacant
Elected to finish Jackson's term. Jun 19, 1806 –
Nov 14, 1809
Democratic-
Republican

John Milledge
3
Vacant Mar 4, 1807 –
Aug 27, 1807
  10th 4 Re-elected in 1806.
Resigned.
6
George Jones
Democratic-
Republican
Aug 27, 1807 –
Nov 7, 1807
Appointed to continue Baldwin's term.
Lost special election.
7
William H. Crawford
Democratic-
Republican
Nov 7, 1807 –
Mar 23, 1813
Elected to finish Baldwin's term.
11th
  Nov 14, 1809 –
Nov 27, 1809
Vacant
Elected to finish Milledge's term. Nov 27, 1809 –
Mar 4, 1819
Democratic-
Republican

Charles Tait
4
Re-elected in 1810 or 1811
Resigned to become U.S. Minister to France.
5 12th
13th 5 Re-elected in 1813.
Vacant Mar 23, 1813 –
Apr 8, 1813
 
8 William Bellinger Bulloch Democratic-
Republican
Apr 8, 1813 –
Nov 6, 1813
Appointed to continue Crawford's term.
Retired when successor elected.
9
William Wyatt Bibb
Democratic-
Republican
Nov 6, 1813 –
Nov 9, 1816
Elected to finish Crawford's term.
Resigned.
14th
Vacant Nov 9, 1816 –
Nov 13, 1816
 
10
George Troup
Democratic-
Republican
Nov 13, 1816 –
Sep 23, 1818
Elected to finish Crawford's term.
Elected to full term in 1816.
Resigned.
6 15th
Vacant Sep 23, 1818 –
Nov 23, 1818
 
11
John Forsyth
Democratic-
Republican
Nov 23, 1818 –
Feb 17, 1819
Elected to finish Troup's term.
Resigned to become U.S. Minister to Spain.
Vacant Feb 17, 1819 –
Nov 6, 1819
 
16th 6 Elected in 1819. Mar 4, 1819 –
Mar 4, 1825
Federalist
John Elliott
5
12
Freeman Walker
Democratic-
Republican
Nov 6, 1819 –
Aug 6, 1821
Elected to finish Troup's term.
Resigned.
17th
Vacant Aug 6, 1821 –
Nov 10, 1821
 
13
Nicholas Ware
Democratic-
Republican
Nov 10, 1821 –
Sep 7, 1824
Elected to finish Troup's term.
Re-elected in 1823.
Died.
7 18th
Vacant Sep 7, 1824 –
Dec 6, 1824
 
14 Thomas W. Cobb Democratic-
Republican
Dec 6, 1824 –
Nov 7, 1828
Elected to finish Ware's term.
Resigned.
Jacksonian 19th 7 Elected in 1825.
Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.
Mar 4, 1825 –
Mar 9, 1829
Jacksonian
John M. Berrien
6
20th
15
Oliver H. Prince
Jacksonian Nov 7, 1828 –
Mar 4, 1829
Elected to finish Ware's term.
[data missing]
16
George Troup
Jacksonian Mar 4, 1829 –
Nov 8, 1833
Elected in 1828.
Resigned.
8 21st
  Mar 9, 1829 –
Nov 9, 1829
Vacant
Elected to finish Berrien's term. Nov 9, 1829 –
Jun 27, 1834
Jacksonian
John Forsyth
7
22nd 8 Re-elected in 1830 or 1831.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.
23rd
Vacant Nov 8, 1833 –
Nov 21, 1833
 
17
John P. King
Jacksonian Nov 21, 1833 –
Nov 1, 1837
Elected to finish Troup's term.
  Jun 27, 1834 –
Jan 12, 1835
Vacant
Elected to finish Forsyth's term. Jan 12, 1835 –
Mar 4, 1843
Jacksonian Alfred Cuthbert 8
Re-elected in 1834.
Resigned.
9 24th
Democratic 25th 9 Re-elected in 1837.
Retired.
Democratic
Vacant Nov 1, 1837 –
Nov 22, 1837
 
18
Wilson Lumpkin
Democratic Nov 22, 1837 –
Mar 4, 1841
Elected to finish King's term.
26th
19
John M. Berrien
Whig Mar 4, 1841 –
May 1845
Elected in 1840.
Resigned to become judge of the Supreme Court of Georgia.
10 27th
28th 10 Elected in 1843.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1843 –
Feb 4, 1848
Democratic
Walter T. Colquitt
9
29th
Vacant May 1845 –
Nov 13, 1845
 

John M. Berrien
Whig Nov 13, 1845 –
May 28, 1852
Elected to finish his own term.
Re-elected in 1846.
Resigned.
11 30th
Appointed to finish Colquitt's term.
Retired.
Feb 4, 1848 –
Mar 4, 1849
Democratic
Herschel V. Johnson
10
31st 11 Elected in 1847 for the term beginning in 1849.[3]
[data missing]
Mar 4, 1849 –
Mar 4, 1855
Whig
William Crosby Dawson
11
32nd
Vacant May 28, 1852 –
May 31, 1852
 
20
Robert M. Charlton
Democratic May 31, 1852 –
Mar 4, 1853
Appointed to finish Berrien's term.  
21
Robert Toombs
Democratic Mar 4, 1853 –
Feb 4, 1861
Elected in 1852. 12 33rd
34th 12 Elected in 1854 or 1855.
Withdrew.
Mar 4, 1855 –
Jan 28, 1861
Democratic
Alfred Iverson Sr.
12
35th
Re-elected in 1858.
Withdrew.
13 36th
Civil War and Reconstruction Jan 28, 1861 –
Feb 1, 1871
Vacant
Vacant Feb 4, 1861 –
Feb 24, 1871
Civil War and Reconstruction
37th 13
38th
14 39th
40th 14
41st
Elected in 1867 to finish the term, but not seated until Georgia's readmission.
Retired.
Feb 1, 1871 –
Mar 4, 1873
Republican
Joshua Hill
13
22
Homer V. M. Miller
Democratic Feb 24, 1871 –
Mar 4, 1871
Elected to finish term.
Vacant Mar 4, 1871 –
Nov 14, 1871
Foster Blodgett (R) presented credentials as Senator-elect, but the Senate declared him not elected. 15 42nd
23
Thomas M. Norwood
Democratic Nov 14, 1871 –
Mar 4, 1877
Elected after Blodgett's credentials were rejected.
Lost re-election.
43rd 15 Elected in 1873. Mar 4, 1873 –
May 26, 1880
Democratic
John B. Gordon
14
44th
24
Benjamin Harvey Hill
Democratic Mar 4, 1877 –
Aug 16, 1882
Elected in 1877.
Died.
16 45th
46th 16 Re-elected in 1879.
Resigned to promote a venture for the Georgia Pacific Railway.
Elected to finish Gordon's term. May 26, 1880 –
Mar 4, 1891
Democratic
Joseph E. Brown
15
47th
Vacant Aug 16, 1882 –
Nov 15, 1882
 
25
Middleton P. Barrow
Democratic Nov 15, 1882 –
Mar 4, 1883
Elected to finish Hill's term.
Retired.
26
Alfred H. Colquitt
Democratic Mar 4, 1883 –
Mar 26, 1894
Elected in 1883. 17 48th
49th 17 Re-elected in 1885.
Retired due to illness.
50th
Re-elected in 1888
Died.
18 51st
52nd 18 Elected in 1890.
Retired.
Mar 4, 1891 –
Mar 4, 1897
Democratic
John B. Gordon
16
53rd
Vacant Mar 26, 1894 –
Apr 2, 1894
 
27
Patrick Walsh
Democratic Apr 2, 1894 –
Mar 4, 1895
Appointed to continue Colquitt's term.
Elected in 1894 to finish Colquitt's term.[4]
Lost renomination.
28
Augustus Octavius Bacon
Democratic Mar 4, 1895 –
Feb 14, 1914
Elected in 1894. 19 54th
55th 19 Elected in 1896. Mar 4, 1897 –
Nov 13, 1910
Democratic
Alexander S. Clay
17
56th
Re-elected in 1900.
Legislature failed to elect.[5]
20 57th
58th 20 Re-elected in 1902.[6]
59th
Appointed to begin the next term.
Re-elected in 1907.[5]
Legislature failed to elect.
21 60th
61st 21 Re-elected in 1909.
Died.
  Nov 13, 1910 –
Nov 17, 1910
Vacant
Appointed to continue Clay's term.
Lost election to finish Clay's term.
Nov 17, 1910 –
Jul 14, 1911
Democratic
Joseph M. Terrell
18
62nd
Elected to finish Clay's term.
Did not take office until Nov 16 upon resigning as Governor of Georgia.
Jul 14, 1911 –
Mar 4, 1921
Democratic
Hoke Smith
19
Appointed to begin the term.
Re-elected in 1913, the first election by popular vote.[7]
Died.
22 63rd
Vacant Feb 14, 1914 –
Mar 2, 1914
 
29
William S. West
Democratic Mar 2, 1914 –
Nov 3, 1914
Appointed to continue Bacon's term.
Successor elected.
30
Thomas W. Hardwick
Democratic Nov 4, 1914 –
Mar 4, 1919
Elected to finish Bacon's term.
Lost renomination.
64th 22 Re-elected in 1914.
Lost renomination.
65th
31
William J. Harris
Democratic Mar 4, 1919 –
Apr 18, 1932
Elected in 1918. 23 66th
67th 23 Elected in 1920.
Died.
Mar 4, 1921 –
Sep 26, 1922
Democratic
Thomas E. Watson
20
  Sep 26, 1922 –
Oct 3, 1922
Vacant
Appointed to continue Watson's term.
Retired.
Oct 3, 1922 –
Nov 21, 1922[8]
Democratic
Rebecca Latimer Felton
21
Elected to finish Watson's term. Nov 22, 1922 –
Jan 3, 1957[9]
Democratic
Walter F. George
22
68th
Re-elected in 1924. 24 69th
70th 24 Re-elected in 1926.
71st
Re-elected in 1930.
Died.
25 72nd
Vacant Apr 18, 1932 –
Apr 25, 1932
 
32
John S. Cohen
Democratic Apr 25, 1932 –
Jan 11, 1933
Appointed to continue Harris's term.
Successor elected.
33
Richard Russell Jr.
Democratic Jan 12, 1933 –
Jan 21, 1971
Elected in 1932 to finish Harris's term.
73rd 25 Re-elected in 1932.
74th
Re-elected in 1936. 26 75th
76th 26 Re-elected in 1938.
77th
Re-elected in 1942. 27 78th
79th 27 Re-elected in 1944.
80th
Re-elected in 1948. 28 81st
82nd 28 Re-elected in 1950.
Retired.
83rd
Re-elected in 1954. 29 84th
85th 29 Elected in 1956. Jan 3, 1957 –
Jan 3, 1981
Democratic
Herman Talmadge
23
86th
Re-elected in 1960. 30 87th
88th 30 Re-elected in 1962.
89th
Re-elected in 1966.
Died.
31 90th
91st 31 Re-elected in 1968.
92nd
Vacant Jan 21, 1971 –
Feb 1, 1971
 
34
David H. Gambrell
Democratic Feb 1, 1971 –
Nov 7, 1972
Appointed to continue Russell's term.
Lost nomination to finish Russell's term.
35
Sam Nunn
Democratic Nov 8, 1972 –
Jan 3, 1997
Elected to finish Russell's term.
Elected to full term in 1972. 32 93rd
94th 32 Re-elected in 1974.
Lost re-election.
95th
Re-elected in 1978. 33 96th
97th 33 Elected in 1980.
Lost re-election.
Jan 3, 1981 –
Jan 3, 1987
Republican
Mack Mattingly
24
98th
Re-elected in 1984. 34 99th
100th 34 Elected in 1986.
Lost re-election in runoff election.
Jan 3, 1987 –
Jan 3, 1993
Democratic
Wyche Fowler
25
101st
Re-elected in 1990.
Retired.
35 102nd
103rd 35 Elected in 1992 in runoff election. Jan 3, 1993 –
Jul 18, 2000
Republican
Paul Coverdell
26
104th
36
Max Cleland
Democratic Jan 3, 1997 –
Jan 3, 2003
Elected in 1996.
Lost re-election.
36 105th
106th 36 Re-elected in 1998.
Died.
  July 18, 2000 –
July 27, 2000
Vacant
Appointed to continue Coverdell's term.
Elected in 2000 to finish Coverdell's term.
Retired.
July 27, 2000 –
Jan 3, 2005
Democratic
Zell Miller
27
107th
37
Saxby Chambliss
Republican Jan 3, 2003 –
Jan 3, 2015
Elected in 2002. 37 108th
109th 37 Elected in 2004. Jan 3, 2005 –
Dec 31, 2019
Republican
Johnny Isakson
28
110th
Re-elected in 2008 in runoff election.
Retired.
38 111th
112th 38 Re-elected in 2010.
113th
38
David Perdue
Republican Jan 3, 2015 –
Jan 3, 2021
Elected in 2014.
Term expired before runoff election.
Lost re-election in runoff.
39 114th
115th 39 Re-elected in 2016.
Resigned.
116th
  Dec 31, 2019 –
Jan 6, 2020
Vacant
Appointed to continue Isakson's term.
Lost election in runoff to finish Isakson's term.
Jan 6, 2020 –
Jan 20, 2021
Republican
Kelly Loeffler
29
Vacant Jan 3, 2021 –
Jan 20, 2021
40 117th
39
Jon Ossoff
Democratic Jan 20, 2021 –
present
Elected in 2021 in runoff election. Elected in 2021 in runoff election to finish Isakson's term. Jan 20, 2021 –
present
Democratic
Raphael Warnock
30
118th 40 Re-elected in 2022 in runoff election.
119th
To be determined in the 2026 election. 41 120th
121st 41 To be determined in the 2028 election.
# Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T C T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator #
Class 2 Class 3

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Mrs. Felton Dies. Appointed for One-Day Term From Georgia, She Said She Hoped to See Women in Senate. Active Almost to the Last, She Had Gone to Atlanta at 94 to Attend to School Business". The New York Times. January 25, 1930. Retrieved February 3, 2009. Mrs. Rebecca Latimer Felton of Cartersville, a pioneer in the fight for woman's suffrage, for many years a leader in State and national activities and the only woman who ever held a seat in the United States Senate, died at 11:45 tonight at a local hospital.
  2. ^ Tessa Stuart (January 6, 2021). "Warnock Makes History and Democrats Gain Senate Majority". Rolling Stone.
  3. ^ Stryker, James (September 1849). Stryker's American Register and Magazine. Vol. 3. p. 427.
  4. ^ Byrd, p. 114.
  5. ^ a b The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1908. New York: The Tribune Association. 1908. p. 258.
  6. ^ "Senator Clay of Georgia Re-elected". The New York Times. November 5, 1902. p. 2.
  7. ^ "…became the first U.S. senator elected by popular vote following ratification of the 17th Amendment."
  8. ^ "A chronological list of senators since the First Congress in 1789" (PDF). United States Senate.
  9. ^ "GEORGE, Walter Franklin - Biographical Information". bioguide.congress.gov.