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List of United States senators from Massachusetts

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Below is a chronological listing of the United States senators from Massachusetts. According to the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution adopted in 1913, U.S. senators are popularly elected for a six-year term. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1, and terms begin on January 3, about two months after the vote. Before 1914, and the enforcement of the Seventeenth Amendment, the state's U.S. senators were chosen by the Massachusetts General Court, and before 1935, their terms began March 4.

Current delegation
Warren
Elizabeth Warren
(D)
Markey
Ed Markey
(D)

The current senators are Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey. Ted Kennedy was Massachusetts's longest-serving senator, serving from 1962 until his death in 2009. Massachusetts is one of fifteen states alongside Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, South Dakota and Utah to have a younger senior senator and an older junior senator.

Mid-term vacancy appointment processes

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Through the 20th century, mid-term vacancies were filled with the governor's appointee, with the appointment expiring at the next biennial state election. In 2004, the Democratic-controlled state legislature changed the vacancy-filling process, mandating that a special election occur, which removed the governor's appointment power. This statute was enacted over the veto by the governor, Mitt Romney. The leadership of the Massachusetts legislature at the time was concerned that the Republican Governor Mitt Romney would appoint a Republican if Democratic Senator John Kerry were elected president of the United States in the 2004 election.[1][2][3][4] Generally, the law requires a special election within 145 to 160 days from the date of the filing of a Senate resignation. The law contemplates resignations that become effective some period of time after the filing of the resignation, so long as the election occurs after effective date of the resignation.[5]

While terminally ill with brain cancer, Ted Kennedy requested that the Massachusetts legislature change the law to allow an interim appointment. Kennedy died shortly thereafter, and the legislature quickly passed a bill providing for an interim appointment.[6] On September 24, 2009, Governor Deval Patrick signed the bill, and appointed Paul G. Kirk, who had previously served as one of Kennedy's congressional aides and as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

List of senators

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Class 1
Class 1 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2006, 2012, 2010 (special election), and 2018. The next election will be in 2024. 		C Class 2
Class 2 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2008, 2013 (special election), 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026.
# Senator Party Dates in office Electoral history T T Electoral history Dates in office Party Senator #
1  
Tristram Dalton 		Pro-
Admin. 		Mar 4, 1789 –
Mar 3, 1791 		Elected in 1788.
Lost re-election. 		1 1st 1 Elected in 1788. Mar 4, 1789 –
Jun 1, 1796 		Pro-
Admin. 		 
Caleb Strong 		1
2  
George Cabot 		Pro-
Admin. 		Mar 4, 1791 –
Jun 9, 1796 		Elected in 1790.
Resigned. 		2 2nd
3rd 2 Re-elected in 1793.
Resigned.
Federalist 4th Federalist
Vacant Jun 9, 1796 –
Jun 11, 1796 		Vacant Vacant Jun 1, 1796 –
Jun 11, 1796 		Vacant
3  
Benjamin Goodhue 		Federalist Jun 11, 1796 –
Nov 8, 1800 		Elected to finish Cabot's term. Elected to finish Strong's term.
Retired to run for the U.S. House of Representatives. 		Jun 11, 1796 –
Mar 3, 1799 		Federalist  
Theodore Sedgwick 		2
Also elected to full term in 1796.
Resigned. 		3 5th
6th 3 Elected in 1798.[7]
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of War. 		Mar 4, 1799 –
May 30, 1800 		Federalist  
Samuel Dexter 		3
Vacant May 31, 1800 –
Jun 5, 1800 		Vacant
Elected to finish Dexter's term.[8]
Resigned. 		Jun 6, 1800 –
Mar 3, 1803 		Federalist  
Dwight Foster 		4
Vacant Nov 8, 1800 –
Nov 14, 1800 		Vacant
4  
Jonathan Mason 		Federalist Nov 14, 1800 –
Mar 3, 1803 		Elected to finish Goodhue's term.
7th
Vacant Mar 2, 1803 –
Mar 3, 1803 		Vacant
5  
John Quincy Adams 		Federalist Mar 4, 1803 –
Jun 8, 1808 		Elected in 1803.[9]
Resigned, having lost re-election to the next term. 		4 8th Elected to finish Dexter's term. Mar 4, 1803 –
Mar 3, 1811 		Federalist  
Timothy Pickering 		5
9th 4 Re-elected in 1805.[10]
Lost re-election.
10th
6  
James Lloyd 		Federalist Jun 9, 1808 –
May 1, 1813 		Elected to finish Adams's term, having already been elected to the next term.
Elected in 1808.[11]
Resigned. 		5 11th
12th 5 State Senate failed to elect. Mar 4, 1811 –
Jun 28, 1811 		Vacant
Elected in 1811, to finish the vacant term.
Retired or lost re-election. 		Jun 29, 1811 –
Mar 3, 1817 		Democratic-
Republican 		 
Joseph Bradley Varnum 		6
13th
Vacant May 1, 1813 –
May 5, 1813 		Vacant
7  
Christopher Gore 		Federalist May 5, 1813 –
May 30, 1816 		Appointed to finish Lloyd's term.
Elected to full term in 1815.
Resigned. 		6 14th
Vacant May 31, 1816 –
Jun 11, 1816 		Vacant
8 Eli P. Ashmun Federalist Jun 12, 1816 –
May 10, 1818 		Elected to finish Gore's term.
Resigned.
15th 6 Elected in 1816.
Resigned to run for Mayor of Boston. 		Mar 4, 1817 –
May 30, 1822 		Federalist  
Harrison Gray Otis 		7
Vacant May 11, 1818 –
Jun 4, 1818 		Vacant
9  
Prentiss Mellen 		Federalist Jun 5, 1818 –
May 15, 1820 		Elected to finish Gore's term.
Resigned to become Chief Justice of Maine.
16th
Vacant May 16, 1820 –
Jun 12, 1820 		Vacant
10  
Elijah H. Mills 		Federalist Jun 12, 1820 –
Mar 3, 1827 		Elected to finish Gore's term.
Re-elected in 1820.
Lost re-election in 1826. 		7 17th
Vacant May 30, 1822 –
Jun 5, 1822 		Vacant
Elected to finish Otis's term. Jun 5, 1822 –
May 23, 1826 		Federalist  
James Lloyd 		8
18th 7 Re-elected in 1822.
Resigned.
National
Republican 		19th National
Republican
Vacant May 23, 1826 –
May 31, 1826 		Vacant
Elected to finish Lloyd's term. May 31, 1826 –
Mar 3, 1835 		National
Republican 		 
Nathaniel Silsbee 		9
Vacant Mar 4, 1827 –
Jun 8, 1827 		Vacant 8 20th
11  
Daniel Webster 		National
Republican 		Jun 8, 1827 –
Feb 22, 1841 		Elected late in 1827.
21st 8 Re-elected in 1828.
Retired.
22nd
Re-elected in 1833. 9 23rd
24th 9 Elected in 1835.
Resigned to become Governor of Massachusetts. 		Mar 4, 1835 –
Jan 5, 1841 		National
Republican 		 
John Davis 		10
Whig 25th Whig
Re-elected in 1839.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State. 		10 26th
Vacant Jan 5, 1841 –
Jan 13, 1841 		Vacant
Elected to finish Davis's term. Jan 13, 1841 –
Mar 16, 1845 		Whig  
Isaac C. Bates 		11
12  
Rufus Choate 		Whig Feb 23, 1841 –
Mar 3, 1845 		Elected to finish Webster's term.
Retired.
27th 10 Elected to full term in 1841.
Died.
28th
13  
Daniel Webster 		Whig Mar 4, 1845 –
Jul 22, 1850 		Elected in 1845.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State again. 		11 29th
Vacant Mar 16, 1845 –
Mar 24, 1845 		Vacant
Elected to finish Bates's term. Mar 24, 1845 –
Mar 3, 1853 		Whig  
John Davis 		12
30th 11 Re-elected in 1847.
Retired.
31st
Vacant Jul 23, 1850 –
Jul 30, 1850 		Vacant
14  
Robert C. Winthrop 		Whig Jul 30, 1850 –
Feb 1, 1851 		Appointed to continue Webster's term.
Lost election to finish Webster's term.
15  
Robert Rantoul Jr. 		Democratic Feb 1, 1851 –
Mar 3, 1851 		Elected to finish Webster's term.
Retired.
Vacant Mar 4, 1851 –
Apr 24, 1851 		The legislature initially deadlocked on who should succeed Daniel Webster. Sumner was eventually elected late. 12 32nd
16  
Charles Sumner 		Free Soil Apr 24, 1851 –
Mar 11, 1874
33rd 12 Elected in 1853.
Resigned. 		Mar 4, 1853 –
Jun 1, 1854 		Whig  
Edward Everett 		13
Vacant Jun 1, 1854 –
Jun 3, 1854 		Vacant
Appointed to continue Everett's term.
Successor was elected. 		Jun 3, 1854 –
Jan 31, 1855 		Whig  
Julius Rockwell 		14
Elected to finish Everett's term. Jan 31, 1855 –
Mar 3, 1873 		Know Nothing  
Henry Wilson 		15
34th Republican
Republican Re-elected in 1857. 13 35th
36th 13 Re-elected in 1859.
37th
Re-elected in 1863. 14 38th
39th 14 Re-elected in 1865.
40th
Re-elected in 1869.
Died. 		15 41st
42nd 15 Re-elected in 1871.
Resigned to become the Vice President of the United States.
Liberal Republican 43rd Vacant Mar 3, 1873 –
Mar 17, 1873 		Vacant
Elected to finish Wilson's term.
Lost renomination. 		Mar 17, 1873 –
Mar 3, 1877 		Republican  
George S. Boutwell 		16
Vacant Mar 12, 1874 –
Apr 16, 1874 		Vacant
17  
William B. Washburn 		Republican Apr 17, 1874 –
Mar 3, 1875 		Elected to finish Sumner's term.
Retired.
18  
Henry L. Dawes 		Republican Mar 4, 1875 –
Mar 3, 1893 		Elected in 1875. 16 44th
45th 16 Elected in 1877. Mar 4, 1877 –
Sep 30, 1904 		Republican  
George F. Hoar 		17
46th
Re-elected in 1881. 17 47th
48th 17 Re-elected in 1883.
49th
Re-elected in 1887.
Retired. 		18 50th
51st 18 Re-elected in 1889.
52nd
19  
Henry Cabot Lodge 		Republican Mar 4, 1893 –
Nov 9, 1924 		Elected in 1893. 19 53rd
54th 19 Re-elected in 1895.
55th
Re-elected in 1899. 20 56th
57th 20 Re-elected in 1901.
Died.
58th
Vacant Sep 30, 1904 –
Oct 12, 1904 		Vacant
Appointed to continue Hoar's term.
Elected to finish Hoar's term.[12] 		Oct 12, 1904 –
Mar 3, 1913 		Republican  
Winthrop M. Crane 		18
Re-elected in 1905.[12] 21 59th
60th 21 Re-elected in 1907.
Retired.
61st
Re-elected in 1911. 22 62nd
63rd 22 Elected in 1913.
Lost re-election. 		Mar 4, 1913 –
Mar 3, 1919 		Republican  
John W. Weeks 		19
64th
Re-elected in 1916. 23 65th
66th 23 Elected in 1918.
Lost re-election. 		Mar 4, 1919 –
Mar 3, 1925 		Democratic  
David I. Walsh 		20
67th
Re-elected in 1922.
Died. 		24 68th
Vacant Nov 9, 1924 –
Nov 13, 1924 		Vacant
20  
William M. Butler 		Republican Nov 13, 1924 –
Dec 6, 1926 		Appointed to continue Lodge's term.
Lost election to finish Lodge's term.
69th 24 Elected in 1924.
Retired. 		Mar 4, 1925 –
Mar 3, 1931 		Republican  
Frederick H. Gillett 		21
21  
David I. Walsh 		Democratic Dec 6, 1926 –
Jan 3, 1947 		Elected to finish Lodge's term.
70th
Re-elected in 1928. 25 71st
72nd 25 Elected in 1930.
Retired. 		Mar 4, 1931 –
Jan 3, 1937 		Democratic  
Marcus A. Coolidge 		22
73rd
Re-elected in 1934. 26 74th
75th 26 Elected in 1936. Jan 3, 1937 –
Feb 3, 1944 		Republican  
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. 		23
76th
Re-elected in 1940.
Lost re-election. 		27 77th
78th 27 Re-elected in 1942.
Resigned to return to active duty in the U.S. Army.
Vacant Feb 4, 1944 –
Feb 7, 1944 		Vacant
Appointed to continue Lodge's term.
Did not run for election to finish the term. 		Feb 8, 1944 –
Dec 19, 1944 		Republican  
Sinclair Weeks 		24
Elected to finish Lodge's term.
Didn't take seat until Jan 4, 1945 in order to remain Governor of Massachusetts. 		Dec 19, 1944 –
Jan 3, 1967 		Republican  
Leverett Saltonstall 		25
79th
22  
Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. 		Republican Jan 3, 1947 –
Jan 3, 1953 		Elected in 1946.
Lost re-election. 		28 80th
81st 28 Re-elected in 1948.
82nd
23  
John F. Kennedy 		Democratic Jan 3, 1953 –
Dec 22, 1960 		Elected in 1952. 29 83rd
84th 29 Re-elected in 1954.
85th
Re-elected in 1958.
Resigned to become U.S. President. 		30 86th
Vacant Dec 22, 1960 –
Dec 27, 1960 		Vacant
24  
Benjamin Smith 		Democratic Dec 27, 1960 –
Nov 7, 1962 		Appointed to continue John Kennedy's term.
Did not run for election to finish the term.
87th 30 Re-elected in 1960.
Retired.
25  
Ted Kennedy 		Democratic Nov 7, 1962 –
Aug 25, 2009 		Elected to finish his brother's term.
88th
Re-elected in 1964. 31 89th
90th 31 Elected in 1966. Jan 3, 1967 –
Jan 3, 1979 		Republican  
Edward Brooke 		26
91st
Re-elected in 1970. 32 92nd
93rd 32 Re-elected in 1972.
Lost re-election.
94th
Re-elected in 1976. 33 95th
96th 33 Elected in 1978.
Retired and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. 		Jan 3, 1979 –
Jan 2, 1985 		Democratic  
Paul Tsongas 		27
97th
Re-elected in 1982. 34 98th
Appointed to finish Tsongas's term, having already been elected to the next term. Jan 2, 1985 –
Feb 1, 2013 		Democratic  
John Kerry 		28
99th 34 Elected in 1984.
100th
Re-elected in 1988. 35 101st
102nd 35 Re-elected in 1990.
103rd
Re-elected in 1994. 36 104th
105th 36 Re-elected in 1996.
106th
Re-elected in 2000. 37 107th
108th 37 Re-elected in 2002.
109th
Re-elected in 2006.
Died. 		38 110th
111th 38 Re-elected in 2008.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.
Vacant Aug 25, 2009 –
Sep 24, 2009 		Vacant
26  
Paul G. Kirk 		Democratic Sep 24, 2009 –
Feb 4, 2010 		Appointed to continue Ted Kennedy's term.
Did not run for election to finish the term.[13]
27  
Scott Brown 		Republican Feb 4, 2010 –
Jan 3, 2013 		Elected to finish Ted Kennedy's term.
Lost re-election.
112th
28  
Elizabeth Warren 		Democratic Jan 3, 2013 –
present 		Elected in 2012. 39 113th
Appointed to continue Kerry's term.
Did not run for election to finish the term.[14] 		Feb 1, 2013 –
Jul 15, 2013 		Democratic  
Mo Cowan 		29
Elected to finish Kerry's term. Jul 16, 2013 –
present 		Democratic  
Ed Markey 		30
114th 39 Re-elected in 2014.
115th
Re-elected in 2018. 40 116th
117th 40 Re-elected in 2020.
118th
Re-elected in 2024. 41 119th
120th 41 To be determined in the 2026 election.
# Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T C T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator #
Class 1 Class 2

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Belluck, Pam (June 25, 2004). "Massachusetts Politicians Fight Over a Kerry Victory". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  2. ^ Zezima, Katie (July 2, 2004). "National Briefing: Massachusetts: Senate Approves Interim-Appointment Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  3. ^ Greenberger, Scott S. (July 31, 2004). "Romney veto overridden: Governor can no longer fill vacancies in the US Senate". Boston Globe. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  4. ^ Anderson, Rob (July 16, 2004). "Devil in the Details: After Kerry, The Deluge". The American Prospect. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  5. ^ "Chapter 236 of the Acts of 2004". Acts of 2004 (Session Laws). The General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. July 30, 2004. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  6. ^ Viser, Matt (September 23, 2009). "Legislature gives final approval to bill to fill Kennedy seat". The Boston Globe. Retrieved September 23, 2009.
  7. ^ "Massachusetts 1798 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 5, 2018., citing Connecticut Gazette (New London, CT). June 20, 1798.
  8. ^ "Massachusetts 1800 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 25, 2018., citing Hampshire Gazette (Northhampton). June 11, 1800. The Kentucky Gazette (Lexington, KY). Jul 3, 1800.
  9. ^ "Massachusetts 1803 U.S. Senate, Ballot 4". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 30, 2018., citing Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). Feb 5, 1803. The Independent Chronicle (Boston, MA). Feb 7, 1803. Columbian Centinel. Massachusetts Federalist (Boston, MA). Feb 9, 1803. Hampshire Gazette (Northampton, MA). Feb 9, 1803. Boston Gazette (Boston, MA). Feb 10, 1803. Republican Star or Eastern Shore General Advertiser (Easton, MD). Mar 1, 1803. Frederick-Town Herald (Fredericktown, MD). Mar 5, 1803.
  10. ^ "Massachusetts 1805 U.S. Senate, Ballot 3". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 29, 2018., citing The Providence Phoenix (Providence, RI). Feb 9, 1805.
  11. ^ "Massachusetts 1808 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 3, 2018., citing The Pittsfield Sun (Pittsfield, MA). Jun 11, 1808.
  12. ^ a b The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. New York: The Press Publishing Co. New York World. 1905. p. 108.
  13. ^ "Paul Kirk officially appointed state's interim senator". September 25, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
  14. ^ Battenfeld, Joe; Chabot, Hillary; Cassidy, Chris (January 30, 2013). "Gov names adviser Mo Cowan to interim Senate post". Boston Herald. Retrieved January 30, 2013.
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