List of United States senators from Tennessee

Tennessee was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796. Its United States Senate seats were declared vacant in March 1862 owing to its secession from the Union. They were again filled from July 1866. Tennessee's current Senators are Republicans Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty.

Current delegation

List of senators

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 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.

# Senator Party Dates in office Electoral history T T Electoral history Dates in office Party Senator #
Vacant June 1, 1796 –
August 2, 1796
Tennessee did not elect its Senators until two months after statehood. 1 4th 1 Tennessee did not elect its Senators until two months after statehood. June 1, 1796 –
August 2, 1796
Vacant
1
William Cocke
Democratic-Republican August 2, 1796 –
September 26, 1797
Elected in 1796. Elected in 1796.

Expelled for conspiracy with the Kingdom of Great Britain.
August 2, 1796 –
July 8, 1797
Democratic-Republican
William Blount
1
Appointed to begin the term due to legislature's failure to elect.[1]

Lost re-election.
2 5th
  July 8, 1797 –
September 26, 1797
Vacant
2
Andrew Jackson
Democratic-Republican September 26, 1797 –
April 1, 1798
Elected to finish Cocke's term.

Resigned.
Elected to finish Blount's term.

Resigned when elected to the Class 1 seat.
September 26, 1797 –
March 3, 1799
Democratic-Republican
Joseph Anderson
2
Vacant April 1, 1798 –
October 6, 1798
 
3 Daniel Smith Democratic-Republican October 6, 1798 –
March 3, 1799
Appointed to finish Jackson's term.

Retired.
4
Joseph Anderson
Democratic-Republican March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1803
Elected December 12, 1798 to finish Jackson's term. 6th 2 Elected December 12, 1798.

Retired or lost re-election.
March 4, 1799 –
March 3, 1805
Democratic-Republican
William Cocke
3
7th
Vacant March 4, 1803 –
September 22, 1803
Anderson's re-election was late. 3 8th

Joseph Anderson
Democratic-Republican September 22, 1803 –
March 3, 1809
Re-elected late September 22, 1803.
9th 3 Elected early September 23, 1803.

Resigned.
March 4, 1805 –
March 31, 1809
Democratic-Republican Daniel Smith 4
10th
March 4, 1809 –
April 11, 1809
Appointed to begin the term due to legislature's failure to elect.[1] 4 11th
  April 1, 1809 –
April 11, 1809
Vacant
April 11, 1809 –
March 3, 1815
Re-elected late in 1809.

Retired.
Elected to finish Smith's term. April 11, 1809 –
October 8, 1811
Democratic-Republican Jenkin Whiteside 5
12th 4 Re-elected early October 28, 1809.

Resigned.
Elected October 1, 1811 to finish Whiteside's term.[2]

Resigned.
October 8, 1811 –
February 11, 1814
Democratic-Republican
George W. Campbell
6
13th
  February 12, 1814 –
March 16, 1814
Vacant
Appointed to continue Campbell's term.

Retired when his successor was elected.
March 17, 1814 –
October 10, 1815
Democratic-Republican Jesse Wharton 7
Vacant March 4, 1815 –
October 10, 1815
5 14th
5
George W. Campbell
Democratic-Republican October 10, 1815 –
April 20, 1818
Elected late in 1815.

Resigned.
Elected to finish Campbell's term.

Legislature failed to elect.
October 10, 1815 –
March 3, 1823
Democratic-Republican
John Williams
8
15th 5 Appointed to begin the term.[3]

Elected October 2, 1817 to finish the term.[3]

Lost re-election.
Vacant April 20, 1818 –
September 27, 1818
 
6
John H. Eaton
Democratic-Republican September 5, 1818 –
March 4, 1821
Appointed to continue Cambell's term.

Elected October 9, 1819 to finish Cambell's term.[1]

Legislature failed to elect.
16th
Vacant March 4, 1821 –
September 27, 1821
  6 17th

John H. Eaton
Democratic-Republican September 27, 1821 –
March 9, 1829
Re-elected late in 1821.
18th 6 Elected in 1823.

Resigned.
March 4, 1823 –
October 14, 1825
Democratic-Republican
Andrew Jackson
9
Jacksonian 19th Jacksonian
  October 15, 1825 –
October 27, 1825
Vacant
Elected to finish Jackson's term. October 28, 1825 –
January 13, 1840
Jacksonian
Hugh Lawson White
10
Re-elected in 1826.

Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of War.
7 20th
21st 7 Re-elected in 1829.
Vacant March 9, 1829 –
October 19, 1829
 
7
Felix Grundy
Jacksonian October 19, 1829 –
July 4, 1838
Elected to finish Eaton's term.
22nd
Re-elected in 1833.

Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.
8 23rd
24th 8 Re-elected in 1835.[4]

Resigned because he could not conscientiously obey the instructions of his constituents.
Anti-Jacksonian
Democratic 25th Whig
Vacant July 5, 1838 –
September 16, 1838
 
8
Ephraim H. Foster
Whig September 17, 1838 –
March 3, 1839
Elected to finish Grundy's term.

Re-elected but resigned to avoid disobeying instructions given him by the state legislature.
Vacant March 3, 1839 –
November 19, 1839
  9 26th
9
Felix Grundy
Democratic November 19, 1839 –
December 19, 1840
Elected late in 1839.

Died.
  January 13, 1840 –
February 25, 1840
Vacant
Elected to finish White's term.

Retired.
February 25, 1840 –
March 3, 1841
Democratic
Alexander O. Anderson
11
Vacant December 19, 1840 –
December 25, 1840
 
10
Alfred O. P. Nicholson
Democratic December 25, 1840 –
February 7, 1842
Appointed to continue Grundy's term.

Retired or lost re-election.
27th 9 Legislature failed to elect. March 4, 1841 –
October 17, 1843
Vacant
Vacant February 7, 1842 –
October 17, 1843
 
28th
11
Ephraim H. Foster
Whig October 17, 1843 –
March 3, 1845
Elected to finish Grundy's term.

Retired or lost re-election.
Elected to finish the vacant term.

Lost re-election.
October 17, 1843 –
March 3, 1847
Whig
Spencer Jarnagin
12
12
Hopkins L. Turney
Democratic March 4, 1845 –
March 3, 1851
Elected in 1844.

Retired or lost re-election.
10 29th
30th 10 Legislature failed to elect. March 4, 1847 –
November 21, 1847
Vacant
Elected late in 1847 November 22, 1847 –
March 3, 1859
Whig
John Bell
13
31st
13
James C. Jones
Whig March 4, 1851 –
March 3, 1857
Elected in 1851.

Retired.
11 32nd
33rd 11 Re-elected in 1853.

Retired or lost re-election.
34th
Vacant March 4, 1857 –
October 8, 1857
Legislature failed to elect. 12 35th Know-Nothing
14
Andrew Johnson
Democratic October 8, 1857 –
March 4, 1862
Elected in 1857 to finish the term.

Resigned to become Military Governor of Tennessee.
36th 12 Elected in 1858.

Withdrew in anticipation of secession.
March 4, 1859 –
March 3, 1861
Democratic
Alfred O. P. Nicholson
14
37th American Civil War March 4, 1861 –
July 24, 1866
Vacant
Vacant March 4, 1862 –
July 24, 1866
American Civil War
13 38th
39th 13
15
David T. Patterson
Unionist July 24, 1866 –
March 3, 1869
Elected to finish the vacant term.

Retired.
Elected to finish the vacant term.

Retired.
July 24, 1866 –
March 3, 1871
Unionist
Joseph S. Fowler
15
Democratic 40th Republican
16
William G. Brownlow
Republican March 4, 1869 –
March 3, 1875
Elected in 1867 for the term beginning in 1869.

Retired.
14 41st
42nd 14 Elected during the 1870/71 cycle.

Retired.
March 4, 1871 –
March 3, 1877
Democratic
Henry Cooper
16
43rd
17
Andrew Johnson
Democratic March 4, 1875 –
July 31, 1875
Elected in 1875.

Died.
15 44th
18
David M. Key
Democratic August 18, 1875 –
January 19, 1877
Appointed to continue Johnson's term.

Lost election to finish Johnson's term.
19
James E. Bailey
Democratic January 19, 1877 –
March 3, 1881
Elected to finish Johnson's term.

Lost re-election.
45th 15 Elected in 1877. March 4, 1877 –
July 8, 1897
Democratic
Isham G. Harris
17
46th
20
Howell Jackson
Democratic March 4, 1881 –
April 14, 1886
Elected during the 1880/81 cycle.

Resigned to become U.S. Circuit Judge.
16 47th
48th 16 Re-elected in 1883.
49th
Vacant April 14, 1886 –
April 16, 1886
 
21
Washington C. Whitthorne
Democratic April 16, 1886 –
March 3, 1887
Appointed to finish Jackson's term.

Retired or lost re-election.
22
William B. Bate
Democratic March 4, 1887 –
March 9, 1905
Elected in 1887. 17 50th
51st 17 Re-elected in 1889.
52nd
Re-elected in 1893. 18 53rd
54th 18 Re-elected in 1895.

Died.
55th
  July 9, 1897 –
July 19, 1897
Vacant
Appointed to continue Harris's term.

Elected February 2, 1898 to finish Harris's term.[5]

Retired.
July 20, 1897 –
March 3, 1901
Democratic
Thomas B. Turley
18
Re-elected in 1899 19 56th
57th 19 Elected January 16, 1901.

Lost renomination.[6]
March 4, 1901 –
March 3, 1907
Democratic
Edward W. Carmack
19
58th
Re-elected in 1905.

Died.
20 59th
Vacant March 10, 1905 –
March 20, 1905
 
23
James B. Frazier
Democratic March 21, 1905 –
March 3, 1911
Elected to finish Bate's term.

Lost re-election.
60th 20 Elected on January 15, 1907.[6]

Died.
March 4, 1907 –
March 31, 1912
Democratic
Robert Love Taylor
20
61st
24
Luke Lea
Democratic March 4, 1911 –
March 3, 1917
Elected January 23, 1911.

Lost renomination.
21 62nd
  April 1, 1912 –
April 10, 1912
Vacant
Appointed to continue Taylor's term.

Retired when his successor was elected.
April 11, 1912 –
January 24, 1913
Republican
Newell Sanders
21
Elected to finish Taylor's term.

Retired.
January 24, 1913 –
March 3, 1913
Democratic
William R. Webb
22
63rd 21 Elected on January 23, 1913. March 4, 1913 –
March 3, 1925
Democratic
John K. Shields
23
64th
25
Kenneth McKellar
Democratic March 4, 1917 –
January 3, 1953
Elected in 1916. 22 65th
66th 22 Re-elected in 1918.

Lost renomination.
67th
Re-elected in 1922. 23 68th
69th 23 Elected in 1924.

Died.
March 4, 1925 –
August 24, 1929
Democratic
Lawrence D. Tyson
24
70th
Re-elected in 1928. 24 71st
  August 25, 1929 –
September 1, 1929
Vacant
Appointed to continue Tyson's term.

Elected November 4, 1930 to finish Tyson's term.[5]

Retired.
September 2, 1929 –
March 3, 1931
Democratic
William E. Brock
25
72nd 24 Elected in 1930.

Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State.
March 4, 1931 –
March 3, 1933
Democratic
Cordell Hull
26
73rd Appointed to continue Hull's term.

Elected November 7, 1934 to finish Hull's term.[5]
March 4, 1933 –
April 23, 1937
Democratic
Nathan L. Bachman
27
Re-elected in 1934. 25 74th
75th 25 Re-elected in 1936.

Died.
  April 24, 1937 –
May 5, 1937
Vacant
Appointed to continue Bachman's term.

Retired when his successor was elected.
May 6, 1937 –
November 8, 1938
Democratic
George L. Berry
28
Elected to finish Bachman's term.

Although eligible and elected, did not take his seat as he preferred to remain as District Attorney General. Nevertheless, service begins when eligible and elected, not upon the taking of an oath.
November 9, 1938 –
January 3, 1949
Democratic
Tom Stewart
29
76th
Re-elected in 1940. 26 77th
78th 26 Re-elected in 1942.

Lost renomination.
79th
Re-elected in 1946.

Lost renomination.
27 80th
81st 27 Elected in 1948. January 3, 1949 –
August 10, 1963
Democratic
Estes Kefauver
30
82nd
26
Albert A. Gore
Democratic January 3, 1953 –
January 3, 1971
Elected in 1952. 28 83rd
84th 28 Re-elected in 1954.
85th
Re-elected in 1958. 29 86th
87th 29 Re-elected in 1960.

Died.
88th
  August 10, 1963 –
August 20, 1963
Vacant
Appointed to continue Kefauver's term
Retired
August 20, 1963 –
November 3, 1964
Democratic
Herbert S. Walters
31
Elected to finish Kefauver's term.

Lost renomination.
November 4, 1964 –
January 2, 1967
Democratic
Ross Bass
32
Re-elected in 1964.

Lost re-election.
30 89th
90th 30 Elected in 1966. January 3, 1967 –
January 3, 1985
Republican
Howard H. Baker Jr.
33
91st
27
Bill Brock
Republican January 3, 1971 –
January 3, 1977
Elected in 1970.

Lost re-election.
31 92nd
93rd 31 Re-elected in 1972.
94th
28
Jim Sasser
Democratic January 3, 1977 –
January 3, 1995
Elected in 1976. 32 95th
96th 32 Re-elected in 1978.

Retired.
97th
Re-elected in 1982. 33 98th
99th 33 Elected in 1984. January 3, 1985 –
January 2, 1993
Democratic
Albert A. Gore Jr.
34
100th
Re-elected in 1988.

Lost re-election.
34 101st
102nd 34 Re-elected in 1990.

Resigned to become Vice President of the United States.
Appointed to continue Gore's term.

Retired when his successor was elected.
January 2, 1993 –
December 2, 1994
Democratic
Harlan Mathews
35
103rd
Elected to finish Gore's term. December 2, 1994 –
January 3, 2003
Republican
Fred Thompson
36
29
Bill Frist
Republican January 3, 1995 –
January 3, 2007
Elected in 1994. 35 104th
105th 35 Re-elected in 1996.

Retired.
106th
Re-elected in 2000.

Retired.
36 107th
108th 36 Elected in 2002. January 3, 2003 –
January 3, 2021
Republican
Lamar Alexander
37
109th
30
Bob Corker
Republican January 3, 2007 –
January 3, 2019
Elected in 2006. 37 110th
111th 37 Re-elected in 2008.
112th
Re-elected in 2012.

Retired.
38 113th
114th 38 Re-elected in 2014.

Retired.
115th
31
Marsha Blackburn
Republican January 3, 2019 –
Present
Elected in 2018. 39 116th
117th 39 Elected in 2020. January 3, 2021 –
Present
Republican
Bill Hagerty
38
118th
To be determined in the 2024 election. 40 119th
120th 40 To be determined in the 2026 election.
# Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T   T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator #
Class 1 Class 2

Living former senators

As of February 2021, there are six living former U.S. senators from Tennessee. The most recent and most recently serving senator to die was Fred Thompson (served 1994–2003) on November 1, 2015.

Senator Term of office Date of birth (and age)
Bill Brock 1971–1977 (1930-11-23) November 23, 1930
Jim Sasser 1977–1995 (1936-09-30) September 30, 1936
Al Gore 1985–1993 (1948-03-31) March 31, 1948
Bill Frist 1995–2007 (1952-02-22) February 22, 1952
Lamar Alexander 2003–2021 (1940-07-03) July 3, 1940
Bob Corker 2007–2019 (1952-08-24) August 24, 1952

Notes

  1. Byrd, p. 169.
  2. "Tennessee 1811 U.S. Senate, Special". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved January 29, 2018., citing Wilson's Knoxville Gazette (Knoxville, TN). October 7, 1811.
  3. Byrd, p. 170.
  4. "WHITE, Hugh Lawson, (1773–1840)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. U.S. Congress. Retrieved June 23, 2011.
  5. Byrd, p. 171.
  6. The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1908. New York: The Tribune Association. 1908. p. 260.

References

See also

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