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 Lady, can place an individual higher in the order of precedence.

Determining the beginning of a term

A term 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 the date of the appointment, not necessarily the date of taking the oath of office. In the case of Senators taking vacant seats in special elections, the term begins on Election Day. However, in both of these cases, if the incoming Senator is a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives at the time, he/she must resign from the House before her/his term in the Senate begins.

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. 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, Barbara Mikulski, Richard Shelby, John McCain and Harry Reid all took office on January 3, 1987, and each had previously served in the House of Representatives. Mikulski, having served 10 years, is more senior than Shelby, who served 8. They are both more senior than McCain and Reid, who each served 4 years. McCain outranks Reid because Arizona's population was larger than Nevada's at the 1980 census.

Current seniority list

Only relevant factors are listed below. For senators whose seniority is based on their states' respective populations, the state population ranking is given as determined by the relevant United States Census current at the time they first took their seat.^[2][3][4][5]

Republican R (54)       Democratic D (44)       Independent I (2)
Current rank	Historical rank:[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			President pro tempore emeritus Ranking Member: Judiciary
2	1708	Orrin Hatch R-Utah		January 3, 1977			President pro tempore Chairman: Finance
3	1719	Thad Cochran R-Mississippi		December 27, 1978[n 1]			Chairman: Appropriations
4	1745	Chuck Grassley R-Iowa		January 3, 1981			Chairman: Judiciary
5	1766	Mitch McConnell R-Kentucky		January 3, 1985			Majority Leader
6	1773	Barbara Mikulski D-Maryland		January 3, 1987	Former Representative (10 years)		Ranking Member: Appropriations
7	1775	Richard Shelby R-Alabama[n 2]			Former Representative (8 years)		Chairman: Banking
8	1777	John McCain R-Arizona			Former Representative (4 years)	Arizona 29th in population (1980)	Chairman: Armed Services
9	1778	Harry Reid D-Nevada				Nevada 43rd in population (1980)	Minority Leader Democratic Caucus Chair
10	1801	Dianne Feinstein D-California		November 4, 1992			Ranking Member: Intelligence
11	1804	Barbara Boxer[n 3] D-California		January 3, 1993	Former Representative		Ranking Member: Environment Vice Chairwoman: Ethics
12	1810	Patty Murray D-Washington					Ranking Member: HELP Democratic Caucus Secretary
13	1816	Jim Inhofe R-Oklahoma		November 16, 1994			Chairman: Environment
14	1827	Ron Wyden D-Oregon		February 6, 1996			Ranking Member: Finance
15	1830	Pat Roberts R-Kansas		January 3, 1997	Former Representative (16 years)		Chairman: Agriculture
16	1831	Dick Durbin D-Illinois			Former Representative (14 years)		Minority Whip
17	1835	Jack Reed D-Rhode Island			Former Representative (6 years)		Ranking Member: Armed Services
18	1839	Jeff Sessions R-Alabama			Alabama 22nd in population (1990)
19	1842	Susan Collins R-Maine			Maine 38th in population (1990)		Chairwoman: Aging
20	1843	Mike Enzi R-Wyoming			Wyoming 50th in population (1990)		Chairman: Budget
21	1844	Chuck Schumer D-New York		January 3, 1999	Former Representative (18 years)		Ranking Member: Rules Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Democratic Policy Chair
22	1846	Mike Crapo R-Idaho			Former Representative (6 years)
23	1854	Bill Nelson D-Florida		January 3, 2001	Former Representative (12 years)		Ranking Member: Commerce
24	1855	Tom Carper D-Delaware			Former Representative (10 years)		Ranking Member: Homeland Security
25	1856	Debbie Stabenow D-Michigan			Former Representative (4 years)		Ranking Member: Agriculture Democratic Policy Vice Chair
26	1859	Maria Cantwell D-Washington			Former Representative (2 years)		Ranking Member: Energy
27	1873	Lisa Murkowski R-Alaska		December 20, 2002			Chairwoman: Energy
28	1867	Lindsey Graham R-South Carolina		January 3, 2003	Former Representative
29	1869	Lamar Alexander R-Tennessee			Former Cabinet member		Chairman: HELP
30	1871	John Cornyn[n 4] R-Texas					Majority Whip
31	1876	Richard Burr R-North Carolina		January 3, 2005	Former Representative (10 years)		Chairman: Intelligence
32	1879	John Thune R-South Dakota			Former Representative (6 years)		Chairman: Commerce Republican Conference Chairman
33	1880	Johnny Isakson R-Georgia			Former Representative (5 yrs., 10 mos.)		Chairman: Veterans' Affairs Chairman: Ethics
34	1881	David Vitter R-Louisiana			Former Representative (5 yrs., 7 mos.)		Chairman: Small Business
35	1885	Bob Menendez D-New Jersey		January 17, 2006[n 1]
36	1886	Ben Cardin D-Maryland		January 3, 2007	Former Representative (20 years)		Ranking Member: Foreign Relations
37	1887	Bernie Sanders I-Vermont[n 5]			Former Representative (16 years)		Ranking Member: Budget
38	1888	Sherrod Brown D-Ohio			Former Representative (14 years)		Ranking Member: Banking
39	1890	Bob Casey, Jr. D-Pennsylvania			Pennsylvania 6th in population (2000)
40	1891	Bob Corker R-Tennessee			Tennessee 16th in population (2000)		Chairman: Foreign Relations
41	1892	Claire McCaskill D-Missouri			Missouri 17th in population (2000)		Ranking Member: Aging
42	1893	Amy Klobuchar D-Minnesota			Minnesota 21st in population (2000)
43	1894	Sheldon Whitehouse D-Rhode Island			Rhode Island 43rd in population (2000)
44	1895	Jon Tester D-Montana			Montana 44th in population (2000)		Vice Chairman: Indian Affairs Chairman: DSCC
45	1896	John Barrasso R-Wyoming		June 22, 2007			Chairman: Indian Affairs Republican Policy Chair
46	1897	Roger Wicker R-Mississippi		December 31, 2007[n 1]			Chairman: NRSC
47	1899	Tom Udall D-New Mexico		January 3, 2009	Former Representative
48	1901	Jeanne Shaheen D-New Hampshire			Former Governor (6 years)		Ranking Member: Small Business
49	1902	Mark Warner D-Virginia			Former Governor (4 years)
50	1903	Jim Risch R-Idaho			Former Governor (7 months)
51	1905	Jeff Merkley D-Oregon
52	1909	Michael Bennet D-Colorado		January 21, 2009[n 1]
53	1910	Kirsten Gillibrand D-New York		January 26, 2009[n 1]
54	1911	Al Franken D-Minnesota		July 7, 2009[n 6]
55	1916	Joe Manchin D-West Virginia		November 15, 2010	Former Governor
56	1917	Chris Coons D-Delaware
57	1918	Mark Kirk R-Illinois		November 29, 2010
58	1785	Dan Coats R-Indiana		January 3, 2011	Former Senator[n 7]
59	1919	Roy Blunt R-Missouri			Former Representative (14 years)	Missouri 17th in population (2000)	Chairman: Rules Republican Conference Vice Chair
60	1920	Jerry Moran R-Kansas				Kansas 33rd in population (2000)
61	1921	Rob Portman R-Ohio			Former Representative (12 years)
62	1922	John Boozman R-Arkansas			Former Representative (10 years)
63	1923	Pat Toomey R-Pennsylvania			Former Representative (6 years)
64	1924	John Hoeven R-North Dakota			Former Governor
65	1925	Marco Rubio R-Florida			Florida 4th in population (2000)
66	1926	Ron Johnson R-Wisconsin			Wisconsin 20th in population (2000)		Chairman: Homeland Security
67	1927	Rand Paul R-Kentucky			Kentucky 25th in population (2000)
68	1928	Richard Blumenthal D-Connecticut			Connecticut 29th in population (2000)		Ranking Member: Veterans' Affairs
69	1929	Mike Lee R-Utah			Utah 34th in population (2000)
70	1930	Kelly Ayotte R-New Hampshire			New Hampshire 42nd in population (2000)
71	1931	Dean Heller R-Nevada		May 9, 2011
72	1932	Brian Schatz D-Hawaii		December 26, 2012[n 1]
73	1933	Tim Scott R-South Carolina		January 2, 2013[n 1]
74	1934	Tammy Baldwin D-Wisconsin		January 3, 2013	Former Representative (14 years)
75	1935	Jeff Flake R-Arizona			Former Representative (12 years)
76	1936	Joe Donnelly D-Indiana			Former Representative (6 years)	Indiana 15th in population (2010)
77	1937	Chris Murphy D-Connecticut				Connecticut 29th in population (2010)
78	1938	Mazie Hirono D-Hawaii				Hawaii 40th in population (2010)
79	1939	Martin Heinrich D-New Mexico			Former Representative (4 years)
80	1940	Angus King I-Maine			Former Governor (8 years)
81	1941	Tim Kaine D-Virginia			Former Governor (4 years)
82	1942	Ted Cruz R-Texas			Texas 2nd in population (2010)
83	1943	Elizabeth Warren D-Massachusetts			Massachusetts 14th in population (2010)
84	1944	Deb Fischer[n 8] R-Nebraska			Nebraska 38th in population (2010)
85	1945	Heidi Heitkamp D-North Dakota			North Dakota 48th in population (2010)
86	1948	Ed Markey D-Massachusetts		July 16, 2013
87	1949	Cory Booker D-New Jersey		October 31, 2013
88	1951	Shelley Moore Capito R-West Virginia		January 3, 2015	Former Representative (14 years)
89	1952	Gary Peters D-Michigan			Former Representative (6 years)	Michigan 8th in population (2010)
90	1953	Bill Cassidy R-Louisiana				Louisiana 25th in population (2010)
91	1954	Cory Gardner R-Colorado			Former Representative (4 years)	Colorado 22nd in population (2010)
92	1955	James Lankford R-Oklahoma				Oklahoma 28th in population (2010)
93	1956	Tom Cotton R-Arkansas			Former Representative (2 years)	Arkansas 32nd in population (2010)
94	1957	Steve Daines R-Montana				Montana 44th in population (2010)
95	1958	Mike Rounds R-South Dakota			Former Governor
96	1959	David Perdue R-Georgia			Georgia 9th in population (2010)
97	1960	Thom Tillis R-North Carolina			North Carolina 10th in population (2010)
98	1961	Joni Ernst R-Iowa			Iowa 30th in population (2010)
99	1962	Ben Sasse R-Nebraska			Nebraska 38th in population (2010)
100	1963	Dan Sullivan R-Alaska			Alaska 47th in population (2010)
Rank	Historical rank	Senator Party-State		Seniority date	First tie-breaker	Second tie-breaker	Committee and leadership positions

See also

• List of current members of the United States House of Representatives by seniority
• List of members of the United States Congress by longevity of service

Notes

1. 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.
2. Richard Shelby's 1994 party change did not break his service or seniority.
3. Barbara Boxer (#11) is the Senate's most senior junior senator.
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. Although Sanders was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for President in 2016, and has voted with the Democratic Party for organizational purposes throughout his time in Congress, he has never been a Democratic Senator.
6. Al Franken was elected to the Senate term that began January 3, 2009, but, due to legal challenges, was not sworn in until July 7, 2009 (see United States Senate election in Minnesota, 2008 for more details). His seniority date is based on the date he was sworn in.^[6]
7. Dan Coats previously served in the Senate from 1989 to 1999.
8. Deb Fischer (#84) is the Senate's most junior senior senator.

References

1. "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. "1981 U.S Census Report" (PDF).
3. "1991 U.S Census Report" (PDF).
4. American FactFinder, United States Census Bureau. "2000 Census State Population Rankings". Factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved May 28, 2010.
5. "Resident Population Data (Text Version) - 2010 Census, by state and census region".
6. Rushing, J. Taylor (July 8, 2009). "Franken ranks last in Senate seniority". The Hill. Archived from the original on September 29, 2009. Retrieved September 25, 2009.