United States congressional delegations from Delaware

This is a chronological listing, in timeline format, of the United States Congressional Delegations from Delaware to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. U.S Senators are elected by popular vote for a six-year term, beginning January 3. Since 1831, elections in Delaware have been held in the first week of November of the year noted. Before 1914 United States Senators were chosen by the Delaware General Assembly and before 1935 all Congressional terms began March 4.

The dates for the various Congress represent the range of dates they could have been in session, rather than the actual dates of the sessions. Congressional terms began on March 4 through 1933. Since 1935 they have begun on January 3. The juxtaposition of the terms with the sessions is approximate; see the footnotes for actual dates of special appointments, elections, resignations or deaths.

Current delegation

Senator Tom Carper (D)

Senator Chris Coons (D)

---

Rep. John Carney (D)

Delaware's current delegation

United States Senate

The alternating grey and white boxes indicate the duration of the six-year Senate terms.

Class 1 Senator		Congress	Class 2 Senator
George Read (F)		1st (1789–1791)		Richard Bassett (F)
		2nd (1791–1793)
		3rd (1793–1795)		John M. Vining (F)
Henry Latimer (F)
		4th (1795–1797)
		5th (1797–1799)		Joshua Clayton (F)
		6th (1799–1801)		William H. Wells (F)
Samuel White (F)		7th (1801–1803)
		8th (1803–1805)
		9th (1805–1807)		James A. Bayard, Sr. (F)
		10th (1807–1809)
Outerbridge Horsey (F)		11th (1809–1811)
		12th (1811–1813)
		13th (1813–1815)		William H. Wells (F)
		14th (1815–1817)
		15th (1817–1819)		Nicholas Van Dyke (F)
		16th (1819–1821)
Vacant		17th (1821–1823)
Caesar A. Rodney (D-R)
Vacant
		18th (1823–1825)
Thomas Clayton (Anti-J)
		19th (1825–1827)		Daniel Rodney (Anti-J)
Louis McLane (D)		20th (1827–1829)		Henry M. Ridgely (D)
Arnold Naudain (W)		21st (1829–1831)		John M. Clayton (W)
		22nd (1831–1833)
		23rd (1833–1835)
Richard H. Bayard (W)		24th (1835–1837)
		25th (1837–1839)		Thomas Clayton (W)
Vacant		26th (1839–1841)
Richard H. Bayard (W)		27th (1841–1843)
		28th (1843–1845)
John M. Clayton (W)		29th (1845–1847)
		30th (1847–1849)		Presley Spruance (W)
John Wales (W)		31st (1849–1851)
James A. Bayard, Jr. (D)		32nd (1851–1853)
		33rd (1853–1855)		John M. Clayton (W)
		34th (1855–1857)		Joseph P. Comegys (W)
		35th (1857–1859)		Martin W. Bates (D)
		36th (1859–1861)		Willard Saulsbury, Sr. (D)
		37th (1861–1863)
George R. Riddle (D)		38th (1863–1865)
		39th (1865–1867)
James A. Bayard, Jr. (D)		40th (1867–1869)
Thomas F. Bayard, Sr. (D)		41st (1869–1871)
		42nd (1871–1873)		Eli M. Saulsbury (D)
		43rd (1873–1875)
		44th (1875–1877)
		45th (1877–1879)
		46th (1879–1881)
		47th (1881–1883)
		48th (1883–1885)
George Gray (D)		49th (1885–1887)
		50th (1887–1889)
		51st (1889–1891)		Anthony Higgins (R)
		52nd (1891–1893)
		53rd (1893–1895)
		54th (1895–1897)		Vacant
		55th (1897–1899)		Richard R. Kenney (D)
Vacant		56th (1899–1901)
		57th (1901–1903)		Vacant
L. Heisler Ball (R)		58th (1903–1905)		J. Frank Allee (R)
Vacant		59th (1905–1907)
Henry A. du Pont (R)
		60th (1907–1909)		Harry A. Richardson (R)
		61st (1909–1911)
		62nd (1911–1913)
		63rd (1913–1915)		Willard Saulsbury, Jr. (D)
		64th (1915–1917)
Josiah O. Wolcott (D)		65th (1917–1919)
		66th (1919–1921)		L. Heisler Ball (R)
T. Coleman du Pont (R)		67th (1921–1923)
Thomas F. Bayard, Jr. (D)		68th (1923–1925)
		69th (1925–1927)		T. Coleman du Pont (R)
		70th (1927–1929)
John G. Townsend, Jr. (R)		71st (1929–1931)		Daniel O. Hastings (R)
		72nd (1931–1933)
		73rd (1933–1935)
		74th (1935–1937)
		75th (1937–1939)		James H. Hughes (D)
		76th (1939–1941)
James M. Tunnell (D)		77th (1941–1943)
		78th (1943–1945)		C. Douglass Buck (R)
		79th (1945–1947)
John J. Williams (R)		80th (1947–1949)
		81st (1949–1951)		J. Allen Frear, Jr. (D)
		82nd (1951–1953)
		83rd (1953–1955)
		84th (1955–1957)
		85th (1957–1959)
		86th (1959–1961)
		87th (1961–1963)		J. Caleb Boggs (R)
		88th (1963–1965)
		89th (1965–1967)
		90th (1967–1969)
		91st (1969–1971)
William V. Roth, Jr. (R)		92nd (1971–1973)
		93rd (1973–1975)		Joe Biden (D)
		94th (1975–1977)
		95th (1977–1979)
		96th (1979–1981)
		97th (1981–1983)
		98th (1983–1985)
		99th (1985–1987)
		100th (1987–1989)
		101st (1989–1991)
		102nd (1991–1993)
		103rd (1993–1995)
		104th (1995–1997)
		105th (1997–1999)
		106th (1999–2001)
Tom Carper (D)		107th (2001–2003)
		108th (2003–2005)
		109th (2005–2007)
		110th (2007–2009)
		111th (2009–2011)
				Ted Kaufman (D)
				Chris Coons (D)
		112th (2011–2013)
		113th (2013–2015)
		114th (2015–2017)

United States House of Representatives

U.S Representatives are elected by popular vote for a two-year term, beginning January 3. Since 1831, Delaware elections have been held the first week of November of the year noted. Before 1831, elections were held in October and before 1935 all Congressional terms began March 4.

In Delaware all representatives have been elected from the state at large, rather than by district. There has always been the minimum one representative, except for the Thirteenth through Seventeenth Congress (1813–1823), when there were two representatives.

Congress	Representative (at large)
1st (1789–1791)	John M. Vining (Pro-Admin)
2nd (1791–1793)
3rd (1793–1795)	John Patten (Anti-Admin)[1]
	Henry Latimer (F)[2][3]
4th (1795–1797)	John Patten (D-R)
5th (1797–1799)	James A. Bayard, Sr. (F)
6th (1799–1801)
7th (1801–1803)
8th (1803–1805)	Caesar A. Rodney (D-R)
9th (1805–1807)	James M. Broom (F)[4]
10th (1807–1809)	Nicholas Van Dyke (F)[5]
11th (1809–1811)
12th (1811–1813)	Henry M. Ridgely (F)
Congress	Representative (at large)	Representative (at large)
13th (1813–1815)	Henry M. Ridgely (F)	Thomas Cooper (F)
14th (1815–1817)	Thomas Clayton (F)
15th (1817–1819)	Louis McLane (F)	Willard Hall (D-R)[6]
16th (1819–1821)
17th (1821–1823)		Caesar A. Rodney (D-R)[7]
		Daniel Rodney (F) [8]
Congress	Representative (at large)
18th (1823–1825)	Louis McLane (F)[9]
19th (1825–1827)
20th (1827–1829)	Kensey Johns, Jr. (F)[10]
21st (1829–1831)
22nd (1831–1833)	John J. Milligan (W)
23rd (1833–1835)
24th (1835–1837)
25th (1837–1839)
26th (1839–1841)	Thomas Robinson, Jr. (D)
27th (1841–1843)	George B. Rodney (W)
28th (1843–1845)
29th (1845–1847)	John W. Houston (W)
30th (1847–1849)
31st (1849–1851)
32nd (1851–1853)	George R. Riddle (D)
33rd (1853–1855)
34th (1855–1857)	Elisha D. Cullen (K-N)
35th (1857–1859)	William G. Whiteley (D)
36th (1859–1861)
37th (1861–1863)	George P. Fisher (U)
38th (1863–1865)	William Temple (D)[11]
	Nathaniel B. Smithers (UU)[12]
39th (1865–1867)	John A. Nicholson (D)
40th (1867–1869)
41st (1869–1871)	Benjamin T. Biggs (D)
42nd (1871–1873)
43rd (1873–1875)	James R. Lofland (R)
44th (1875–1877)	James Williams (D)
45th (1877–1879)
46th (1879–1881)	Edward L. Martin (D)
47th (1881–1883)
48th (1883–1885)	Charles B. Lore (D)
49th (1885–1887)
50th (1887–1889)	John B. Penington (D)
51st (1889–1891)
52nd (1891–1893)	John W. Causey (D)
53rd (1893–1895)
54th (1895–1897)	Jonathan S. Willis (R)
55th (1897–1899)	L. Irving Handy (D)
56th (1899–1901)	John H. Hoffecker (R)[13]
	Walter O. Hoffecker (R)[14]
57th (1901–1903)	L. Heisler Ball (R)[15]
58th (1903–1905)	Henry A. Houston (D)
59th (1905–1907)	Hiram R. Burton (R)
60th (1907–1909)
61st (1909–1911)	William H. Heald (R)
62nd (1911–1913)
63rd (1913–1915)	Franklin Brockson (D)
64th (1915–1917)	Thomas W. Miller (R)
65th (1917–1919)	Albert F. Polk (D)
66th (1919–1921)	Caleb R. Layton (R)
67th (1921–1923)
68th (1923–1925)	William H. Boyce (D)
69th (1925–1927)	Robert G. Houston (R)
70th (1927–1929)
71st (1929–1931)
72nd (1931–1933)
73rd (1933–1935)	Wilbur L. Adams (D)
74th (1935–1937)	J. George Stewart (R)
75th (1937–1939)	William F. Allen (D)
76th (1939–1941)	George S. Williams (R)
77th (1941–1943)	Philip A. Traynor (D)
78th (1943–1945)	Earle D. Willey (R)
79th (1945–1947)	Philip A. Traynor (D)
80th (1947–1949)	J. Caleb Boggs (R)
81st (1949–1951)
82nd (1951–1953)
83rd (1953–1955)	Herbert B. Warburton (R)
84th (1955–1957)	Harris B. McDowell, Jr. (D)
85th (1957–1959)	Harry G. Haskell, Jr. (R)
86th (1959–1961)	Harris B. McDowell, Jr. (D)
87th (1961–1963)
88th (1963–1965)
89th (1965–1967)
90th (1967–1969)	William V. Roth, Jr. (R)[16]
91st (1969–1971)
92nd (1971–1973)	Pierre S. du Pont, IV (R)
93rd (1973–1975)
94th (1975–1977)
95th (1977–1979)	Thomas B. Evans, Jr. (R)
96th (1979–1981)
97th (1981–1983)
98th (1983–1985)	Thomas R. Carper (D)
99th (1985–1987)
100th (1987–1989)
101st (1989–1991)
102nd (1991–1993)
103rd (1993–1995)	Michael N. Castle (R)
104th (1995–1997)
105th (1997–1999)
106th (1999–2001)
107th (2001–2003)
108th (2003–2005)
109th (2005–2007)
110th (2007–2009)
111th (2009-2011)
112th (2011-2013)	John C. Carney, Jr. (D)
113th (2013-2015)
114th (2015-2017)
115th (2017-2019)	Lisa Blunt Rochester (D)

Key

Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress
American (Know Nothing) (K-N) Adams (A), Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J), National Republican (NR) Anti-Administration (Anti-Admin) Anti-Masonic (Anti-M) Conservative (Con) Democratic (D)	Dixiecrat (Dix), States' rights (SR) Democratic-Republican (D-R) Farmer–Labor (FL) Federalist (F) Free Soil (FS) Free Silver (FSv) Fusion (FU)	Greenback (GB) Jacksonian (J) Nonpartisan League (NPL) Nullifier (N) Opposition (O) Populist (Pop) Pro-Administration (Pro-Admin)	Progressive (Prog) Prohibition (Proh) Readjuster (Rea) Republican (R) Socialist (Soc) Unionist (U) Whig (W)	Independent, None, or Unaffiliated

Living former Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware

As of April 2015, there are four former members of the U.S. House of Representatives from the U.S. State of Delaware who are currently living at this time.

Representative	Term of office	District	Date of birth (and age)
Pierre S. du Pont IV	1971–1977	At-large	January 22, 1935
Thomas B. Evans, Jr.	1977–1983	At-large	November 5, 1931
Tom Carper	1983–1993	At-large	January 23, 1947
Michael Castle	1993–2011	At-large	July 2, 1939

Living former U.S. Senators from Delaware

As of April 2015, there are two former U.S. Senators from the U.S. State of Delaware who are currently living at this time, two from Class 2.

Senator	Term of office	Class	Date of birth (and age)
Joe Biden	1973–2009	2	November 20, 1942
Ted Kaufman	2009–2010	2	March 15, 1939

References

• Barone, Michael & Richard E. Cohen (2005). The Almanac of American Politics. Washington: National Journal Group. ISBN 0-89234-112-2.

1. contested election, served until February 14, 1794, when a successor was selected.
2. successfully contested election of John Patten, seated February 14, 1794.
3. resigned February 7, 1795 to become U.S. Senator.
4. resigned October 6, 1807, before Tenth Congress assembled.
5. elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of James M. Broom, seated December 2, 1807.
6. resigned January 22, 1821.
7. resigned January 24, 1822 to become U.S. Senator.
8. elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Caesar A. Rodney, seated December 2, 1822.
9. resigned March 3, 1827 to become U.S. Senator.
10. elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Louis McLane in the preceding Congress, seated December 3, 1827.
11. died May 28, 1863, before Congress assembled.
12. elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of William Temple, seated December 7, 1863.
13. died June 16, 1900.
14. elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of John H. Hoffecker, seated December 3, 1900.
15. resigned March 3, 1903, to become U.S. Senator.
16. resigned December 31, 1970 to become U.S. Senator.

External links

• Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Election Statistics
• Political Graveyard