List of United States senators from Kentucky

Current delegation

Mitch McConnell
(R)

Rand Paul
(R)

This is a list of United States senators from Kentucky. The state's senators belong to classes 2 and 3. Kentucky is currently represented in the U.S. Senate by Republicans Mitch McConnell (serving since 1985) and Rand Paul (serving since 2011). Currently, on his seventh term in office, McConnell has been the Senate Republican Leader since 2007, and is Kentucky's longest-serving senator.

List of senators

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 2004, 2010, 2016, 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	#
Vacant			Jun 1, 1792 – Jun 18, 1792	Kentucky elected its senators a couple of weeks after statehood.	1	2nd	1	Kentucky elected its senators a couple of weeks after statehood.	Jun 1, 1792 – Jun 18, 1792	Vacant
1	John Brown	Anti- Admin.	Jun 18, 1792 – Mar 3, 1805	Elected in 1792.				Elected in 1792.	Jun 18, 1792 – Mar 3, 1795	Anti- Admin.	John Edwards	1
				Re-elected in 1792.	2	3rd
		Democratic- Republican				4th	2	Elected in 1794. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1795 – Mar 3, 1801	Federalist	Humphrey Marshall	2
						5th
				Re-elected in 1798. Lost re-election.	3	6th
						7th	3	Elected in 1800. Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.	Mar 4, 1801 – Aug 7, 1805	Democratic- Republican	John Breckinridge	3
						8th
2	Buckner Thruston	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1805 – Dec 18, 1809	Elected in 1804. Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Circuit Court.	4	9th
									Aug 7, 1805 – Nov 8, 1805	Vacant
								Elected to finish Breckinridge's term. Lost re-election and resigned because of participation in the Burr conspiracy.	Nov 8, 1805 – Nov 18, 1806	Democratic- Republican	John Adair	4
								Elected to finish Adair's term, despite not meeting the constitutional age minimum. Retired.	Nov 19, 1806 – Mar 3, 1807	Democratic- Republican	Henry Clay	5
						10th	4	Elected in 1806. Retired.	Mar 4, 1807 – Mar 3, 1813	Democratic- Republican	John Pope	6
						11th
Vacant			Dec 18, 1809 – Jan 10, 1810
3	Henry Clay	Democratic- Republican	Jan 10, 1810 – Mar 3, 1811	Appointed to finish Thruston's term. Retired.
4	George Bibb	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1811 – Aug 23, 1814	Elected in 1811. Resigned to return to private practice.	5	12th
						13th	5	Elected in 1813. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1813 – Dec 24, 1814	Democratic-Republican	Jesse Bledsoe	7
Vacant			Aug 23, 1814 – Aug 30, 1814
5	George Walker	Democratic- Republican	Aug 30, 1814 – Feb 2, 1815	Appointed to continue Bibb's term. Successor qualified.
6	William Barry	Democratic- Republican	Feb 2, 1815 – May 1, 1816	Elected to finish Bibb's term. Resigned to become judge of the Kentucky Circuit Court.
									Dec 24, 1814 – Feb 2, 1815	Vacant
								Elected in 1815 to finish Bledsoe's term. [1] Retired or lost re-election.	Feb 2, 1815 – Mar 3, 1819	Democratic-Republican	Isham Talbot	8
						14th
Vacant			May 1, 1816 – Nov 3, 1816
7	Martin Hardin	Democratic-Republican	Nov 3, 1816 – Mar 3, 1817	Appointed to continue Barry's term. Elected in 1816 to finish Barry's term [2] Retired.
8	John J. Crittenden	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1817 – Mar 3, 1819	Elected in 1816. Resigned to return to private practice.	6	15th
Vacant			Mar 3, 1819 – Dec 10, 1819			16th	6	Elected in 1818. Resigned to run for governor.	Mar 4, 1819 – May 28, 1820	Democratic-Republican	William Logan	9
9	Richard Mentor Johnson	Democratic- Republican	Dec 10, 1819 – Mar 3, 1829	Elected to finish Logan's term.
									May 28, 1820 – Oct 19, 1820	Vacant
								Elected to finish Logan's term. Retired or lost re-election.	Oct 19, 1820– Mar 3, 1825	Democratic-Republican	Isham Talbot	10
						17th
				Re-elected in 1823. Lost re-election.	7	18th
		Jacksonian				19th	7	Election year unknown. Retired or lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1825 – Mar 3, 1831	Jacksonian	John Rowan	11
						20th
10	George Bibb	Jacksonian	Mar 4, 1829 – Mar 3, 1835	Elected in 1829. Retired or lost re-election.	8	21st
						22nd	8		Mar 4, 1831 – Nov 10, 1831	Vacant
								Elected late in 1831.	Nov 10, 1831 – Mar 31, 1842	National Republican	Henry Clay	12
						23rd
11	John J. Crittenden	National Republican	Mar 4, 1835 – Mar 3, 1841	Elected in 1835. Retired.	9	24th
		Whig				25th	9	Re-elected in 1836. Resigned.		Whig
						26th
12	James T. Morehead	Whig	Mar 4, 1841 – Mar 3, 1847	Elected in 1841. Retired or lost re-election.	10	27th
								Elected to finish Clay's term.	Mar 31, 1842 – Jun 12, 1848	Whig	John J. Crittenden	13
						28th	10	Re-elected in 1843. Resigned to become Governor of Kentucky.
						29th
13	Joseph R. Underwood	Whig	Mar 4, 1847 – Mar 3, 1853	Election year unknown. Retired.	11	30th
									Jun 12, 1848 – Jun 23, 1848	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Crittenden's term. Elected in 1849 to finish Crittenden's term. [3] Retired or lost re-election.	Jun 23, 1848 – Mar 3, 1849	Whig	Thomas Metcalfe	14
						31st	11	Elected in 1849. Resigned effective Sep 6, 1852, but died Jun 24, 1852.	Mar 4, 1849 – Jun 24, 1852	Whig	Henry Clay	15
						32nd
									Jun 24, 1852 – Jul 6, 1852	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Clay's term. Lost election to finish Clay's term.	Jul 6, 1852 – Aug 31, 1852	Democratic	David Meriwether	16
								Elected in 1851 to finish Clay's term, in anticipation of Clay's resignation. Retired.	Sep 1, 1852 – Mar 3, 1855	Whig	Archibald Dixon	17
14	John B. Thompson	Know Nothing	Mar 4, 1853 – Mar 3, 1859	Elected in 1851, far in advance of the term. Retired or lost re-election.	12	33rd
						34th	12	Elected in 1854. Retired.	Mar 4, 1855– Mar 3, 1861	Whig	John J. Crittenden	18
						35th				Know Nothing
15	Lazarus W. Powell	Democratic	Mar 4, 1859 – Mar 3, 1865	Elected in 1858. Retired to run for U.S. President.	13	36th
						37th	13	Elected in 1859, far in advance of the term. Expelled for supporting the Confederacy.	Mar 4, 1861 – Dec 4, 1861	Democratic	John C. Breckinridge	19
									Dec 4, 1861 – Dec 10, 1861	Vacant
								Elected to finish Breckinridge's term.	Dec 10, 1861 – Sep 22, 1872	Unionist	Garrett Davis	20
						38th
16	James Guthrie	Democratic	Mar 4, 1865 – Feb 7, 1868	Elected in 1865. Resigned due to ill health.	14	39th
						40th	14	Re-elected in 1867. Died.		Democratic
Vacant			Feb 7, 1868 – Feb 19, 1868
17	Thomas C. McCreery	Democratic	Feb 19, 1868 – Mar 3, 1871	Elected to finish Guthrie's term. Lost re-election.
						41st
18	John W. Stevenson	Democratic	Mar 4, 1871 – Mar 3, 1877	Elected in 1871. Retired.	15	42nd
									Sep 22, 1872 – Sep 27, 1872	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Davis's term. Elected in 1873 to finish Davis's term. [3] Retired or lost re-election.	Sep 27, 1872 – Mar 3, 1873	Democratic	Willis B. Machen	21
						43rd	15	Elected in 1872. Retired.	Mar 4, 1873 – Mar 3, 1879	Democratic	Thomas C. McCreery	22
						44th
19	James B. Beck	Democratic	Mar 4, 1877 – May 3, 1890	Elected in 1876.	16	45th
						46th	16	Elected in 1879. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1879 – Mar 3, 1885	Democratic	John Stuart Williams	23
						47th
				Re-elected in 1882.	17	48th
						49th	17	Elected in 1884.	Mar 4, 1885 – Mar 3, 1897	Democratic	J. C. S. Blackburn	24
						50th
				Re-elected in 1888. Died.	18	51st
Vacant			May 3, 1890 – May 26, 1890
20	John Carlisle	Democratic	May 26, 1890 – Feb 4, 1893	Elected to finish Beck's term. Resigned.
						52nd	18	Re-elected in 1890. Lost re-election.
Vacant			Feb 4, 1893 – Feb 15, 1893
21	William Lindsay	Democratic	Feb 15, 1893 – Mar 3, 1901	Elected to finish Carlisle's term.
						53rd
				Re-elected in 1894. [4] Retired.	19	54th
						55th	19	Elected in 1897. Retired.	Mar 4, 1897 – Mar 3, 1903	Republican	William J. Deboe	25
						56th
22	J. C. S. Blackburn	Democratic	Mar 4, 1901 – Mar 3, 1907	Elected in 1900. Lost re-election.	20	57th
						58th	20	Elected in 1902. [5] Lost renomination.	Mar 4, 1903 – Mar 3, 1909	Democratic	James B. McCreary	26
						59th
23	Thomas H. Paynter	Democratic	Mar 4, 1907 – Mar 3, 1913	Elected in 1906. [6] Retired.	21	60th
						61st	21	Elected in 1908. [7] Died.	Mar 4, 1909 – May 23, 1914	Republican	William O. Bradley	27
						62nd
24	Ollie Murray James	Democratic	Mar 4, 1913 – Aug 28, 1918	Elected in 1912. Died.	22	63rd
									May 23, 1914 – Jun 16, 1914	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Bradley's term. Elected in 1914 to finish Bradley's term. [3] Retired.	Jun 16, 1914 – Mar 3, 1915	Democratic	Johnson N. Camden Jr.	28
						64th	22	Elected in 1914. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1915 – Mar 3, 1921	Democratic	J. C. W. Beckham	29
						65th
Vacant			Aug 28, 1918 – Sep 7, 1918
25	George B. Martin	Democratic	Sep 7, 1918 – Mar 3, 1919	Appointed to finish James's term. Retired.
26	A. O. Stanley	Democratic	Mar 4, 1919 – Mar 3, 1925	Elected in 1918. Didn't take seat until May 19, 1919, in order to remain Governor of Kentucky. Lost re-election.	23	66th
						67th	23	Elected in 1920. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1921 – Mar 3, 1927	Republican	Richard P. Ernst	30
						68th
27	Fred Sackett	Republican	Mar 4, 1925 – Jan 9, 1930	Elected in 1924. Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Germany.	24	69th
						70th	24	Elected in 1926.	Mar 4, 1927 – Jan 19, 1949	Democratic	Alben W. Barkley	31
						71st
Vacant			Jan 9, 1930 – Jan 11, 1930
28	John Robsion	Republican	Jan 11, 1930 – Nov 30, 1930	Appointed to continue Sackett's term. Lost elections to finish Sackett's term and to next term.
29	Ben M. Williamson	Democratic	Dec 1, 1930 – Mar 3, 1931	Elected in 1930 to finish Sackett's term. Retired.
30	M. M. Logan	Democratic	Mar 4, 1931 – Oct 3, 1939	Elected in 1930.	25	72nd
						73rd	25	Re-elected in 1932.
						74th
				Re-elected in 1936. Died.	26	75th
						76th	26	Re-elected in 1938.
Vacant			Oct 3, 1939 – Oct 10, 1939
31	Happy Chandler	Democratic	Oct 10, 1939 – Nov 1, 1945	Appointed to continue Logan's term. Elected in 1940 to finish Logan's term.
						77th
				Re-elected in 1942. Resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball.	27	78th
						79th	27	Re-elected in 1944. Resigned to become U.S. Vice President.
Vacant			Nov 1, 1945 – Nov 19, 1945
32	William A. Stanfill	Republican	Nov 19, 1945 – Nov 5, 1946	Appointed to continue Chandler's term. Retired.
33	John Sherman Cooper	Republican	Nov 6, 1946 – Jan 3, 1949	Elected to finish Chandler's term. Lost re-election.
						80th
34	Virgil Chapman	Democratic	Jan 3, 1949 – Mar 8, 1951	Elected in 1948. Died.	28	81st
								Appointed to continue Barkley's term. Resigned to trigger special election.	Jan 20, 1949 – Nov 26, 1950	Democratic	Garrett Withers	32
								Elected to finish Barkley's term, having been elected to the next term.	Nov 27, 1950 – Jan 3, 1957	Democratic	Earle Clements	33
						82nd	28	Elected to full term in 1950. Lost re-election.
Vacant			Mar 8, 1951 – Mar 19, 1951
35	Thomas R. Underwood	Democratic	Mar 19, 1951 – Nov 4, 1952	Appointed to continue Chapman's term. Lost election to finish Chapman's term.
36	John Sherman Cooper	Republican	Nov 5, 1952 – Jan 3, 1955	Elected to finish Chapman's term. Lost re-election.
						83rd
37	Alben W. Barkley	Democratic	Jan 3, 1955 – Apr 30, 1956	Elected in 1954. Died.	29	84th
Vacant			Apr 30, 1956 – Jun 21, 1956
38	Robert Humphreys	Democratic	Jun 21, 1956 – Nov 6, 1956	Appointed to continue Barkley's term. Retired when elected successor qualified.
39	John Sherman Cooper	Republican	Nov 7, 1956 – Jan 3, 1973	Elected to finish Barkley's term.
						85th	29	Elected in 1956.	Jan 3, 1957 – Dec 16, 1968	Republican	Thruston Morton	34
						86th
				Re-elected in 1960.	30	87th
						88th	30	Re-elected in 1962. Retired, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority.
						89th
				Re-elected in 1966. Retired.	31	90th
								Appointed to finish Morton's term, having already been elected to the next term.	Dec 17, 1968 – Dec 27, 1974	Republican	Marlow Cook	35
						91st	31	Elected in 1968. Lost re-election, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority.
						92nd
40	Walter Dee Huddleston	Democratic	Jan 3, 1973 – Jan 3, 1985	Elected in 1972.	32	93rd
								Appointed to finish Cook's term, having already been elected to the next term.	Dec 28, 1974 – Jan 3, 1999	Democratic	Wendell Ford	36
						94th	32	Elected in 1974.
						95th
				Re-elected in 1978. Lost re-election.	33	96th
						97th	33	Re-elected in 1980.
						98th
41	Mitch McConnell	Republican	Jan 3, 1985 – present	Elected in 1984.	34	99th
						100th	34	Re-elected in 1986.
						101st
				Re-elected in 1990.	35	102nd
						103rd	35	Re-elected in 1992. Retired.
						104th
				Re-elected in 1996.	36	105th
						106th	36	Elected in 1998.	Jan 3, 1999 – Jan 3, 2011	Republican	Jim Bunning	37
						107th
				Re-elected in 2002.	37	108th
						109th	37	Re-elected in 2004. Retired.
						110th
				Re-elected in 2008.	38	111th
						112th	38	Elected in 2010.	Jan 3, 2011 – present	Republican	Rand Paul	38
						113th
				Re-elected in 2014.	39	114th
						115th	39	Re-elected in 2016.
						116th
				Re-elected in 2020.	40	117th
						118th	40	Re-elected in 2022.
						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

• United States portal
• Kentucky portal
• Politics portal

• List of United States representatives from Kentucky
• United States congressional delegations from Kentucky
• Elections in Kentucky

Notes

1. "Kentucky 1815 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University . Retrieved February 25, 2018., citing The Union (Washington, KY). Jan 14, 1815. Argus of Western America (Frankfort, KY). Jan 7, 1815.
2. Byrd, p. 110.
3. Byrd, p. 112.
4. Kleber, John E. (1992). The Kentucky Encyclopedia. p. 558. ISBN   0813128838.
5. "MANY VOTES TO ELECT". The New York Times . January 16, 1902. p. 3.
6. Schiller, Wendy J.; Stewart III, Charles (2015). Electing the Senate: Indirect Democracy before the Seventeenth Amendment. Princeton University Press. pp. 35–36. ISBN   9781400852680.
7. Tribune Almanac (1909), p. 315.

References

• Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN   9780160632563.
• Rhoades, Henry Eckford; McPherson, Edward; Schem, A. J.; Ottarson, F. J.; Cleveland, John F.; Greeley, Horace (1909). The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1909. New York: The Tribune Association. p. 315.