Louisiana was admitted to the Union on April 30, 1812, and elects senators to Class 2 and Class 3. Its current senators are Republicans John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy.
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 1998, 2004, 2010, and 2016. The next election will be in 2022. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Vacant | April 30, 1812 – September 3, 1812 | Louisiana did not elect its senators until four months after statehood. | 1 | 12th | 1 | Louisiana did not elect its senators until four months after statehood. | April 30, 1812 – September 3, 1812 | Vacant | ||||
1 | ![]() Jean Noel Destréhan | Democratic-Republican | September 3, 1812 – October 1, 1812 | Resigned | Elected in 1812. | September 3, 1812 – March 3, 1813 | Democratic-Republican | Allan B. Magruder | 1 | |||
Vacant | October 1, 1812 – October 8, 1812 | |||||||||||
2 | ![]() Thomas Posey | Democratic-Republican | October 8, 1812 – February 4, 1813 | Appointed to continue Destréhan's term. Lost election to finish Destréhan's term. | ||||||||
3 | ![]() James Brown | Democratic-Republican | February 5, 1813 – March 3, 1817 | Elected to finish Destréhan's term. Lost election to full term. | ||||||||
13th | 2 | Elected in 1813 Retired. | March 4, 1813 – March 3, 1819 | Democratic-Republican | Eligius Fromentin | 2 | ||||||
14th | ||||||||||||
4 | ![]() William C. C. Claiborne | Democratic-Republican | March 4, 1817 – November 23, 1817 | Elected in 1817. Died. | 2 | 15th | ||||||
Vacant | November 23, 1817 – January 12, 1818 | |||||||||||
5 | ![]() Henry Johnson | Democratic-Republican | January 12, 1818 – May 27, 1824 | Elected to finish Claiborne's term. | ||||||||
16th | 3 | Elected in 1819. Resigned to become U.S. Minister to France. | March 4, 1819 – December 10, 1823 | Democratic- Republican | ![]() James Brown | 3 | ||||||
17th | ||||||||||||
Elected to full term in 1823. Resigned to become Governor of Louisiana. | 3 | 18th | ||||||||||
December 10, 1823 – January 15, 1824 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Brown's term. | January 15, 1824 – May 19, 1833 | Democratic- Republican | ![]() Josiah S. Johnston | 4 | ||||||||
Vacant | May 27, 1824 – November 19, 1824 | |||||||||||
6 | ![]() Charles D.J. Bouligny | Democratic- Republican | November 19, 1824 – March 3, 1829 | Elected to finish Johnson's term. | ||||||||
Anti-Jacksonian | 19th | 4 | Elected to full term in 1825. | Anti-Jacksonian | ||||||||
20th | ||||||||||||
7 | ![]() Edward Livingston | Jacksonian | March 4, 1829 – May 24, 1831 | Elected in 1829. [1] Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of State. | 4 | 21st | ||||||
22nd | 5 | Re-elected in 1831. Died. | ||||||||||
Vacant | May 24, 1831 – November 15, 1831 | |||||||||||
8 | ![]() George A. Waggaman | Anti- Jacksonian | November 15, 1831 – March 3, 1835 | Elected to finish Livingston's term. | ||||||||
23rd | ||||||||||||
May 19, 1833 – December 19, 1833 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Johnston's term. Resigned due to ill health. | December 19, 1833 – January 5, 1837 | Anti-Jacksonian | ![]() Alexander Porter | 5 | ||||||||
Vacant | March 4, 1835 – January 13, 1836 | Charles Gayarré was elected in 1835, but resigned due to ill health. | 5 | 24th | ||||||||
9 | ![]() Robert C. Nicholas | Jacksonian | January 13, 1836 – March 3, 1841 | Elected to finish Gauarré's term. [ data unknown/missing ] | ||||||||
January 5, 1837 – January 12, 1837 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Porter's term. | January 12, 1837 – March 1, 1842 | Jacksonian | ![]() Alexander Mouton | 6 | ||||||||
Democratic | 25th | 6 | Re-elected in 1837. Resigned. | Democratic | ||||||||
26th | ||||||||||||
10 | ![]() Alexander Barrow | Whig | March 4, 1841 – December 29, 1846 | Elected in 1840. Died. | 6 | 27th | ||||||
March 1, 1842 – April 14, 1842 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to finish Mouton's term. Lost election to full term. | April 14, 1842 – March 3, 1843 | Whig | ![]() Charles Magill Conrad | 7 | ||||||||
28th | 7 | Elected in 1843, but due to ill health did not take his seat. Died. | March 4, 1843 – January 13, 1844 | Whig | ![]() Alexander Porter | 8 | ||||||
January 13, 1844 – February 12, 1844 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Porter's term Lost election to full term in 1849. | February 12, 1844 – March 3, 1849 | Whig | ![]() Henry Johnson | 9 | ||||||||
29th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | December 29, 1846 – January 21, 1847 | |||||||||||
11 | ![]() Pierre Soulé | Democratic | January 21, 1847 – March 3, 1847 | Elected to finish Barrow's term. [ data unknown/missing ] | ||||||||
12 | ![]() Solomon W. Downs | Democratic | March 4, 1847 – March 3, 1853 | Elected in 1847. Lost re-election. | 7 | 30th | ||||||
31st | 8 | Elected in 1848. Resigned to become U.S. Minister to Spain. | March 3, 1849 – April 11, 1853 | Democratic | ![]() Pierre Soulé | 10 | ||||||
32nd | ||||||||||||
13 | ![]() Judah P. Benjamin | Whig | March 4, 1853 – February 4, 1861 | Elected in 1852. | 8 | 33rd | ||||||
April 11, 1853 – December 5, 1853 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Soulé's term. | December 5, 1853 – February 4, 1861 | Democratic | ![]() John Slidell | 11 | ||||||||
34th | 9 | Re-election year unknown. Resigned. | ||||||||||
Democratic | 35th | |||||||||||
Re-elected in 1859. Withdrew. | 9 | 36th | ||||||||||
Vacant | February 4, 1861 – July 8, 1868 | American Civil War and Reconstruction | American Civil War and Reconstruction | February 4, 1861 – July 9, 1868 | Vacant | |||||||
37th | 10 | |||||||||||
38th | ||||||||||||
10 | 39th | |||||||||||
40th | 11 | |||||||||||
14 | ![]() John S. Harris | Republican | July 8, 1868 – March 3, 1871 | Elected to finish incomplete term in 1868. [ data unknown/missing ]. | ||||||||
Elected to finish incomplete term. Resigned to become Governor of Louisiana. | July 9, 1868 – November 1, 1872 | Republican | ![]() William P. Kellogg | 12 | ||||||||
41st | ||||||||||||
15 | ![]() Joseph R. West | Republican | March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1877 | Election year unknown. Retired. | 11 | 42nd | ||||||
Senate declined to seat rival claimants William L. McMillen and P. B. S. Pinchback [2] | November 1, 1872 – January 12, 1876 | Vacant | ||||||||||
43rd | 12 | |||||||||||
44th | ||||||||||||
Elected to finish incomplete term in 1876. Lost re-election. | January 12, 1876 – March 3, 1879 | Democratic | ![]() James B. Eustis | 13 | ||||||||
16 | ![]() William P. Kellogg | Republican | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1883 | Elected in 1876. Retired to run for member of the U.S. House of Representatives. | 12 | 45th | ||||||
46th | 13 | Elected in 1879. Lost re-election. | March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1885 | Democratic | ![]() Benjamin F. Jonas | 14 | ||||||
47th | ||||||||||||
17 | ![]() Randall L. Gibson | Democratic | March 4, 1883 – December 15, 1892 | Elected in 1882. | 13 | 48th | ||||||
49th | 14 | Election year unknown. Retired. | March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1891 | Democratic | ![]() James B. Eustis | 15 | ||||||
50th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1889. Died. | 14 | 51st | ||||||||||
52nd | 15 | Elected in 1891. Resigned to become U.S. Supreme Court Justice. | March 4, 1891 – March 12, 1894 | Democratic | ![]() Edward Douglass White | 16 | ||||||
Vacant | December 15, 1892 – December 31, 1892 | |||||||||||
18 | ![]() Donelson Caffery | Democratic | December 31, 1892 – March 3, 1901 | Appointed to continue Gibson's term. Elected May 23, 1894 to finish Gibson's term. [3] | ||||||||
53rd | ||||||||||||
Appointed to continue White's term. Elected May 23, 1894 to finish White's term. [4] Retired. | March 12, 1894 – March 3, 1897 | Democratic | ![]() Newton C. Blanchard | 17 | ||||||||
Elected May 14, 1894 to the next term, before election to finish Gibson's term. Retired. | 15 | 54th | ||||||||||
55th | 16 | Elected May 28, 1896. [5] | March 4, 1897 – June 28, 1910 | Democratic | ![]() Samuel D. McEnery | 18 | ||||||
56th | ||||||||||||
19 | ![]() Murphy J. Foster | Democratic | March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1913 | Elected May 22, 1900. [6] | 16 | 57th | ||||||
58th | 17 | Re-elected early May 22, 1900. [6] | ||||||||||
59th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected early May 18, 1904. [7] Lost renomination. | 17 | 60th | ||||||||||
61st | 18 | Re-elected May 19, 1908. [8] Died. | ||||||||||
June 28, 1910 – December 7, 1910 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish McEnery's term. [4] Retired. | December 7, 1910 – March 3, 1915 | Democratic | ![]() John Thornton | 19 | ||||||||
62nd | ||||||||||||
20 | ![]() Joseph E. Ransdell | Democratic | March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1931 | Elected May 21, 1912. | 18 | 63rd | ||||||
64th | 19 | Elected early May 21, 1912. Died. | March 4, 1915 – April 12, 1918 | Democratic | ![]() Robert F. Broussard | 20 | ||||||
65th | ||||||||||||
April 12, 1918 – April 22, 1918 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Broussard's term. Retired when elected successor qualified. | April 22, 1918 – November 5, 1918 | Democratic | ![]() Walter Guion | 21 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Broussard's term. Retired. | November 6, 1918 – March 3, 1921 | Democratic | ![]() Edward James Gay | 22 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1918. | 19 | 66th | ||||||||||
67th | 20 | Elected in 1920. | March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1933 | Democratic | ![]() Edwin S. Broussard | 23 | ||||||
68th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1924. Lost renomination. | 20 | 69th | ||||||||||
70th | 21 | Re-elected in 1926. Lost renomination. | ||||||||||
71st | ||||||||||||
21 | ![]() Huey Long | Democratic | March 4, 1931 – September 10, 1935 | Elected in 1930, but continued to serve as Governor of Louisiana, until finally taking his Senate seat on January 25, 1932. However, he was still elected and qualified as senator. Shot by a lone assassin. Died in the care of medical professionals 31 hours later due to internal bleeding from the gunshot wound. | 21 | 72nd | ||||||
73rd | 22 | Elected in 1932. | March 4, 1933 – May 14, 1948 | Democratic | ![]() John H. Overton | 24 | ||||||
74th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | September 10, 1935 – January 31, 1936 | |||||||||||
22 | ![]() Rose McConnell Long | Democratic | January 31, 1936 – January 2, 1937 | Appointed to continue Huey Long's term. Elected April 21, 1936 to finish Huey Long's term. [3] Retired. | ||||||||
23 | ![]() Allen J. Ellender | Democratic | January 3, 1937 – July 27, 1972 | Elected in 1936. | 22 | 75th | ||||||
76th | 23 | Re-elected in 1938. | ||||||||||
77th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1942. | 23 | 78th | ||||||||||
79th | 24 | Re-elected in 1944. Died. | ||||||||||
80th | ||||||||||||
May 14, 1948 – May 18, 1948 | Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Overton's term. Retired when elected successor qualified. | May 18, 1948 – December 30, 1948 | Democratic | ![]() William C. Feazel | 25 | ||||||||
Elected to finish Overton's term. | December 31, 1948 – January 3, 1987 | Democratic | ![]() Russell B. Long | 26 | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1948. | 24 | 81st | ||||||||||
82nd | 25 | Re-elected in 1950. | ||||||||||
83rd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1954. | 25 | 84th | ||||||||||
85th | 26 | Re-elected in 1956. | ||||||||||
86th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1960. | 26 | 87th | ||||||||||
88th | 27 | Re-elected in 1962. | ||||||||||
89th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1966. Died. | 27 | 90th | ||||||||||
91st | 28 | Re-elected in 1968. | ||||||||||
92nd | ||||||||||||
Vacant | July 27, 1972 – August 1, 1972 | |||||||||||
24 | ![]() Elaine Edwards | Democratic | August 1, 1972 – November 13, 1972 | Appointed to continue Ellender's term. Retired when successor qualified and resigned early. | ||||||||
25 | ![]() J. Bennett Johnston | Democratic | November 14, 1972 – January 3, 1997 | Appointed to finished the term, having already been elected to the next term. | ||||||||
Elected in 1972. | 28 | 93rd | ||||||||||
94th | 29 | Re-elected in 1974. | ||||||||||
95th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1978. | 29 | 96th | ||||||||||
97th | 30 | Re-elected in 1980. Retired. | ||||||||||
98th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1984. | 30 | 99th | ||||||||||
100th | 31 | Elected in 1986. | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2005 | Democratic | ![]() John Breaux | 27 | ||||||
101st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1990. Retired. | 31 | 102nd | ||||||||||
103rd | 32 | Re-elected in 1992. | ||||||||||
104th | ||||||||||||
26 | ![]() Mary Landrieu | Democratic | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2015 | Elected in 1996. | 32 | 105th | ||||||
106th | 33 | Re-elected in 1998. Retired. | ||||||||||
107th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2002. | 33 | 108th | ||||||||||
109th | 34 | Elected in 2004. | January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2017 | Republican | ![]() David Vitter | 28 | ||||||
110th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2008. Lost re-election. | 34 | 111th | ||||||||||
112th | 35 | Re-elected in 2010. Retired. [9] | ||||||||||
113th | ||||||||||||
27 | ![]() Bill Cassidy | Republican | January 3, 2015 – Present | Elected in 2014. | 35 | 114th | ||||||
115th | 36 | Elected in 2016. | January 3, 2017 – Present | Republican | ![]() John Kennedy | 29 | ||||||
116th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2020. | 36 | 117th | ||||||||||
118th | 37 | To be decided in the 2022 election. | ||||||||||
119th | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2026 election. | 37 | 120th | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 2 | Class 3 |
As of January 2021 [update] , there are four living former senators from Louisiana. The most recent senator to die was Elaine Edwards (served August 1, 1972 to November 13, 1972) on May 14, 2018. The most recently serving senator to die was Russell B. Long (served 1948–1987) on May 9, 2003.
Senator | Term of office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
J. Bennett Johnston | November 14, 1972 – January 3, 1997 | June 10, 1932 |
John Breaux | January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2005 | March 1, 1944 |
Mary Landrieu | January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2015 | November 23, 1955 |
David Vitter | January 3, 2005 – January 3, 2017 | May 3, 1961 |
Samuel Douglas McEnery served as the 30th Governor of the U.S. state of Louisiana, with service from 1881 until 1888. He was subsequently a U.S. senator from 1897 until 1910. He was the brother of John McEnery, one of the candidates in the contested 1872 election for governor.
The United States Senate elections of 1908 and 1909 were held to determine the winners of the 31 class 3 Senate seats up for election, as well as various special elections to fill vacancies or confirm appointments. Until the 17th Amendment, which passed in 1913, Senators were elected by state legislatures. However, some states had already begun direct elections during this time. Oregon pioneered direct election and experimented with different measures over several years until it succeeded in 1907. Soon after, Nebraska followed suit and laid the foundation for other states to adopt measures reflecting the people's will. By 1912, as many as 29 states elected senators either as nominees of their party's primary or in conjunction with a general election. The Republicans lost two seats overall.
The United States Senate elections of 1894 and 1895 were a slight Republican victory. It was a different story in the House where Democrats suffered massive losses. The senators elected went on to serve in the 54th Congress.
The United States Senate elections of 1848 and 1849 were elections which had the Democratic Party lose seats but maintain control of the United States Senate.
The United States Senate elections of 1872 and 1873 were elections which had the Republican Party, while still retaining a commanding majority, lose two seats in the United States Senate. By the beginning of the Congress, however, they'd lost three more: two as defections to the Liberal Republican Party, and one a resignation of Henry Wilson to become U.S. Vice President. These elections also coincided with President Ulysses S. Grant's easy re-election.
The United States Senate elections of 1890 and 1891 were elections in which the Republican Party lost four seats in the United States Senate, though still retaining a slim majority. That majority was increased, however, upon the admission of two more states with Republican senators.