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List of United States senators from New Jersey

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Current delegation

This is a chronological listing of the United States senators from New Jersey. Since the enforcement of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. senators are popularly elected for a six-year term beginning January 3. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Before 1914, they were chosen by the New Jersey Legislature, and before 1935, their terms began March 4. The state's current senators are Democrats Cory Booker (serving since 2013) and George Helmy (serving since 2024). Frank Lautenberg was New Jersey's longest-serving senator (1982–2001; 2003–2013).

List of senators

[edit]
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 2008, 2013 (special election), 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 #
1 Jonathan Elmer Pro-
Admin.
Mar 4, 1789 –
Mar 3, 1791
Elected in 1788. 1 1st 1 Elected in 1788.
Resigned to become New Jersey Governor.
Mar 4, 1789 –
Nov 13, 1790
Pro-
Admin.

William Paterson
1
  Nov 13, 1790 –
Nov 23, 1790
Vacant
Elected to finish Paterson's term.
Retired.
Nov 23, 1790 –
Mar 3, 1793
Pro-
Admin.

Philemon Dickinson
2
2
John Rutherfurd
Pro-
Admin.
Mar 4, 1791 –
Dec 5, 1798
Elected in 1790. 2 2nd
3rd 2 Elected in 1792 or 1793.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1793 –
Nov 12, 1796
Pro-
Admin.

Frederick Frelinghuysen
3
Federalist 4th Federalist
Elected to finish Frelinghuysen's term.
Retired.
Nov 12, 1796 –
Mar 3, 1799
Federalist
Richard Stockton
4
Re-elected in 1796.
Resigned.
3 5th
3
Franklin Davenport
Federalist Dec 5, 1798 –
Mar 3, 1799
Appointed to continue Rutherfurd's term.
4
James Schureman
Federalist Mar 4, 1799 –
Feb 16, 1801
Elected to finish Rutherfurd's term.
Resigned.
6th 3 Elected in 1798.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1799–
Mar 3, 1805
Federalist
Jonathan Dayton
5
Vacant Feb 16, 1801 –
Feb 28, 1801
 
5
Aaron Ogden
Federalist Feb 28, 1801 –
Mar 3, 1803
Elected to finish Rutherfurd's term.
Lost re-election.
7th
Vacant Mar 4, 1803 –
Sep 1, 1803
Legislature failed to elect. 4 8th
6
John Condit
Democratic-
Republican
Sep 1, 1803 –
Mar 3, 1809
Appointed to begin the vacant term.
Elected in 1803 to finish the vacant term.[1]
Lost renomination.[2]
9th 4 Elected in 1804.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1805 –
Mar 12, 1809
Democratic-
Republican
Aaron Kitchell 6
10th
7
John Lambert
Democratic-
Republican
Mar 4, 1809 –
Mar 3, 1815
Elected in 1808.[2]
Lost re-election.
5 11th
  Mar 12, 1809 –
Mar 21, 1809
Vacant
Appointed to continue Kitchell's term[3]
Elected in 1809 to finish Kitchell's term.[3]
Mar 21, 1809 –
Mar 3, 1817
Democratic-
Republican

John Condit
7
12th 5 Re-elected in 1810.
13th
8 James J. Wilson Democratic-
Republican
Mar 4, 1815 –
Jan 8, 1821
Elected in 1815.[4]
Lost re-election,
resigned early.
6 14th
15th 6 Elected in 1817. Mar 4, 1817 –
Jan 30, 1829
Democratic-
Republican

Mahlon Dickerson
8
16th
Vacant Jan 8, 1821 –
Jan 26, 1821
 
9
Samuel L. Southard
Democratic-
Republican
Jan 26, 1821 –
Mar 3, 1823
Appointed to finish Wilson's term, having been elected to the next term.
Elected in 1820.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
7 17th
Vacant Mar 4, 1823 –
Nov 12, 1823
  18th 7 Re-elected in 1823.
Resigned and immediately re-elected for the class 1 seat.
10
Joseph McIlvaine
Democratic-Republican Nov 12, 1823 –
Aug 19, 1826
Elected to finish Southard's term.
Died.
National
Republican
19th Jacksonian
Vacant Aug 19, 1826 –
Nov 10, 1826
 
11
Ephraim Bateman
National
Republican
Nov 10, 1826 –
Jan 12, 1829
Elected to finish Southard's term.
Elected to full term in 1826.
Resigned because of failing health.
8 20th
Vacant Jan 12, 1829 –
Jan 30, 1829
 
12
Mahlon Dickerson
Jacksonian Jan 30, 1829 –
Mar 3, 1833
Elected to finish Bateman's term.   Jan 30, 1829 –
Mar 3, 1829
Vacant
21st 8 Elected in 1829. Mar 4, 1829 –
Mar 3, 1835
National
Republican

Theodore Frelinghuysen
9
22nd
13
Samuel L. Southard
National
Republican
Mar 4, 1833 –
Jun 26, 1842
Elected in 1833. 9 23rd
24th 9 Elected in 1835.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1835 –
Mar 3, 1841
Jacksonian
Garret D. Wall
10
Whig 25th Democratic
Re-elected in 1839.
Resigned due to failing health.
10 26th
27th 10 Elected in 1840. Mar 4, 1841 –
Mar 3, 1853
Whig
Jacob W. Miller
11
Vacant Jun 26, 1842 –
Jul 2, 1842
 
14
William L. Dayton
Whig Jul 2, 1842 –
Mar 3, 1851
Appointed to continue Southard's term.
Elected to finish Southard's term.
28th
Re-elected in 1845.
Lost re-election.
11 29th
30th 11 Re-elected in 1846.
Lost re-election.
31st
15
Robert F. Stockton
Democratic Mar 4, 1851 –
Jan 10, 1853
Elected in 1851.
Resigned to become President of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company.
12 32nd
Vacant Jan 10, 1853 –
Mar 4, 1853
 
16
John Renshaw Thomson
Democratic Mar 4, 1853 –
Sep 12, 1862
Elected to finish Stockton's term. 33rd 12 Elected in 1853.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1853 –
Mar 3, 1859
Democratic
William Wright
12
34th
Re-elected in 1857.
Died.
13 35th
36th 13 Elected in 1858.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1859 –
Mar 3, 1865
Republican
John C. Ten Eyck
13
37th
Vacant Sep 12, 1862 –
Nov 21, 1862
 
17
Richard Stockton Field
Republican Nov 21, 1862 –
Jan 14, 1863
Appointed to continue Thomson's term.
Retired when his successor was elected.
18
James Walter Wall
Democratic Jan 14, 1863 –
Mar 3, 1863
Elected to finish Thomson's term.
Lost re-election.
19
William Wright
Democratic Mar 4, 1863 –
Nov 1, 1866
Elected in 1863.
Died.
14 38th
39th 14   Mar 3, 1865–
Mar 15, 1865
Vacant
Elected in 1864.
Election disputed and seat declared vacant.
Mar 15, 1865 –
Mar 27, 1866
Democratic
John P. Stockton
14
  Mar 27, 1866 –
Sep 19, 1866
Vacant
Elected to finish Stockton's term.
Retired.
Sep 19, 1866 –
Mar 3, 1871
Republican
Alexander G. Cattell
15
Vacant Nov 1, 1866 –
Nov 12, 1866
 
20
Frederick T. Frelinghuysen
Republican Nov 12, 1866 –
Mar 3, 1869
Appointed to continue Wright's term.
Elected in 1867 to finish Wright's term.[1]
Lost re-election.
40th
21
John P. Stockton
Democratic Mar 4, 1869 –
Mar 3, 1875
Elected in 1869. 15 41st
42nd 15 Elected in 1870 or 1871.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1871–
Mar 3, 1877
Republican
Frederick T. Frelinghuysen
16
43rd
22
Theodore F. Randolph
Democratic Mar 4, 1875 –
Mar 3, 1881
Elected in 1875. 16 44th
45th 16 Elected in 1877. Mar 4, 1877–
Mar 3, 1895
Democratic
John R. McPherson
17
46th
23
William J. Sewell
Republican Mar 4, 1881 –
Mar 3, 1887
Elected in 1881.
Lost re-election.
17 47th
48th 17 Re-elected in 1883.
49th
24
Rufus Blodgett
Democratic Mar 4, 1887 –
Mar 3, 1893
Elected in 1886.
Retired.
18 50th
51st 18 Re-elected in 1889.
52nd
25
James Smith Jr.
Democratic Mar 4, 1893 –
Mar 3, 1899
Elected in 1893.[5]
Lost re-election.[6]
19 53rd
54th 19 Elected in 1895. Mar 4, 1895–
Dec 27, 1901
Republican
William J. Sewell
18
55th
26
John Kean
Republican Mar 4, 1899 –
Mar 3, 1911
Elected in 1899.[6] 20 56th
57th 20 Re-elected in 1901.
Died.
  Dec 27, 1901–
Jan 29, 1902
Vacant
Elected to finish Sewell's term.
Withdrew from election contest to full term.
Jan 29, 1902–
Mar 3, 1907
Republican
John F. Dryden
19
58th
Re-elected in 1905.
Retired.
21 59th
60th 21 Elected in 1907.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1907 –
Mar 3, 1913
Republican
Frank O. Briggs
20
61st
27
James E. Martine
Democratic Mar 4, 1911 –
Mar 3, 1917
Elected in 1911.
Lost re-election.
22 62nd
63rd 22 Elected in 1913.
Died.
Mar 4, 1913 –
Jan 30, 1918
Democratic
William Hughes
21
64th
28
Joseph S. Frelinghuysen Sr.
Republican Mar 4, 1917 –
Mar 3, 1923
Elected in 1916.
Lost re-election.
23 65th
  Jan 30, 1918 –
Feb 23, 1918
Vacant
Appointed to continue Hughes's term.
Elected in 1918 to finish Hughes's term.
Retired.
Feb 23, 1918 –
Mar 3, 1919
Republican
David Baird Sr.
22
66th 23 Elected in 1918. Mar 4, 1919 –
Nov 21, 1929
Republican
Walter E. Edge
23
67th
29
Edward I. Edwards
Democratic Mar 4, 1923 –
Mar 3, 1929
Elected in 1922.
Lost re-election.
24 68th
69th 24 Re-elected in 1924.
Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to France.
70th
30
Hamilton F. Kean
Republican Mar 4, 1929 –
Jan 3, 1935
Elected in 1928.
Lost re-election.
25 71st
  Nov 21, 1929 –
Nov 30, 1929
Vacant
Appointed to continue Edge's term.
Retired when his successor was qualified.
Nov 30, 1929 –
Dec 2, 1930
Republican
David Baird Jr.
24
Elected in 1930 to finish Edge's term. Dec 3, 1930 –
Oct 5, 1931
Republican
Dwight Morrow
25
72nd 25 Elected to full term in 1930.
Died.
  Oct 5, 1931 –
Dec 1, 1931
Vacant
Appointed to continue Morrow's term.
Elected in 1932 to finish Morrow's term.
Lost re-election.
Dec 1, 1931 –
Jan 3, 1937
Republican
W. Warren Barbour
26
73rd
31
A. Harry Moore
Democratic Jan 3, 1935 –
Jan 17, 1938
Elected in 1934.
Resigned to become governor.
26 74th
75th 26 Elected in 1936.[7]
Lost re-election.
Jan 3, 1937 –
Jan 3, 1943
Democratic
William H. Smathers
27
32
John Milton
Democratic Jan 18, 1938 –
Nov 8, 1938
Appointed to continue Moore's term.
Retired when successor qualified.
33
W. Warren Barbour
Republican Nov 8, 1938 –
Nov 22, 1943
Elected to finish Moore's term
76th
Re-elected in 1940.
Died.
27 77th
78th 27 Elected in 1942.
Retired.
Jan 3, 1943 –
Jan 3, 1949
Republican
Albert W. Hawkes
28
Vacant Nov 22, 1943 –
Nov 26, 1943
 
34
Arthur Walsh
Democratic Nov 26, 1943 –
Dec 7, 1944
Appointed to finish Barbour's term
Retired when successor was elected
35
H. Alexander Smith
Republican Dec 7, 1944–
Jan 3, 1959
Elected to finish Barbour's term.
79th
Re-elected in 1946. 28 80th
81st 28 Elected in 1948.
Retired.
Jan 3, 1949 –
Jan 3, 1955
Republican
Robert C. Hendrickson
29
82nd
Re-elected in 1952.
Retired.
29 83rd
84th 29 Elected in 1954. Jan 3, 1955 –
Jan 3, 1979
Republican
Clifford P. Case
30
85th
36
Harrison A. Williams
Democratic Jan 3, 1959–
Mar 11, 1982
Elected in 1958. 30 86th
87th 30 Re-elected in 1960.
88th
Re-elected in 1964. 31 89th
90th 31 Re-elected in 1966.
91st
Re-elected in 1970. 32 92nd
93rd 32 Re-elected in 1972.
Lost renomination.
94th
Re-elected in 1976.
Resigned.
33 95th
96th 33 Elected in 1978. Jan 3, 1979 –
Jan 3, 1997
Democratic
Bill Bradley
31
97th
Vacant Mar 11, 1982 –
Apr 12, 1982
 
37
Nicholas F. Brady
Republican Apr 12, 1982 –
Dec 27, 1982
Appointed to finish Williams's term.
Retired and resigned early to give his elected successor preferential seniority.
38
Frank Lautenberg
Democratic Dec 27, 1982 –
Jan 3, 2001
Appointed early to finish Williams's term, having been already elected to the next term.
Elected in 1982. 34 98th
99th 34 Re-elected in 1984.
100th
Re-elected in 1988. 35 101st
102nd 35 Re-elected in 1990.
Retired.
103rd
Re-elected in 1994.
Retired.
36 104th
105th 36 Elected in 1996.
Ran for re-election, but withdrew.
Jan 3, 1997 –
Jan 3, 2003
Democratic
Robert Torricelli
32
106th
39
Jon Corzine
Democratic Jan 3, 2001 –
Jan 17, 2006
Elected in 2000.
Resigned to become Governor of New Jersey.
37 107th
108th 37 Elected in 2002. Jan 3, 2003 –
Jun 3, 2013
Democratic
Frank Lautenberg
33
109th
40
Bob Menendez
Democratic Jan 17, 2006 –
Aug 20, 2024
Appointed to finish Corzine's term.
Elected to full term in 2006. 38 110th
111th 38 Re-elected in 2008.
Died.
112th
Re-elected in 2012. 39 113th
  Jun 3, 2013 –
Jun 6, 2013
Vacant
Appointed to continue Lautenberg's term.
Retired when his successor was elected.
Jun 6, 2013 –
Oct 30, 2013
Republican
Jeffrey Chiesa
34
Elected in 2013 to finish Lautenberg's term. Oct 31, 2013 –
present
Democratic
Cory Booker
35
114th 39 Re-elected in 2014.
115th
Re-elected in 2018.
Resigned due to bribery convictions.
40 116th
117th 40 Re-elected in 2020.
118th
Vacant Aug 20, 2024 –
Aug 23, 2024
41
George Helmy
Democratic Aug 23, 2024 –
present
Appointed to finish Menendez's term.
Retiring at end of term and resigning early to give his elected successor preferential seniority.[8]
42 TBA TBD Taking office Nov 27, 2024 Incoming senator to be appointed early to finish Menendez's term, having been already elected to the next term.[8]
To be determined in the 2024 election. 41 119th
120th 41 To be determined in the 2026 election.
# Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T C T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator #
Class 1 Class 2

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Byrd, p. 142.
  2. ^ a b "New Jersey 1808 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 6, 2018., citing The True American and Commercial Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). Nov 9, 1808.
  3. ^ a b Byrd, p. 143.
  4. ^ "New Jersey 1815 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 26, 2018., citing New Jersey Privy Council Records, 1814. 306-307.
  5. ^ "THE RESULT IN NEW-JERSEY.; ELECTION OF JAMES SMITH, JR., THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE". The New York Times. January 25, 1893. p. 5.
  6. ^ a b "KEAN UNITED STATES senator". The New York Times. January 25, 1899. p. 2.
  7. ^ William H. Smathers was installed late on Apr 15, 1937, remaining until then a member of the state Senate, but that does not affect when his service in the U.S. Senate begins, as there is no prohibition in concurrent service in both federal and state legislatures.
  8. ^ a b "Governor Murphy Announces Appointment of George Samir Helmy to the United States Senate". Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024. Helmy will serve as one of New Jersey's two United States Senators until the winner of the November General Election is certified on November 27, at which point Senator Helmy will resign and the Governor will appoint the winner of November's election to the U.S. Senate.

References

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