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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.
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C
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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.
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Senator
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Party
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Dates in office
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Electoral history
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T
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T
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Electoral history
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Dates in office
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Party
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Senator
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#
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| Vacant
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May 29, 1790 –
Jun 7, 1790
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Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790.
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1
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1st
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1
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Rhode Island did not elect its U.S. senators until Jun 7, 1790.
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May 29, 1790 –
Jun 7, 1790
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Vacant
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| 1
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Theodore Foster
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Pro-
Admin.
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Jun 7, 1790 –
Mar 3, 1803
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Elected in 1790.
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Elected in 1790.
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Jun 7, 1790 –
Mar 3, 1793
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Anti-Admin.
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Joseph Stanton Jr.
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1
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| Re-elected in 1791.
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2
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2nd
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| 3rd
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2
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Elected in 1793.Resigned.
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Mar 4, 1793 –
Oct 1797
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Pro-Admin.
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William Bradford
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2
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| Federalist
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4th
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Federalist
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| Re-elected in 1797.Retired.
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3
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5th
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Oct 1797 –
Nov 13, 1797
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Vacant
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| Elected in 1797 to finish Bradford’s term.
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Nov 13, 1797 –
Mar 5, 1801
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Federalist
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Ray Greene
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3
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| 6th
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3
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Re-elected in 1798.Resigned.
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| 7th
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Mar 5, 1801 –
May 6, 1801
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Vacant
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| Elected in 1801 to finish Greene’s term.Lost re-election.
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May 6, 1801 –
Mar 3, 1805
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Democratic-
Republican
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Christopher Ellery
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4
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| 2
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Samuel J. Potter
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Democratic-
Republican
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Mar 4, 1803 –
Oct 14, 1804
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Elected in 1802.Died.
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4
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8th
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| Vacant
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Oct 14, 1804 –
Oct 29, 1804
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| 3
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Benjamin Howland
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Democratic-
Republican
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Oct 29, 1804 –
Mar 3, 1809
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Elected in 1804 to finish Potter’s term.Retired.
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| 9th
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4
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Elected in 1804.Resigned.
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Mar 4, 1805 –
Sep 1807
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Democratic-
Republican
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James Fenner
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5
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| 10th
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Sep 1807 –
Oct 26, 1807
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Vacant
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| Elected to finish Fenner’s term.
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Oct 26, 1807 –
Mar 3, 1811
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Democratic-
Republican
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Elisha Mathewson
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6
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| 4
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Francis Malbone
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Federalist
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Mar 4, 1809 –
Jun 4, 1809
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Elected in 1808.[1]Died.
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5
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11th
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| Vacant
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Jun 4, 1809 –
Jun 26, 1809
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| 5
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Christopher G. Champlin
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Federalist
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Jun 26, 1809 –
Oct 12, 1811
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Elected in 1809 to finish Malbone’s term.Resigned.
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| 12th
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5
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Elected in 1810.Retired.
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Mar 4, 1811 –
Mar 3, 1817
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Democratic-
Republican
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Jeremiah B. Howell
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7
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| Vacant
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Oct 12, 1811 –
Oct 28, 1811
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| 6
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William Hunter
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Federalist
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Oct 28, 1811 –
Mar 3, 1821
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Elected in 1811 to finish Champlin’s term.
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| 13th
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| Re-elected in 1814.
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6
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14th
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| 15th
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6
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Elected in 1816.Died.
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Mar 4, 1817 –
Dec 25, 1820
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Federalist
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James Burrill Jr.
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8
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| 16th
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Dec 25, 1820 –
Jan 9, 1821
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Vacant
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| Elected in 1821 to finish Burrill’s term.
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Jan 9, 1821 –
Mar 3, 1841
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Democratic-
Republican
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Nehemiah R. Knight
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9
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| 7
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James DeWolf
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Democratic-
Republican
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Mar 4, 1821 –
Oct 31, 1825
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Election date unknown.Resigned.
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7
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17th
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| 18th
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7
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Re-elected in 1823.
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National
Republican
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19th
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National
Republican
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| 8
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Asher Robbins
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National
Republican
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Oct 31, 1825 –
Mar 3, 1839
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Elected in 1825 to finish DeWolf’s term.
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| Re-elected in 1827.
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8
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20th
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| 21st
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8
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Re-elected in 1829.
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| 22nd
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| Re-elected in 1833.[data unknown/missing]
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9
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23rd
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| 24th
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9
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Re-elected in 1835.[data unknown/missing]
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| Whig
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25th
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Whig
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| 9
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Nathan F. Dixon I
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Whig
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Mar 4, 1839 –
Jan 29, 1842
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Election date unknown.Died.
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10
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26th
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| 27th
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10
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Elected in 1841.Lost re-election.
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Mar 4, 1841 –
Mar 3, 1847
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Whig
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James F. Simmons
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10
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| Vacant
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Jan 29, 1842 –
Feb 18, 1842
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| 10
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William Sprague III
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Whig
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Feb 18, 1842 –
Jan 17, 1844
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Elected in 1842 to finish Dixon’s term.Resigned.
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| 28th
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| Vacant
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Jan 17, 1844 –
Jan 25, 1844
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| 11
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John Brown Francis
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Law and Order
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Jan 25, 1844 –
Mar 3, 1845
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Elected in 1844 to finish Sprague’s term.Retired.
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| 12
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Albert C. Greene
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Whig
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Mar 4, 1845 –
Mar 3, 1851
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Election date unknown.Retired.
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11
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29th
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| 30th
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11
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Election date unknown.[data unknown/missing]
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Mar 4, 1847 –
Mar 3, 1853
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Whig
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John Hopkins Clarke
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11
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| 31st
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| 13
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Charles T. James
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Democratic
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Mar 4, 1851 –
Mar 3, 1857
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Election date unknown.Retired.
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12
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32nd
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| 33rd
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12
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Mar 4, 1853 –
Jul 20, 1853
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Vacant
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| Elected late.Retired.
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Jul 20, 1853 –
Mar 3, 1859
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Democratic
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Philip Allen
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12
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| 34th
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| 14
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James F. Simmons
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Republican
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Mar 4, 1857 –
Aug 15, 1862
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Elected in 1856.Resigned.
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13
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35th
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| 36th
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13
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Elected in 1858.
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Mar 4, 1859 –
Sep 2, 1884
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Republican
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Henry B. Anthony
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13
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| 37th
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| Vacant
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Aug 15, 1862 –
Dec 1, 1862
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| 15
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Samuel G. Arnold
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Republican
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Dec 1, 1862 –
Mar 3, 1863
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Elected in 1862 to finish Simmons’s term.[data unknown/missing]
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| 16
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William Sprague IV
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Republican
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Mar 4, 1863 –
Mar 3, 1875
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Elected in 1862.
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14
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38th
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| 39th
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14
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Re-elected in 1864.
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| 40th
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| Re-elected in 1868.Retired.
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15
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41st
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| 42nd
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15
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Re-elected in 1870.
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| 43rd
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| 17
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Ambrose Burnside
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Republican
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Mar 4, 1875 –
Sep 13, 1881
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Elected in 1874.
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16
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44th
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| 45th
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16
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Re-elected in 1876.
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| 46th
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| Re-elected in 1880.Died.
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17
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47th
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| Vacant
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Sep 13, 1881 –
Oct 5, 1881
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| 18
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Nelson W. Aldrich
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Republican
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Oct 5, 1881 –
Mar 3, 1911
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Elected in 1881 to finish Burnside’s term.
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| 48th
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17
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Re-elected in 1882.Died.
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Sep 2, 1884 –
Nov 19, 1884
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Vacant
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| Appointed to continue Anthony’s term.
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Nov 19, 1884 –
Jan 20, 1885
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Republican
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William P. Sheffield
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14
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| Elected in 1885 to finish Anthony’s term.
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Jan 20, 1885 –
Apr 9, 1889
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Republican
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Jonathan Chace
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15
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| 49th
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| Re-elected in 1886.
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18
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50th
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| 51st
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18
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Re-elected in 1888.Resigned.
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| Elected in 1889 to finish Chace’s term.Retired.
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Apr 10, 1889 –
Mar 3, 1895
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Republican
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Nathan F. Dixon III
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16
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| 52nd
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| Re-elected in 1892.
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19
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53rd
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| 54th
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19
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Elected in 1894.
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Mar 4, 1895 –
Mar 3, 1907
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Republican
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George P. Wetmore
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17
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| 55th
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| Re-elected in 1898.
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20
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56th
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| 57th
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20
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Re-elected in 1900.
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| 58th
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| Re-elected Jan 18, 1905.[2]Retired.
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21
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59th
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| 60th
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21
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Legislature failed to elect.
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Mar 4, 1907 –
Jan 22, 1908
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Vacant
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| Elected in 1908 to finish the vacant term.Retired.
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Jan 22, 1908–
Mar 3, 1913
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Republican
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George P. Wetmore
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| 61st
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| 19
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Henry F. Lippitt
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Republican
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Mar 4, 1911 –
Mar 3, 1917
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Elected in 1910.Lost re-election.
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22
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62nd
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| 63rd
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22
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Elected in 1913.
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Mar 4, 1913 –
Aug 18, 1924
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Republican
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LeBaron Bradford Colt
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18
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| 64th
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| 20
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Peter G. Gerry
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Democratic
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Mar 4, 1917 –
Mar 3, 1929
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Elected in 1916.
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23
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65th
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| 66th
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23
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Re-elected in 1918.Died.
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| 67th
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| Re-elected in 1922.Lost re-election.
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24
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68th
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|
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Aug 18, 1924 –
Nov 4, 1924
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Vacant
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| Elected in 1924 to finish Colt’s term.
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Nov 4, 1924 –
Jan 3, 1937
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Republican
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Jesse H. Metcalf
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19
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| 69th
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24
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Elected in 1924.
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| 70th
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| 21
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Felix Hebert
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Republican
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Mar 4, 1929 –
Jan 3, 1935
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Elected in 1928.Lost re-election.
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25
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71st
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| 72nd
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25
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Re-elected in 1930Lost re-election.
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| 73rd
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| 22
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Peter G. Gerry
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Democratic
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Jan 3, 1935 –
Jan 3, 1947
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Elected in 1934.
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26
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74th
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| 75th
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26
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Elected in 1936.
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Jan 3, 1937 –
Jan 3, 1961
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Democratic
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Theodore F. Green
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20
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| 76th
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| Re-elected in 1940.Retired.
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27
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77th
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| 78th
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27
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Re-elected in 1942.
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| 79th
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| 23
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J. Howard McGrath
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Democratic
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Jan 3, 1947 –
Aug 23, 1949
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Elected in 1946.Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General.
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28
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80th
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| 81st
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28
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Re-elected in 1948.
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| 24
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Edward L. Leahy
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Democratic
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Aug 24, 1949 –
Dec 10, 1950
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Appointed to continue McGrath’s term.Retired.
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| Vacant
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Dec 10, 1950 –
Dec 19, 1950
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| 25
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John Pastore
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Democratic
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Dec 19, 1950 –
Dec 28, 1976
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Elected in 1950 to finish McGrath’s term.
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| 82nd
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| Re-elected in 1952.
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29
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83rd
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| 84th
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29
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Re-elected in 1954.Retired.
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| 85th
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| Re-elected in 1958.
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30
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86th
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| 87th
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30
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Elected in 1960.
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Jan 3, 1961 –
Jan 3, 1997
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Democratic
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Claiborne Pell
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21
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| 88th
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| Re-elected in 1964.
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31
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89th
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| 90th
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31
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Re-elected in 1966.
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| 91st
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Re-elected in 1970.Retired and resigned early
to give successor preferential seniority.
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32
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92nd
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| 93rd
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32
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Re-elected in 1972.
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| 94th
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| 26
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John Chafee
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Republican
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Dec 29, 1976 –
Oct 24, 1999
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Appointed to finish Pastore’s term, having been elected to the next term.
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| Elected in 1976.
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33
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95th
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| 96th
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33
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Re-elected in 1978.
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| 97th
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| Re-elected in 1982.
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34
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98th
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| 99th
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34
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Re-elected in 1984.
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| 100th
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| Re-elected in 1988.
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35
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101st
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| 102nd
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35
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Re-elected in 1990.Retired.
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| 103rd
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| Re-elected in 1994.Died, having planned to retire at the end of term.
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36
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104th
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| 105th
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36
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Elected in 1996.
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Jan 3, 1997 –
Present
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Democratic
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Jack Reed
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22
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| 106th
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| Vacant
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Oct 24, 1999 –
Nov 2, 1999
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| 27
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Lincoln Chafee
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Republican
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Nov 2, 1999 –
Jan 3, 2007
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Appointed to finish his father’s term.
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| Elected in 2000 to a full term.Lost re-election.
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37
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107th
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| 108th
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37
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Re-elected in 2002.
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| 109th
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| 28
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Sheldon Whitehouse
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Democratic
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Jan 3, 2007 –
Present
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Elected in 2006.
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38
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110th
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| 111th
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38
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Re-elected in 2008.
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| 112th
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| Re-elected in 2012.
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39
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113th
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| 114th
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39
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Re-elected in 2014.
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| 115th
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| Re-elected in 2018.
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40
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116th
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| 117th
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40
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Re-elected in 2020.
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| 118th
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| To be determined in the 2024 election.
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41
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119th
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| 120th
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41
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To be determined in the 2026 election.
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| #
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Senator
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Party
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Years in office
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Electoral history
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T
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|
T
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Electoral history
|
Years in office
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Party
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Senator
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#
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| Class 1
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Class 2
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