Texas was admitted to the United States on December 29, 1845, and elects its U.S. senators to Class 1 and Class 2. The state's current senators are Republicans John Cornyn (serving since 2002) and Ted Cruz (serving since 2013). A total of 27 Democrats, 7 Republicans, and 1 Liberal Republican have served or are serving as U.S. senators from Texas. Morris Sheppard was Texas's longest-serving senator (1913–1941).
List of senatorsEdit
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 2002, 2008, 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026. | ||||||||||
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# | Senator | Party | Dates in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Dates in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Vacant | December 29, 1845 – February 21, 1846 |
Texas did not elect its senators until two months after statehood. | 1 | 29th | 1 | Texas did not elect its senators until two months after statehood. | December 29, 1845 – February 21, 1846 |
Vacant | ||||
1 | Thomas Jefferson Rusk |
Democratic | February 21, 1846 – July 29, 1857 |
Elected in 1846. | Elected in 1846. | February 21, 1846 – March 3, 1859 |
Democratic | Sam Houston |
1 | |||
30th | 2 | Re-elected in 1847. | ||||||||||
31st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1851. | 2 | 32nd | ||||||||||
33rd | 3 | Re-elected in 1853. Retired. | ||||||||||
34th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1857. Died. |
3 | 35th | ||||||||||
Vacant | July 29, 1857 – November 9, 1857 |
|||||||||||
2 | James Pinckney Henderson |
Democratic | November 9, 1857 – June 4, 1858 |
Appointed to finish Rusk's term. Died. | ||||||||
Vacant | June 4, 1858 – September 27, 1858 |
|||||||||||
3 | Matthias Ward |
Democratic | September 27, 1858 – December 5, 1859 |
Appointed to continue Rusk's term. Lost nomination to finish Rusk's term. | ||||||||
36th | 4 | Elected in 1859. Expelled following Texas's secession from the Union. |
March 4, 1859 – July 11, 1861 |
Democratic | John Hemphill |
2 | ||||||
4 | Louis Wigfall |
Democratic | December 5, 1859 – March 23, 1861 |
Elected to finish Rusk's term. Withdrew. | ||||||||
37th | ||||||||||||
Vacant | March 23, 1861 – March 30, 1870 |
U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction. | ||||||||||
U.S. Civil War and Reconstruction. | July 11, 1861 – March 31, 1870 |
Vacant | ||||||||||
4 | 38th | |||||||||||
39th | 5 | |||||||||||
40th | ||||||||||||
5 | 41st | |||||||||||
5 | James W. Flanagan |
Republican | March 30, 1870 – March 3, 1875 |
Elected upon readmission. | ||||||||
Elected upon readmission. | March 31, 1870 – March 3, 1877 |
Republican | Morgan C. Hamilton |
3 | ||||||||
42nd | 6 | Re-elected in 1871. Retired. | ||||||||||
43rd | Liberal Republican | |||||||||||
6 | Samuel B. Maxey |
Democratic | March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1887 |
Elected in 1875. | 6 | 44th | Republican | |||||
45th | 7 | Elected in 1876. | March 4, 1877 – March 3, 1895 |
Democratic | Richard Coke |
4 | ||||||
46th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1881. Lost re-election. |
7 | 47th | ||||||||||
48th | 8 | Re-elected in 1882. | ||||||||||
49th | ||||||||||||
7 | John Henninger Reagan |
Democratic | March 4, 1887 – June 10, 1891 |
Elected in 1887. Resigned to become chairman of the Railroad Commission of Texas. |
8 | 50th | ||||||
51st | 9 | Re-elected in 1888. Retired. | ||||||||||
52nd | ||||||||||||
8 | Horace Chilton |
Democratic | June 10, 1891 – March 22, 1892 |
Appointed to continue Reagan's term. Lost election to finish Reagan's term. | ||||||||
9 | Roger Q. Mills |
Democratic | March 23, 1892 – March 3, 1899 |
Elected to finish Reagan's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1893. Retired. |
9 | 53rd | ||||||||||
54th | 10 | Elected in 1894. Retired. |
March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1901 |
Democratic | Horace Chilton |
5 | ||||||
55th | ||||||||||||
10 | Charles Allen Culberson |
Democratic | March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1923 |
Elected in 1899. | 10 | 56th | ||||||
57th | 11 | Elected in 1901. | March 4, 1901 – January 3, 1913 |
Democratic | Joseph Weldon Bailey |
6 | ||||||
58th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected January 25, 1905.[1] | 11 | 59th | ||||||||||
60th | 12 | Re-elected in 1907. Resigned. | ||||||||||
61st | ||||||||||||
Re-elected January 24, 1911. | 12 | 62nd | ||||||||||
Appointed to continue Bailey's term. Lost election to finish Bailey's term. Retired. |
January 4, 1913 – January 29, 1913 |
Democratic | Rienzi Melville Johnston |
7 | ||||||||
January 29, 1913 – February 3, 1913 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected January 28, 1913 to finish Bailey's term. | February 3, 1913 – April 9, 1941 |
Democratic | Morris Sheppard |
8 | ||||||||
63rd | 13 | Elected January 28, 1913 to the full term. | ||||||||||
64th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1916. Lost re-election. |
13 | 65th | ||||||||||
66th | 14 | Re-elected in 1918. | ||||||||||
67th | ||||||||||||
11 | Earle B. Mayfield |
Democratic | March 4, 1923 – March 3, 1929 |
Elected in 1922. Lost renomination. |
14 | 68th | ||||||
69th | 15 | Re-elected in 1924. | ||||||||||
70th | ||||||||||||
12 | Tom Connally |
Democratic | March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1953 |
Elected in 1928. | 15 | 71st | ||||||
72nd | 16 | Re-elected in 1930. | ||||||||||
73rd | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1934. | 16 | 74th | ||||||||||
75th | 17 | Re-elected in 1936. Died. | ||||||||||
76th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1940. | 17 | 77th | ||||||||||
April 9, 1941 – April 21, 1941 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to continue Sheppard's term. Died. |
April 21, 1941 – June 26, 1941 |
Democratic | Andrew Jackson Houston |
9 | ||||||||
June 26, 1941 – August 4, 1941 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Elected to finish Sheppard's term. | August 4, 1941 – January 3, 1949 |
Democratic | W. Lee O'Daniel |
10 | ||||||||
78th | 18 | Re-elected in 1942. Retired. | ||||||||||
79th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1946. Retired. |
18 | 80th | ||||||||||
81st | 19 | Elected in 1948. | January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1961 |
Democratic | Lyndon B. Johnson |
11 | ||||||
82nd | ||||||||||||
13 | Price Daniel |
Democratic | January 3, 1953 – January 14, 1957 |
Elected in 1952. Resigned to become Governor of Texas. |
19 | 83rd | ||||||
84th | 20 | Re-elected in 1954. Re-elected in 1960, but resigned to become U.S. Vice President. | ||||||||||
85th | ||||||||||||
14 | William A. Blakley |
Democratic | January 15, 1957 – April 28, 1957 |
Appointed to continue Daniel's term. Retired when his successor was elected. | ||||||||
15 | Ralph Yarborough |
Democratic | April 29, 1957 – January 3, 1971 |
Elected to finish Daniel's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1958. | 20 | 86th | ||||||||||
87th | 21 | Appointed to begin Johnson's term. Lost election to finish Johnson's term. |
January 3, 1961 – June 14, 1961 |
Democratic | William A. Blakley |
12 | ||||||
Elected May 27, 1961 to finish Johnson's term. | June 15, 1961 – January 3, 1985 |
Republican | John Tower |
13 | ||||||||
88th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1964. Lost renomination. |
21 | 89th | ||||||||||
90th | 22 | Re-elected in 1966. | ||||||||||
91st | ||||||||||||
16 | Lloyd Bentsen |
Democratic | January 3, 1971 – January 20, 1993 |
Elected in 1970. | 22 | 92nd | ||||||
93rd | 23 | Re-elected in 1972. | ||||||||||
94th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1976. | 23 | 95th | ||||||||||
96th | 24 | Re-elected in 1978. Retired. | ||||||||||
97th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1982. | 24 | 98th | ||||||||||
99th | 25 | Elected in 1984. | January 3, 1985 – November 30, 2002 |
Republican | Phil Gramm |
14 | ||||||
100th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 1988. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. |
25 | 101st | ||||||||||
102nd | 26 | Re-elected in 1990. | ||||||||||
103rd | ||||||||||||
Vacant | January 20, 1993 – January 21, 1993 |
|||||||||||
17 | Bob Krueger |
Democratic | January 21, 1993 – June 14, 1993 |
Appointed to continue Bentsen's term. Lost election to finish Bentsen's term. | ||||||||
18 | Kay Bailey Hutchison |
Republican | June 14, 1993 – January 3, 2013 |
Elected June 6, 1993 to finish Bentsen's term. | ||||||||
Re-elected in 1994. | 26 | 104th | ||||||||||
105th | 27 | Re-elected in 1996. Retired, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. | ||||||||||
106th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2000. | 27 | 107th | ||||||||||
November 30, 2002 – December 2, 2002 |
Vacant | |||||||||||
Appointed to finish Gramm's term, having been elected to the next term. | December 2, 2002 – present |
Republican | John Cornyn |
15 | ||||||||
108th | 28 | Elected in 2002. | ||||||||||
109th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2006. Retired. |
28 | 110th | ||||||||||
111th | 29 | Re-elected in 2008. | ||||||||||
112th | ||||||||||||
19 | Ted Cruz |
Republican | January 3, 2013 – present |
Elected in 2012. | 29 | 113th | ||||||
114th | 30 | Re-elected in 2014. | ||||||||||
115th | ||||||||||||
Re-elected in 2018. | 30 | 116th | ||||||||||
117th | 31 | Re-elected in 2020. | ||||||||||
118th | ||||||||||||
To be determined in the 2024 election. | 31 | 119th | ||||||||||
120th | 32 | To be determined in the 2026 election. | ||||||||||
# | Senator | Party | Years in office | Electoral history | T | T | Electoral history | Years in office | Party | Senator | # | |
Class 1 | Class 2 |
Living former senatorsEdit
As of May 2022[update], there are two living former U.S. senators from Texas. The most recent and most recently serving senator to die was Bob Krueger (served 1993) on April 30, 2022.
Senator | Term of office | Date of birth (and age) |
---|---|---|
Phil Gramm | January 3, 1985 – November 30, 2002 | July 9, 1942 |
Kay Bailey Hutchison | June 14, 1993 – January 3, 2013 | July 22, 1943 |
SuperlativesEdit
Longest serviceEdit
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Morris Sheppard | February 3, 1913 | April 9, 1941 | 28 years, 65 days (10,292 days) |
Charles Allen Culberson | March 4, 1899 | March 4, 1923 | 24 years, 0 days (8,765 days) |
Tom Connally | March 4, 1929 | January 3, 1953 | 23 years, 305 days (8,706 days) |
John Tower | June 15, 1961 | January 3, 1985 | 23 years, 202 days (8,603 days) |
Lloyd Bentsen | January 3, 1971 | January 20, 1993 | 22 years, 17 days (8,053 days) |
Shortest serviceEdit
Senator | First served | Last served | Length of service |
---|---|---|---|
Rienzi Melville Johnston | January 4, 1913 | January 29, 1913 | 3 weeks and 4 days (25 days) |
Andrew Jackson Houston | April 21, 1941 | June 26, 1941 | 2 months and 5 days (66 days) |
Bob Krueger | January 21, 1993 | June 14, 1993 | 4 months, 3 weeks and 3 days (144 days) |
James Pinckney Henderson | November 9, 1857 | June 4, 1858 | 6 months, 3 weeks and 5 days (207 days) |
William A. Blakley | January 15, 1957 | April 28, 1957 | Combined total: 8 months, 24 days (265 days) |
January 3, 1961 | June 14, 1961 |
Youngest at beginning of serviceEdit
Senator | Date of birth | First served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
John Tower | September 29, 1925 | June 15, 1961 | 35 years, 8 months and 17 days |
Horace Chilton | December 29, 1853 | June 10, 1891 | 37 years, 5 months and 12 days |
Morris Sheppard | May 28, 1875 | February 3, 1913 | 37 years, 8 months and 6 days |
Joseph Weldon Bailey | October 6, 1862 | March 4, 1901 | 38 years, 4 months and 26 days |
Lyndon B. Johnson | August 27, 1908 | January 3, 1949 | 40 years, 4 months and 7 days |
Oldest at end of serviceEdit
Senator | Date of birth | Last served | Age |
---|---|---|---|
Andrew Jackson Houston | June 21, 1854 | June 26, 1941 | 87 years and 5 days |
Tom Connally | August 19, 1877 | January 3, 1953 | 75 years, 4 months and 15 days |
John Henninger Reagan | October 8, 1818 | June 10, 1891 | 72 years, 8 months and 2 days |
Lloyd Bentsen | February 11, 1921 | January 20, 1993 | 71 years, 11 months and 9 days |
John Cornyn | February 2, 1952 | Present | 70 years, 3 months and 17 days |
See alsoEdit
ReferencesEdit
- ^ The World Almanac and Encyclopedia 1906. New York: The Press Publishing Co. New York World. 1905. p. 108.