This is a chronological listing of the United States Senators from Delaware.

United States Senators are popularly elected, for a six year term, beginning January 3. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1st. Before 1914, they were chosen by the Delaware General Assembly, and before 1935, their terms began March 4.

Class 1 Senators

Class 1 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that were elected for one session of the U.S. Congress in the first election of 1788 and whose seats were most recently contested in 1994, 2000, and 2006.

#	Term: Congress	Picture	Name	Birth / Death	Term of Office	Party	Residence Occupation	Other offices
1	1:1 2:2		George Read	September 18, 1733– September 21, 1798	March 4, 1789– September 18, 1793	non partisan	New Castle, New Castle Co. lawyer	State President Continental Congressman State Chief Justice State Councilman State Assemblyman
	2:3		vacant		September 18, 1793– February 7, 1795
2	2:3,4 3:5,6		Henry Latimer	March 19, 1734– June 24, 1817	February 7, 1795– February 28, 1801	Federalist	Newport, New Castle Co. lawyer	Continental Congressman U.S. Representative State Assemblyman
3	3:6,7 4:8,9,10 5:11		Samuel White	March 5, 1777– June 9, 1842	February 28, 1801– November 4, 1809	Federalist	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer
	5:11		vacant		November 4, 1809– January 12, 1810
4	5:11,12,13 6:14,15,16		Outerbridge Horsey	March 5, 1777– June 9, 1842	January 12, 1810– March 3, 1821	Federalist	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	State Attorney General State Representative
	7:17		vacant		March 4, 1821– January 23, 1822
5	7:17		Caesar A. Rodney	January 4, 1772– June 10, 1824	January 24, 1822– January 29, 1823	Democratic- Republican	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Attorney General U.S. Representative State Representative Minister to Argentina
	7:17,18		vacant		January 29, 1823– January 8, 1824
6	7:18,19		Thomas Clayton	July 1, 1777– August 21, 1854	January 8, 1824– March 3, 1827	Federalist	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Secretary of State State Attorney General State Senator State Representative State Chief Justice
7	8:20,21		Louis McLane	May 28, 1786– October 7, 1857	March 4, 1827– April 16, 1829	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Secretary of State U.S. Treasury Secretary U.S. Representative Minister to the U.K.
	8:21		vacant		April 16, 1829– January 7, 1830
8	8:21,22 9:23,24		Arnold S. Naudain	January 6, 1790– January 4, 1872	January 7, 1830– June 16, 1836	Whig	Odessa, New Castle Co. physician	State Representative
9	9:24,25		Richard H. Bayard	September 26, 1796– March 4, 1868	June 17, 1836– September 19, 1839	Whig	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	Mayor of Wilmington State Chief Justice
	10:26		vacant		September 19, 1839– January 11, 1841
10	10:26,27,28		Richard H. Bayard	September 26, 1796– March 4, 1868	January 12, 1841– March 3, 1845	Whig	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	Mayor of Wilmington State Chief Justice
11	11:29,30		John M. Clayton	July 24, 1796– November 9, 1856	March 4, 1845– February 23, 1849	Whig	New Castle, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Secretary of State State Chief Justice State Secretary of State State Representative
12	11:30,31		John Wales	July 31, 1783– December 3, 1863	February 23, 1849– March 3, 1851	Whig	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	State Secretary of State
13	12:32,33,34 13:35,36,37 14:38		James A. Bayard, Jr.	November 15, 1799– June 13, 1880	March 4, 1851– January 29, 1864	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Attorney
14	14:38,39,40		George R. Riddle	1817– March 29, 1867	January 29, 1864– March 29, 1867	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Representative
15	14:40		James A. Bayard, Jr.	November 15, 1799– June 13, 1880	April 5, 1867– March 3, 1869	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Attorney
16	15:41,42,43 16:44,45,46 17:47,48,49		Thomas F. Bayard	October 29, 1828– September 29, 1898	March 4, 1869– March 6, 1885	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Secretary of State Ambassador to the U.K.
17	17:49 18:50,51,52 19:53,54,55		George Gray	May 4, 1840– August 7, 1925	March 18, 1885– March 3, 1899	Democratic	New Castle, New Castle Co. lawyer	Judge U.S. Appeals Court State Attorney General
	20:56,57		vacant		March 4, 1899– March 1, 1903
18	20:57,58		L. Heisler Ball	September 21, 1861– October 18, 1932	March 2, 1903– March 3, 1905	Republican	Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle Co. physician	U.S. Representative State Treasurer
	21:59		vacant		March 4, 1905– June 12, 1906
19	21:59,60,61 22:62,63,64		Henry A. du Pont	July 30, 1838– December 31, 1926	June 13, 1906– March 3, 1917	Republican	Winterthur, New Castle Co. soldier
20	23:65,66,67		Josiah O. Wolcott	July 30, 1838– December 31, 1926	March 4, 1917– July 2, 1921	Democratic	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Chancellor State Attorney General
21	23:67		T. Coleman du Pont	July 30, 1838– December 31, 1926	July 7, 1921– November 6, 1922	Republican	Greenville, New Castle Co. businessman	President DuPont Corporation
22	23:67 24:68,69,70		Thomas F. Bayard, Jr.	June 4, 1868– July 12, 1942	November 7, 1922– March 3, 1929	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer
23	25:71,72,73 26:74,75,76		John G. Townsend, Jr.	May 31, 1871– April 10, 1964	March 4, 1929– January 3, 1941	Republican	Selbyville, Sussex Co. businessman	Governor State Representative
24	27:77,78,79		James M. Tunnell	August 2, 1879– November 14, 1957	January 3, 1941– January 3, 1947	Democratic	Georgetown, Sussex Co. lawyer
25	28:80,81,82 29:83,84,85 30:86,87,88 31:89,90,91		John J. Williams	May 31, 1871– April 10, 1964	January 3, 1947– December 31, 1970	Republican	Millsboro, Sussex Co. businessman
26	32:92,93,94 33:95,96,97 34:98,99,100 35:101,102,103 36:104,105,106		William V. Roth, Jr.	July 22, 1921– December 13, 2003	January 1, 1971– January 3, 2001	Republican	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. Representative
24	37:107,108,109 38:110		Thomas R. Carper	born- January 23, 1947	January 3, 2001– incumbent	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. economist	Governor U.S. Representative State Treasurer

Class 2 Senators

Class 2 U.S. Senators belong to the electoral cycle that were elected for two sessions of the U.S. Congress in the first election of 1788 and whose seats in recent years are contested in 1996, 2002, 2008, and 2014.

#	Term: Congress	Picture	Name	Birth / Death	Term of Office	Party	Residence Occupation	Other offices
1	1:1,2		Richard Bassett	April 2, 1745– August 15, 1815	March 4, 1789– March 3, 1793	non partisan	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	Governor State Chief Justice State Councilman State Assemblyman U.S. Constitution delegate
2	2:3,4,5		John M. Vining	December 23, 1758– February 1, 1802	March 4, 1793– January 19, 1798	Federalist	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	Continental Congressman U.S. Representative
3	2:5		Joshua Clayton	July 20, 1744– August 11, 1798	January 19, 1798– August 11, 1798	Federalist	New Castle Co. lawyer	State Assemblyman Governor
	2:5		vacant		August 11, 1798– January 17, 1799
4	2:5 3:6,7,8		William H. Wells	January 7, 1769– March 11, 1829	January 17, 1799– November 6, 1804	Federalist	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	State Representative State Senator
5	3:8 4:9,10,11 5:12		James A. Bayard	July 28, 1767– August 6, 1815	November 13, 1804– March 3, 1813	Federalist	Dagsboro, Sussex Co. lawyer	U.S. Representative
6	5:13,14		William H. Wells	January 7, 1769– March 11, 1829	May 21, 1813– March 3, 1817	Federalist	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	State Representative State Senator
7	6:15,16,17 7:18,19		Nicholas Van Dyke	December 8, 1770– May 21, 1826	March 4, 1817– May 21, 1826	Federalist	New Castle, New Castle Co. lawyer	State Representative State Senator State Attorney General U.S. Representative
8	7:19		Daniel Rodney	December 8, 1770– May 21, 1826	November 8, 1826– January 12, 1827	National Republican	Lewes, Sussex Co. merchant	Governor U.S. Representative
9	7:19,20		Henry M. Ridgely	December 8, 1770– May 21, 1826	January 12, 1827– March 3, 1829	Democratic	Dover, KentCo. merchant	State Representative U.S. Representative State Secretary of State
10	8:21,22,23 9:24		John M. Clayton	July 24, 1796– November 9, 1856	March 4, 1829– December 29, 1836	Whig	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Representative State Secretary of State State Chief Justice U.S. Secretary of State
11	9:24,25,26 10:27,28,29		Thomas Clayton	July 1777– August 21, 1854	January 9, 1837– March 3, 1847	Whig	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Representative State Senator State Secretary of State State Attorney General State Chief Justice
12	11:30,31,32		Presley Spruance	September 11, 1785– February 13, 1863	March 4, 1847– March 3, 1853	Whig	Smyrna, Kent Co. lawyer	State Representative State Senator
13	12:33,34		John M. Clayton	July 24, 1796– November 9, 1856	March 4, 1853– November 9, 1856	Whig	New Castle Co. lawyer	State Representative State Secretary of State State Chief Justice U.S. Secretary of State
14	12:34		Joseph P. Comegys	December 23, 1813– February 1, 1893	November 19, 1856– January 14, 1857	Whig	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Representative State Chief Justice
15	12:34,35		Martin W. Bates	February 24, 1786– January 1, 1869	January 14, 1857– March 3, 1859	Democratic	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Representative
16	13:36,37,38 14:39,40,41		Willard Saulsbury	June 2, 1820– April 6, 1892	March 4, 1859– March 3, 1871	Democratic	Georgetown, Sussex Co. lawyer	State Attorney General State Chancellor
17	15:42,43,44 16:45,46,47 17:48,49,50		Eli M. Saulsbury	December 29, 1817– March 22, 1893	March 4, 1871– March 3, 1889	Democratic	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Representative
18	18:51,52,53		Anthony C. Higgins	October 1, 1840– June 26, 1912	March 4, 1889– March 3, 1895	Republican	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	U.S. District Attorney
	19:54		vacant		March 4, 1895– January 19, 1897
19	19:55,56		Richard R. Kenney	September 9, 1856– August 14, 1931	January 19, 1897– March 3, 1901	Democratic	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer
	20:57		vacant		March 4, 1901– March 2, 1903
20	20:58,59		J. Frank Allee	December 2, 1857– October 12, 1938	March 2, 1903– March 3, 1907	Republican	Dover, Kent Co. merchant	State Senator
21	21:60,61,62		Harry A. Richardson	January 1, 1853– June 16, 1928	March 4, 1907– March 3, 1913	Republican	Dover, Kent Co. businessman
22	22:63,64,65		Willard Saulsbury, Jr.	January 1, 1853– June 16, 1928	March 4, 1913– March 3, 1919	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer
23	23:66,67,68		L. Heisler Ball	September 21, 1861– October 18, 1932	March 4, 1919– March 3, 1925	Republican	New Castle Co. physician	State Treasurer U.S. Representative
24	24:69,70		T. Coleman du Pont	December 11, 1863– November 11, 1930	March 4, 1925– December 8, 1928	Republican	New Castle Co. businessman
25	25:70,71 25:72,73,74		Daniel O. Hastings	March 5, 1874– May 9, 1966	December 10, 1928– January 3, 1937	Republican	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	State Secretary of State
26	26:75,76,77		James H. Hughes	January 14, 1867– August 29, 1953	January 3, 1937– January 3, 1943	Democratic	Dover, Kent Co. lawyer	State Secretary of State
27	27:78,79,80		C. Douglass Buck	March 21, 1890– January 27, 1965	January 3, 1943– January 3, 1949	Republican	New Castle Co. engineer	Governor
28	28:81,82,83 29:84,85,86		J. Allen Frear, Jr.	March 7, 1903– January 15, 1993	January 3, 1949– January 3, 1961	Democratic	Dover, Kent Co. businessman
29	30:87,88,89 31:90,91,92		J. Caleb Boggs	May 15, 1909– March 26, 1993	January 3, 1961– January 3, 1973	Republican	Cheswold, Kent Co. lawyer	U.S. Representative Governor
30	32:93,94,95 33:96,97,98 34:99,100,101 35:102,103,104 36:105,106,107 37:108,109,110		Joseph R. Biden, Jr.	born– November 20, 1942	January 3, 1973– present	Democratic	Wilmington, New Castle Co. lawyer	County Councilman

References

• Martis, Kenneth C. (1989). The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 
• Martis, Kenneth C. (1982). The Historical Atlas of United States Congressional Districts. New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. 

External links

• Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
• Delaware’s Members of Congress
• Election Statistics
• Political Graveyard

See also

• U.S. Congressional Delegations from Delaware