XIV

Class 2Class 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 3Class 3 U.S. senators belong to the electoral cycle that has recently been contested in 2004, 2010, 2016, and 2022. The next election will be in 2028. # Senator Party Dates in office Electoral history T T Electoral history Dates in office Party Senator # Vacant Jun 1, 1792 –
Jun 18, 1792 Kentucky elected its senators a couple of weeks after statehood. 1 2nd 1 Kentucky elected its senators a couple of weeks after statehood. Jun 1, 1792 –
Jun 18, 1792 Vacant 1
John Brown Anti-
Admin. Jun 18, 1792 –
Mar 3, 1805 Elected in 1792. Elected in 1792. Jun 18, 1792 –
Mar 3, 1795 Anti-
Admin.
John Edwards 1 Re-elected in 1792. 2 3rd Democratic-
Republican 4th 2 Elected in 1794.Lost re-election. Mar 4, 1795 –
Mar 3, 1801 Federalist
Humphrey Marshall 2 5th Re-elected in 1798.Lost re-election. 3 6th 7th 3 Elected in 1800.Resigned to become U.S. Attorney General. Mar 4, 1801 –
Aug 7, 1805 Democratic-
Republican
John Breckinridge 3 8th 2
Buckner Thruston Democratic-
Republican Mar 4, 1805 –
Dec 18, 1809 Elected in 1804.Resigned to become judge of the U.S. Circuit Court. 4 9th   Aug 7, 1805 –
Nov 8, 1805 Vacant Elected to finish Breckinridge's term.Lost re-election and "resigned." Because of participation in the Burr conspiracy. Nov 8, 1805 –
Nov 18, 1806 Democratic-
Republican
John Adair 4 Elected to finish Adair's term, despite not meeting the "constitutional age minimum."Retired. Nov 19, 1806 –
Mar 3, 1807 Democratic-
Republican
Henry Clay 5 10th 4 Elected in 1806.Retired. Mar 4, 1807 –
Mar 3, 1813 Democratic-
Republican
John Pope 6 11th Vacant Dec 18, 1809 –
Jan 10, 1810   3
Henry Clay Democratic-
Republican Jan 10, 1810 –
Mar 3, 1811 Appointed to finish Thruston's term.Retired. 4
George Bibb Democratic-
Republican Mar 4, 1811 –
Aug 23, 1814 Elected in 1811.Resigned to return to private practice. 5 12th 13th 5 Elected in 1813.Resigned. Mar 4, 1813 –
Dec 24, 1814 Democratic-Republican
Jesse Bledsoe 7 Vacant Aug 23, 1814 –
Aug 30, 1814   5 George Walker Democratic-
Republican Aug 30, 1814 –
Feb 2, 1815 Appointed to continue Bibb's term.Successor qualified. 6
William Barry Democratic-
Republican Feb 2, 1815 –
May 1, 1816 Elected to finish Bibb's term.Resigned to become judge of the Kentucky Circuit Court.   Dec 24, 1814 –
Feb 2, 1815 Vacant Elected in 1815 to finish Bledsoe's term.Retired/lost re-election. Feb 2, 1815 –
Mar 3, 1819 Democratic-Republican
Isham Talbot 8 14th Vacant May 1, 1816 –
Nov 3, 1816   7
Martin Hardin Democratic-Republican Nov 3, 1816 –
Mar 3, 1817 Appointed to continue Bibb's term.Elected in 1816 to finish Bibb's termRetired. 8
John J. Crittenden Democratic-
Republican Mar 4, 1817 –
Mar 3, 1819 Elected in 1816.Resigned to return to private practice. 6 15th Vacant Mar 3, 1819 –
Dec 10, 1819   16th 6 Elected in 1818.Resigned to run for governor. Mar 4, 1819 –
May 28, 1820 Democratic-Republican
William Logan 9 9
Richard Mentor Johnson Democratic-
Republican Dec 10, 1819 –
Mar 3, 1829 Elected to finish Crittenden's term.   May 28, 1820 –
Oct 19, 1820 Vacant Elected to finish Logan's term.Retired or lost re-election. Oct 19, 1820–
Mar 3, 1825 Democratic-Republican
Isham Talbot 10 17th Re-elected in 1823.Lost re-election. 7 18th Jacksonian 19th 7 Election year unknown.Retired or lost re-election. Mar 4, 1825 –
Mar 3, 1831 Jacksonian
John Rowan 11 20th 10
George Bibb Jacksonian Mar 4, 1829 –
Mar 3, 1835 Elected in 1829.Retired or lost re-election. 8 21st 22nd 8   Mar 4, 1831 –
Nov 10, 1831 Vacant Elected late in 1831. Nov 10, 1831 –
Mar 31, 1842 National
Republican
Henry Clay 12 23rd 11
John J. Crittenden National
Republican Mar 4, 1835 –
Mar 3, 1841 Elected in 1835.Retired. 9 24th Whig 25th 9 Re-elected in 1836.Resigned. Whig 26th 12
James T. Morehead Whig Mar 4, 1841 –
Mar 3, 1847 Elected in 1841.Retired or lost re-election. 10 27th Elected to finish Clay's term. Mar 31, 1842 –
Jun 12, 1848 Whig
John J. Crittenden 13 28th 10 Re-elected in 1843.Resigned to become Governor of Kentucky. 29th 13
Joseph R. Underwood Whig Mar 4, 1847 –
Mar 3, 1853 Election year unknown.Retired. 11 30th   Jun 12, 1848 –
Jun 23, 1848 Vacant Appointed to continue Crittenden's term.Elected in 1849 to finish Crittenden's term.Retired or lost re-election. Jun 23, 1848 –
Mar 3, 1849 Whig
Thomas Metcalfe 14 31st 11 Elected in 1849.Resigned effective Sep 6, "1852," but died Jun 24, 1852. Mar 4, 1849 –
Jun 24, 1852 Whig
Henry Clay 15 32nd   Jun 24, 1852 –
Jul 6, 1852 Vacant Appointed to continue Clay's term.Lost election to finish Clay's term. Jul 6, 1852 –
Aug 31, 1852 Democratic
David Meriwether 16 Elected in 1851 to finish Clay's term, in anticipation of Clay's resignation.Retired. Sep 1, 1852 –
Mar 3, 1855 Whig
Archibald Dixon 17 14
John B. Thompson Know Nothing Mar 4, 1853 –
Mar 3, 1859 Elected in 1851, far in advance of the term.Retired or lost re-election. 12 33rd 34th 12 Elected in 1854.Retired. Mar 4, 1855–
Mar 3, 1861 Whig
John J. Crittenden 18 35th Know Nothing 15
Lazarus W. Powell Democratic Mar 4, 1859 –
Mar 3, 1865 Elected in 1858.Retired to run for U.S. President. 13 36th 37th 13 Elected in 1859, far in advance of the term.Expelled for supporting the Confederacy. Mar 4, 1861 –
Dec 4, 1861 Democratic
John C. Breckinridge 19   Dec 4, 1861 –
Dec 10, 1861 Vacant Elected to finish Breckinridge's term. Dec 10, 1861 –
Sep 22, 1872 Unconditional Union
Garrett Davis 20 38th 16
James Guthrie Democratic Mar 4, 1865 –
Feb 7, 1868 Elected in 1865.Resigned due to ill health. 14 39th 40th 14 Re-elected in 1867.Died. Democratic Vacant Feb 7, 1868 –
Feb 19, 1868   17
Thomas C. McCreery Democratic Feb 19, 1868 –
Mar 3, 1871 Elected to finish Guthrie's term.Lost re-election. 41st 18
John W. Stevenson Democratic Mar 4, 1871 –
Mar 3, 1877 Elected in 1871.Retired. 15 42nd   Sep 22, 1872 –
Sep 27, 1872 Vacant Appointed to continue Davis's term.Elected in 1873 to finish Davis's term.Retired or lost re-election. Sep 27, 1872 –
Mar 3, 1873 Democratic
Willis B. Machen 21 43rd 15 Elected in 1872.Retired. Mar 4, 1873 –
Mar 3, 1879 Democratic
Thomas C. McCreery 22 44th 19
James B. Beck Democratic Mar 4, 1877 –
May 3, 1890 Elected in 1876. 16 45th 46th 16 Elected in 1879.Lost re-election. Mar 4, 1879 –
Mar 3, 1885 Democratic
John Stuart Williams 23 47th Re-elected in 1882. 17 48th 49th 17 Elected in 1884. Mar 4, 1885 –
Mar 3, 1897 Democratic
J. C. S. Blackburn 24 50th Re-elected in 1888.Died. 18 51st Vacant May 3, 1890 –
May 26, 1890   20
John Carlisle Democratic May 26, 1890 –
Feb 4, 1893 Elected to finish Beck's term.Resigned. 52nd 18 Re-elected in 1890.Lost re-election. Vacant Feb 4, 1893 –
Feb 15, 1893   21
William Lindsay Democratic Feb 15, 1893 –
Mar 3, 1901 Elected to finish Carlisle's term. 53rd Re-elected in 1894.Retired. 19 54th 55th 19 Legislature failed to elect. Mar 4, 1897 –
May 5, 1897 Vacant Elected in 1897 to finish vacant term.Retired. May 5, 1897 –
Mar 3, 1903 Republican
William J. Deboe 25 56th 22
J. C. S. Blackburn Democratic Mar 4, 1901 –
Mar 3, 1907 Elected in 1900.Lost re-election. 20 57th 58th 20 Elected in 1902.Lost renomination. Mar 4, 1903 –
Mar 3, 1909 Democratic
James B. McCreary 26 59th 23
Thomas H. Paynter Democratic Mar 4, 1907 –
Mar 3, 1913 Elected in 1906.Retired. 21 60th 61st 21 Elected in 1908.Died. Mar 4, 1909 –
May 23, 1914 Republican
William O. Bradley 27 62nd 24
Ollie Murray James Democratic Mar 4, 1913 –
Aug 28, 1918 Elected in 1912.Died. 22 63rd   May 23, 1914 –
Jun 16, 1914 Vacant Appointed to continue Bradley's term.Elected in 1914 to finish Bradley's term.Retired. Jun 16, 1914 –
Mar 3, 1915 Democratic
Johnson N. Camden Jr. 28 64th 22 Elected in 1914.Lost re-election. Mar 4, 1915 –
Mar 3, 1921 Democratic
J. C. W. Beckham 29 65th Vacant Aug 28, 1918 –
Sep 7, 1918   25
George B. Martin Democratic Sep 7, 1918 –
Mar 3, 1919 Appointed to finish James's term.Retired. 26
A. O. Stanley Democratic Mar 4, 1919 –
Mar 3, 1925 Elected in 1918.Didn't take seat until May 19, 1919, in order to remain Governor of Kentucky.Lost re-election. 23 66th 67th 23 Elected in 1920.Lost re-election. Mar 4, 1921 –
Mar 3, 1927 Republican
Richard P. Ernst 30 68th 27
Fred Sackett Republican Mar 4, 1925 –
Jan 9, 1930 Elected in 1924.Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to Germany. 24 69th 70th 24 Elected in 1926. Mar 4, 1927 –
Jan 19, 1949 Democratic
Alben W. Barkley 31 71st Vacant Jan 9, 1930 –
Jan 11, 1930   28
John Robsion Republican Jan 11, 1930 –
Nov 30, 1930 Appointed to continue Sackett's term.Lost elections to finish Sackett's term and to next term. 29
Ben M. Williamson Democratic Dec 1, 1930 –
Mar 3, 1931 Elected in 1930 to finish Sackett's term.Retired. 30
M. M. Logan Democratic Mar 4, 1931 –
Oct 3, 1939 Elected in 1930. 25 72nd 73rd 25 Re-elected in 1932. 74th Re-elected in 1936.Died. 26 75th 76th 26 Re-elected in 1938. Vacant Oct 3, 1939 –
Oct 10, 1939   31
Happy Chandler Democratic Oct 10, 1939 –
Nov 1, 1945 Appointed to continue Logan's term.Elected in 1940 to finish Logan's term. 77th Re-elected in 1942.Resigned to become Commissioner of Baseball. 27 78th 79th 27 Re-elected in 1944.Resigned to become U.S. Vice President. Vacant Nov 1, 1945 –
Nov 19, 1945   32
William A. Stanfill Republican Nov 19, 1945 –
Nov 5, 1946 Appointed to continue Chandler's term.Retired. 33
John Sherman Cooper Republican Nov 6, 1946 –
Jan 3, 1949 Elected to finish Chandler's term.Lost re-election. 80th 34
Virgil Chapman Democratic Jan 3, 1949 –
Mar 8, 1951 Elected in 1948.Died. 28 81st Appointed to continue Barkley's term.Resigned to trigger special election. Jan 20, 1949 –
Nov 26, 1950 Democratic
Garrett Withers 32 Elected to finish Barkley's term, having been elected to the next term. Nov 27, 1950 –
Jan 3, 1957 Democratic
Earle Clements 33 82nd 28 Elected to full term in 1950.Lost re-election. Vacant Mar 8, 1951 –
Mar 19, 1951   35
Thomas R. Underwood Democratic Mar 19, 1951 –
Nov 4, 1952 Appointed to continue Chapman's term.Lost election to finish Chapman's term. 36
John Sherman Cooper Republican Nov 5, 1952 –
Jan 3, 1955 Elected to finish Chapman's term. Lost re-election. 83rd 37
Alben W. Barkley Democratic Jan 3, 1955 –
Apr 30, 1956 Elected in 1954.Died. 29 84th Vacant Apr 30, 1956 –
Jun 21, 1956   38
Robert Humphreys Democratic Jun 21, 1956 –
Nov 6, 1956 Appointed to continue Barkley's term.Retired when elected successor qualified. 39
John Sherman Cooper Republican Nov 7, 1956 –
Jan 3, 1973 Elected to finish Barkley's term. 85th 29 Elected in 1956. Jan 3, 1957 –
Dec 16, 1968 Republican
Thruston Morton 34 86th Re-elected in 1960. 30 87th 88th 30 Re-elected in 1962.Retired, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. 89th Re-elected in 1966.Retired. 31 90th Appointed to finish Morton's term, having already been elected to the next term. Dec 17, 1968 –
Dec 27, 1974 Republican
Marlow Cook 35 91st 31 Elected in 1968.Lost re-election, and resigned early to give successor preferential seniority. 92nd 40
Walter Dee Huddleston Democratic Jan 3, 1973 –
Jan 3, 1985 Elected in 1972. 32 93rd Appointed to finish Cook's term, having already been elected to the next term. Dec 28, 1974 –
Jan 3, 1999 Democratic
Wendell Ford 36 94th 32 Elected in 1974. 95th Re-elected in 1978.Lost re-election. 33 96th 97th 33 Re-elected in 1980. 98th 41
Mitch McConnell Republican Jan 3, 1985 –
present Elected in 1984. 34 99th 100th 34 Re-elected in 1986. 101st Re-elected in 1990. 35 102nd 103rd 35 Re-elected in 1992.Retired. 104th Re-elected in 1996. 36 105th 106th 36 Elected in 1998. Jan 3, 1999 –
Jan 3, 2011 Republican
Jim Bunning 37 107th Re-elected in 2002. 37 108th 109th 37 Re-elected in 2004.Retired. 110th Re-elected in 2008. 38 111th 112th 38 Elected in 2010. Jan 3, 2011 –
present Republican
Rand Paul 38 113th Re-elected in 2014. 39 114th 115th 39 Re-elected in 2016. 116th Re-elected in 2020. 40 117th 118th 40 Re-elected in 2022. 119th To be determined in the 2026 election. 41 120th 121st 41 To be determined in the 2028 election. # Senator Party Years in office Electoral history T C T Electoral history Years in office Party Senator # Class 2 Class 3

See also※

• List of United States representatives from Kentucky
• United States congressional delegations from Kentucky
• Elections in Kentucky

Notes※

References※

• Byrd, Robert C. (October 1, 1993). Wolff, Wendy (ed.). The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. United States Senate Historical Office (volume 4 Bicentennial ed.). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780160632563.
• Rhoades, Henry Eckford; McPherson, Edward; Schem, A. J.; Ottarson, F. J.; Cleveland, John F.; Greeley, Horace (1909). The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1909. New York: The Tribune Association. p. 315.