| S.no. | State | Name | Party | Education | Date of Birth | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alabama | Jeff Sessions | Republican | Huntingdon College (B.A.) University of Alabama (J.D.) | December 24, 1946 | January 3, 2021 |
| 2 | Alabama | Richard Shelby | Republican | University of Alabama (B.A.; LL.B.) | May 6, 1934 | January 3, 2017 |
| 3 | Alaska | Lisa Murkowski | Republican | Georgetown University (B.A.) Willamette University (J.D.) | May 22, 1957 | January 3, 2017 |
| 4 | Alaska | Dan Sullivan | Republican | Harvard College (B.A.) Georgetown University (J.D.; M.S.F.S.) | November 13, 1964 | January 3, 2021 |
| 5 | Arizona | Jeff Flake | Republican | Brigham Young University (B.A.) | December 31, 1962 | January 3, 2019 |
| 6 | Arizona | John McCain | Republican | United States Naval Academy (B.S.) | August 29, 1936 | January 3, 2017 |
| 7 | Arkansas | John Boozman | Republican | University of Arkansas (attended) Southern College of Optometry (O.D.) | December 10, 1950 | January 3, 2017 |
| 8 | Arkansas | Tom Cotton | Republican | Harvard University (B.A.; J.D.) | May 13, 1977 | January 3, 2021 |
| 9 | California | Barbara Boxer | Democratic | Brooklyn College (B.A.) | November 11, 1940 | January 3, 2017 |
| 10 | California | Dianne Feinstein | Democratic | Stanford University (B.A.) | June 22, 1933 | January 3, 2019 |
| 11 | Colorado | Michael Bennet | Democratic | Wesleyan University (B.A.) Yale University (J.D.) | November 28, 1964 | January 3, 2017 |
| 12 | Colorado | Cory Gardner | Republican | Colorado State University(B.A.) University of Colorado Law School (J.D.) | August 22, 1974 | January 3, 2021 |
| 13 | Connecticut | Richard Blumenthal | Democratic | Harvard University (B.A.) Trinity College, Cambridge (attended) Yale University (J.D.) | February 13, 1946 | January 3, 2017 |
| 14 | Connecticut | Chris Murphy | Democratic | Williams College (B.A.) Exeter College, Oxford (attended) University of Connecticut (J.D.) | August 3, 1973 | January 3, 2019 |
| 15 | Delaware | Tom Carper | Democratic | The Ohio State University (B.A.) University of Delaware (M.B.A.) | January 23, 1947 | January 3, 2019 |
| 16 | Delaware | Chris Coons | Democratic | Amherst College (B.A.) University of Nairobi (attended) Yale University (J.D.; M.A.) | September 9, 1963 | January 3, 2021 |
| 17 | Florida | Bill Nelson | Democratic | University of Florida (attended) Yale University (B.A.) University of Virginia (J.D.) | September 29, 1942 | January 3, 2019 |
| 18 | Florida | Marco Rubio | Republican | University of Florida (B.A.) University of Miami (J.D.) | May 28, 1971 | January 3, 2017 |
| 19 | Georgia | Johnny Isakson | Republican | University of Georgia (B.B.A.) | December 28, 1944 | January 3, 2017 |
| 20 | Georgia | David Perdue | Republican | Georgia Institute of Technology (B.S.; M.S.) | December 10, 1949 | January 3, 2021 |
| 21 | Hawaii | Mazie Hirono | Democratic | University of Hawaii at Manoa (B.A.) Georgetown University (J.D.) | November 3, 1947 | January 3, 2019 |
| 22 | Hawaii | Brian Schatz | Democratic | Pomona College (B.A.) | October 20, 1972 | January 3, 2017 |
| 23 | Idaho | Mike Crapo | Republican | Brigham Young University (B.A.) Harvard University (J.D.) | May 20, 1951 | January 3, 2017 |
| 24 | Idaho | Jim Risch | Republican | University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (attended) University of Idaho (B.S.; J.D.) | May 3, 1943 | January 3, 2021 |
| 25 | Illinois | Dick Durbin | Democratic | Georgetown University (B.S.; J.D.) | November 21, 1944 | January 3, 2021 |
| 26 | Illinois | Mark Kirk | Republican | Cornell University (B.A.) London School of Economics (M.A.) Georgetown University (J.D.) | September 15, 1959 | January 3, 2017 |
| 27 | Indiana | Dan Coats | Republican | Wheaton College (B.A.) Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis (J.D.) | May 16, 1943 | January 3, 2017 |
| 28 | Indiana | Joe Donnelly | Democratic | University of Notre Dame (B.A.; J.D.) | September 29, 1955 | January 3, 2019 |
| 29 | Iowa | Joni Ernst | Republican | Iowa State University (B.A.) Columbus State University (M.P.A.) | July 1, 1970 | January 3, 2021 |
| 30 | Iowa | Chuck Grassley | Republican | University of Northern Iowa (B.A.; M.A.) | September 17, 1933 | January 3, 2017 |
| 31 | Kansas | Jerry Moran | Republican | Fort Hays State University (attended) University of Kansas (B.A.; J.D.) | May 29, 1954 | January 3, 2017 |
| 32 | Kansas | Pat Roberts | Republican | Kansas State University (B.A.) | April 20, 1936 | January 3, 2021 |
| 33 | Kentucky | Mitch McConnell | Republican | University of Louisville (B.A.) University of Kentucky (J.D.) | February 20, 1942 | January 3, 2021 |
| 34 | Kentucky | Rand Paul | Republican | Baylor University (attended) Duke University (M.D.) | January 7, 1963 | January 3, 2017 |
| 35 | Louisiana | Bill Cassidy | Republican | Louisiana State University(B.A.) LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans (M.D.) | September 28, 1957 | January 3, 2021 |
| 36 | Louisiana | David Vitter | Republican | Harvard University (A.B.) Magdalen College, Oxford (B.A.) Tulane University (J.D.) | May 3, 1961 | January 3, 2017 |
| 37 | Maine | Susan Collins | Republican | St. Lawrence University (B.A.) | December 7, 1952 | January 3, 2021 |
| 38 | Maine | Angus King | Independent | Dartmouth College (B.A.) University of Virginia (J.D.) | March 31, 1944 | January 3, 2019 |
| 39 | Maryland | Ben Cardin | Democratic | University of Pittsburgh (B.A.) University of Maryland, Baltimore (J.D.) | October 5, 1943 | January 3, 2019 |
| 40 | Maryland | Barbara Mikulski | Democratic | Mount Saint Agnes College (B.A.) University of Maryland, Baltimore (M.S.W.) | July 20, 1936 | January 3, 2017 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | Ed Markey | Democratic | Boston College (B.A.; J.D.) | July 11, 1946 | January 3, 2021 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | Elizabeth Warren | Democratic | George Washington University (attended) University of Houston (B.A.) Rutgers University, Newark (J.D.) | June 22, 1949 | January 3, 2019 |
| 43 | Michigan | Gary Peters | Democratic | Alma College (B.A.) University of Detroit Mercy (M.B.A.) Wayne State University (J.D.) Michigan State University (M.A.) | December 1, 1958 | January 3, 2021 |
| 44 | Michigan | Debbie Stabenow | Democratic | Michigan State University (B.A.; M.S.W.) | April 29, 1950 | January 3, 2019 |
| 45 | Minnesota | Al Franken | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | Harvard University (B.A.) | May 21, 1951 | January 3, 2021 |
| 46 | Minnesota | Amy Klobuchar | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | Yale University (B.A.) University of Chicago (J.D.) | May 25, 1960 | January 3, 2019 |
| 47 | Mississippi | Thad Cochran | Republican | University of Mississippi (B.A.; J.D.) | December 7, 1937 | January 3, 2021 |
| 48 | Mississippi | Roger Wicker | Republican | University of Mississippi (B.A.; J.D.) | July 5, 1951 | January 3, 2019 |
| 49 | Missouri | Roy Blunt | Republican | Southwest Baptist University (B.A.) Missouri State University (M.A.) | January 10, 1950 | January 3, 2017 |
| 50 | Missouri | Claire McCaskill | Democratic | University of Missouri (B.S.; J.D.) | July 24, 1953 | January 3, 2019 |
| 51 | Montana | Steve Daines | Republican | Montana State University (B.S.) | August 20, 1962 | January 3, 2021 |
| 52 | Montana | Jon Tester | Democratic | University of Great Falls (B.S.) | August 21, 1956 | January 3, 2019 |
| 53 | Nebraska | Deb Fischer | Republican | University of Nebraska-Lincoln (B.S.) | March 1, 1951 | January 3, 2019 |
| 54 | Nebraska | Ben Sasse | Republican | Harvard College (B.A.) St. John’s College (M.A.) Yale University (M.A.; M.Phil.; Ph.D.) | February 22, 1972 | January 3, 2021 |
| 55 | Nevada | Dean Heller | Republican | University of Southern California (B.B.A.) | May 10, 1960 | January 3, 2019 |
| 56 | Nevada | Harry Reid | Democratic | Southern Utah University (attended) Utah State University (B.S.) George Washington University (J.D.) | December 2, 1939 | January 3, 2017 |
| 57 | New Hampshire | Kelly Ayotte | Republican | Pennsylvania State University (B.A.) Villanova University (J.D.) | June 27, 1968 | January 3, 2017 |
| 58 | New Hampshire | Jeanne Shaheen | Democratic | Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (B.A.) University of Mississippi (M.A.) | January 28, 1947 | January 3, 2021 |
| 59 | New Jersey | Cory Booker | Democratic | Stanford University (B.A; M.A.) The Queen’s College, Oxford (M.A.) Yale University (J.D.) | April 27, 1969 | January 3, 2021 |
| 60 | New Jersey | Bob Menendez | Democratic | Saint Peter’s College (B.A.) Rutgers School of Law (J.D.) | January 1, 1954 | January 3, 2019 |
| 61 | New Mexico | Martin Heinrich | Democratic | University of Missouri (B.S.) University of New Mexico (attended) | October 17, 1971 | January 3, 2019 |
| 62 | New Mexico | Tom Udall | Democratic | Prescott College (B.A.) University of Cambridge (LL.B.) University of New Mexico (J.D.) | May 18, 1948 | January 3, 2021 |
| 63 | New York | Kirsten Gillibrand | Democratic | Dartmouth College (B.A.) University of California, Los Angeles (J.D.) | December 9, 1966 | January 3, 2019 |
| 64 | New York | Chuck Schumer | Democratic | Harvard University (A.B.; J.D.) | November 23, 1950 | January 3, 2017 |
| 65 | North Carolina | Richard Burr | Republican | Wake Forest University (B.A.) | November 30, 1955 | January 3, 2017 |
| 66 | North Carolina | Thom Tillis | Republican | Chattanooga State Community College (attended) University of Maryland University College (B.S.) | August 30, 1960 | January 3, 2021 |
| 67 | North Dakota | Heidi Heitkamp | Democratic | University of North Dakota (B.A.) Lewis and Clark College (J.D.) | October 30, 1955 | January 3, 2019 |
| 68 | North Dakota | John Hoeven | Republican | Dartmouth College (B.A.) Northwestern University (M.B.A.) | March 13, 1957 | January 3, 2017 |
| 69 | Ohio | Sherrod Brown | Democratic | Yale University (B.A.) The Ohio State University (M.P.A.; M.A.) | November 9, 1952 | January 3, 2019 |
| 70 | Ohio | Rob Portman | Republican | Dartmouth College (B.A.) University of Michigan (J.D.) | December 19, 1955 | January 3, 2017 |
| 71 | Oklahoma | Jim Inhofe | Republican | University of Tulsa (B.A.) | November 17, 1934 | January 3, 2021 |
| 72 | Oklahoma | James Lankford | Republican | University of Texas at Austin (B.S.) Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.) | March 4, 1968 | January 3, 2017 |
| 73 | Oregon | Jeff Merkley | Democratic | Stanford University (B.A.) Princeton University (M.P.P.) | October 24, 1956 | January 3, 2021 |
| 74 | Oregon | Ron Wyden | Democratic | University of California, Santa Barbara (attended) Stanford University (B.A.) University of Oregon (J.D.) | May 3, 1949 | January 3, 2017 |
| 75 | Pennsylvania | Bob Casey, Jr. | Democratic | College of the Holy Cross (B.A.) The Catholic University of America (J.D.) | April 13, 1960 | January 3, 2019 |
| 76 | Pennsylvania | Pat Toomey | Republican | Harvard University (A.B.) | November 17, 1961 | January 3, 2017 |
| 77 | Rhode Island | Jack Reed | Democratic | United States Military Academy (B.S.) Harvard University (M.P.A., J.D.) | November 12, 1949 | January 3, 2021 |
| 78 | Rhode Island | Sheldon Whitehouse | Democratic | Yale University (B.A.) University of Virginia (J.D.) | October 20, 1955 | January 3, 2019 |
| 79 | South Carolina | Lindsey Graham | Republican | University of South Carolina (B.A.; J.D.) | July 9, 1955 | January 3, 2021 |
| 80 | South Carolina | Tim Scott | Republican | Presbyterian College (attended) Charleston Southern University (B.S.) | September 19, 1965 | January 3, 2017 |
| 81 | South Dakota | Mike Rounds | Republican | South Dakota State University (B.S.) | October 24, 1954 | January 3, 2021 |
| 82 | South Dakota | John Thune | Republican | Biola University (B.A.) University of South Dakota (M.B.A.) | January 7, 1961 | January 3, 2017 |
| 83 | Tennessee | Lamar Alexander | Republican | Vanderbilt University (B.A.) New York University (J.D.) | July 3, 1940 | January 3, 2021 |
| 84 | Tennessee | Bob Corker | Republican | University of Tennessee (B.S.) | August 24, 1952 | January 3, 2019 |
| 85 | Texas | John Cornyn | Republican | Trinity University (B.A.) St Mary’s University (J.D.) University of Virginia (LL.M.) | February 2, 1952 | January 3, 2021 |
| 86 | Texas | Ted Cruz | Republican | Princeton University (B.A.) Harvard University (J.D.) | December 22, 1970 | January 3, 2019 |
| 87 | Utah | Orrin Hatch | Republican | Brigham Young University (B.A.) University of Pittsburgh (J.D.) | March 22, 1934 | January 3, 2019 |
| 88 | Utah | Mike Lee | Republican | Brigham Young University (B.A.; J.D.) | June 4, 1971 | January 3, 2017 |
| 89 | Vermont | Patrick Leahy | Democratic | Saint Michael’s College (B.A.) Georgetown University (J.D.) | March 31, 1940 | January 3, 2017 |
| 90 | Vermont | Bernie Sanders | Independent | Brooklyn College (attended) University of Chicago (B.A.) | September 8, 1941 | January 3, 2019 |
| 91 | Virginia | Tim Kaine | Democratic | University of Missouri (B.A.) Harvard University (J.D.) | February 26, 1958 | January 3, 2019 |
| 92 | Virginia | Mark Warner | Democratic | George Washington University (B.A.) Harvard University (J.D.) | December 15, 1954 | January 3, 2021 |
| 93 | Washington | Maria Cantwell | Democratic | Miami University (B.A.) | October 13, 1958 | January 3, 2019 |
| 94 | Washington | Patty Murray | Democratic | Washington State University (B.A.) | October 11, 1950 | January 3, 2017 |
| 95 | West Virginia | Joe Manchin | Democratic | West Virginia University (B.S.) | August 24, 1947 | January 3, 2019 |
| 96 | West Virginia | Shelley Moore Capito | Republican | Duke University (B.A.) University of Virginia (M.Ed.) | November 26, 1953 | January 3, 2021 |
| 97 | Wisconsin | Tammy Baldwin | Democratic | Smith College (B.A.) University of Wisconsin – Madison (J.D.) | February 11, 1962 | January 3, 2019 |
| 98 | Wisconsin | Ron Johnson | Republican | University of Minnesota (B.A.) | April 8, 1955 | January 3, 2017 |
| 99 | Wyoming | John Barrasso | Republican | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (attended) Georgetown University (B.A.; M.D.) | July 21, 1952 | January 3, 2019 |
| 100 | Wyoming | Mike Enzi | Republican | George Washington University (B.S.) University of Denver (M.B.A.) | February 1, 1944 | January 3, 2021 |
The Senate is one of the two houses of legislature (Congress) of the United States of America. The other is the House of Representatives. The Senate was established in 1789 at the start of the US as An entity to put a check on the House of Representatives. Every state of the country, regardless of population, elects two Senators for a term of six years. The Senate is also nicknamed as “the house that never dies” because the terms of around one-third of the membership expire every two years.
It is an important organ of the administration of the United States and is responsible for all lawmaking within the country, along with the House of Representatives. After both the houses approve an identical document, only then an act of Congress can become valid.
Roles and responsibilities of the Senate
-
- The Senate can review and provide advice on presidential appointments and nominations.
-
- The senate can ratify treaties by a majority vote.
-
- If necessary, the Senate can elect the Vice-President of the United States.
-
- The Senate can create new legislation – bills, laws, among others.
-
- It can consider any legislation and bills that have been introduced by the President of the United States.
-
- It can also “try” any impeachment proceedings that have been started in the House of Representatives.
Interesting Facts on US Senate
-
- The word “senator” comes from sensex, which in Latin means “old man”.
-
- Democrat Rebecca Felton was the first female to be appointed as a Senator in 1922.
-
- Robert C. Byrd, a Democrat from West Virginia, was the longest serving Senator. He served for 51 years from 1959 to 2010.
-
- The longest speech in the history of the US Senate was delivered by Strom Thurmond. His speech against the Civil Rights Act lasted for 24 hours and 18 minutes.
-
- Andrew Johnson was the first former president to be elected Senator. He was elected in 1875.
US Senate elections
The Senate’s 100 members are elected for six-year terms, two from each state. The seats up for election during a particular year constitute a “class”. The classes follow a staggered pattern wherein just one (that is, a third of the total) of the three groups gets renewed after every two years.
Interestingly, before 1913, state legislatures and not the voters of the state, elected the senators.
Today, all registered voters of a state may vote for electing the senator.
The candidate getting the most votes is the winner even if he or she does not win the majority votes. So in a three-way race, it’s possible for a candidate winning less than 50% of the votes to become the senator. This is called the rule of plurality.
To contest as a candidate for becoming a senator, he or she needs to be at least 30 years of age at the time of taking the oath of office, the US citizen (for at least nine years), and a resident of the state of election.