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List of United States senators from North Carolina

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Current delegation

North Carolina ratified the Constitution on November 21, 1789, after the beginning of the 1st Congress. Its current senators are Republicans Thom Tillis and Ted Budd. Jesse Helms was North Carolina's longest-serving senator (1973–2003).

List of senators

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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.
C Class 3
Class 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 Nov 21, 1789 –
Nov 27, 1789
North Carolina ratified the Constitution Nov 21, 1789 but didn't elect its senators until Nov 27, 1789. 1 1st 1 North Carolina ratified the Constitution Nov 21, 1789 but didn't elect its senators until Nov 27, 1789. Nov 21, 1789 –
Nov 27, 1789
Vacant
1
Samuel Johnston
Pro-
Admin.
Nov 27, 1789 –
Mar 3, 1793
Elected in 1789.
Lost re-election.
Elected in 1789.
[data missing]
Nov 27, 1789 –
Mar 3, 1795
Pro-
Admin.

Benjamin Hawkins
1
2nd
2
Alexander Martin
Anti-
Admin.
Mar 4, 1793 –
Mar 3, 1799
Elected in 1792.
Lost re-election.
2 3rd Anti-
Admin.
Democratic-
Republican
4th 2 Elected in 1795.
Retired.
Mar 4, 1795 –
Mar 3, 1801
Democratic-
Republican
Timothy Bloodworth 2
5th
3 Jesse Franklin Democratic-
Republican
Mar 4, 1799 –
Mar 3, 1805
Elected in 1799.
Lost re-election.
3 6th
7th 3 Elected in 1800.
Resigned to return to the State Superior Court.
Mar 4, 1801 –
Feb 17, 1807[1]
Democratic-
Republican

David Stone
3
8th
Vacant Mar 4, 1805 –
Dec 22, 1805
Montfort Stokes was elected in 1804 but refused the position. 4 9th
4
James Turner
Democratic-
Republican
Dec 22, 1805 –
Nov 21, 1816
Elected to finish the vacant term.
  Feb 17, 1807[1]
Mar 3, 1807
Vacant
10th 4 Elected in 1806.
Retired.
Mar 4, 1807 –
Mar 3, 1813
Democratic-
Republican
Jesse Franklin 4
11th
Re-elected in 1810.
Resigned due to ill health.
5 12th
13th 5 Elected in 1812.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1813 –
Dec 24, 1814
Democratic-
Republican

David Stone
5
  Dec 24, 1814 –
Dec 1814
Vacant
Elected to finish Stone's term.
Resigned without having qualified.
Dec 1814 –
Dec 5, 1815
Democratic-
Republican
Francis Locke Jr. 6
14th
  Dec 5, 1815 –
Dec 13, 1815
Vacant
Elected to finish Stone's term. Dec 13, 1815 –
Nov 14, 1828
Democratic-
Republican

Nathaniel Macon
7
Vacant Nov 21, 1816 –
Dec 4, 1816
 
5
Montfort Stokes
Democratic-
Republican
Dec 4, 1816 –
Mar 3, 1823
Elected to finish Turner's term.
Elected in 1816.
Lost re-election.
6 15th
16th 6 Re-elected in 1818.
17th
6
John Branch
Democratic-Republican Mar 4, 1823 –
Mar 9, 1829
Elected in 1822. 7 18th
Jacksonian 19th 7 Re-elected in 1825.
Resigned.
Jacksonian
20th
  Nov 14, 1828 –
Dec 15, 1828
Vacant
Elected to finish Macon's term.
Retired.
Dec 15, 1828 –
Mar 3, 1831
Jacksonian
James Iredell Jr.
8
Re-elected in 1828.
Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
8 21st
Vacant Mar 9, 1829 –
Dec 9, 1829
 
7
Bedford Brown
Jacksonian Dec 9, 1829 –
Nov 16, 1840
Elected to finish Branch's term.
22nd 8 Elected in 1830.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1831 –
Mar 19, 1836
Jacksonian
Willie P. Mangum
9
23rd National
Republican
Re-elected in 1835.
Resigned.
9 24th
  Mar 19, 1836 –
Dec 5, 1836
Vacant
Elected to finish Mangum's term. Dec 5, 1836 –
Nov 16, 1840
Jacksonian
Robert Strange
10
Democratic 25th 9 Elected to full term in 1836.
Resigned.
Democratic
26th
Vacant Nov 16, 1840 –
Nov 25, 1840
    Nov 16, 1840 –
Nov 25, 1840
Vacant
8
Willie P. Mangum
Whig Nov 25, 1840 –
Mar 3, 1853
Elected to finish Brown's term. Elected to finish Strange's term.
[data missing]
Nov 25, 1840 –
Mar 3, 1843
Whig
William Graham
11
Elected in 1841. 10 27th
28th 10 Elected in 1843.
Resigned.
Mar 4, 1843 –
Jul 25, 1846
Democratic
William Henry Haywood Jr.
12
29th
  Jul 25, 1846 –
Nov 25, 1846
Vacant
Elected to finish Haywood's term. Nov 25, 1846 –
Mar 3, 1855
Whig
George Badger
13
Re-elected in 1847.
Lost re-election.
11 30th
31st 11 Re-elected in 1849.
Retired.
32nd
Vacant Mar 4, 1853 –
Dec 6, 1854
Legislature failed to elect 12 33rd
9
David S. Reid
Democratic Dec 6, 1854 –
Mar 3, 1859
Elected to finish vacant term.
Lost re-election.
34th 12 Elected in 1855.
Resigned to become U.S. District Court Judge.
Mar 4, 1855 –
May 5, 1858
Democratic
Asa Biggs
14
35th
  May 5, 1858 –
May 7, 1858
Vacant
Appointed to continue Biggs's term. May 7, 1858 –
Mar 11, 1861
Democratic
Thomas L. Clingman
15
Elected Nov 23, 1858 to finish Biggs's term.
10
Thomas Bragg
Democratic Mar 4, 1859 –
Mar 8, 1861
Elected in 1858 or 1859.
Resigned and subsequently expelled for support of the Confederacy.
13 36th
37th 13 Re-elected in 1861.
Resigned and subsequently expelled for support of the Confederacy.
Civil War and Reconstruction Mar 11, 1861 –
Jul 14, 1868
Vacant
Vacant Jul 11, 1861 –
Jul 14, 1868
Civil War and Reconstruction
38th
14 39th
40th 14
11
Joseph C. Abbott
Republican Jul 14, 1868 –
Mar 3, 1871
Elected in 1868 to finish vacant term.
Lost renomination.
Elected in 1868 to finish vacant term.
Retired.
Jul 14, 1868 –
Mar 3, 1873
Republican
John Pool
16
41st
Vacant Mar 4, 1871 –
Jan 30, 1872
Legislature failed to elect 15 42nd
12
Matt W. Ransom
Democratic Jan 30, 1872 –
Mar 3, 1895
Elected to finish vacant term.
43rd 15 Elected in 1872.
Lost re-election.
Mar 4, 1873 –
Mar 3, 1879
Democratic
Augustus S. Merrimon
17
44th
Re-elected in 1876. 16 45th
46th 16 Elected in 1879. Mar 4, 1879 –
Apr 14, 1894
Democratic
Zebulon Vance
18
47th
Re-elected in 1883. 17 48th
49th 17 Re-elected in 1884.
50th
Re-elected in 1889.
Lost re-election.
18 51st
52nd 18 Re-elected in 1890.
Died.
53rd
  Apr 14, 1894 –
Apr 19, 1894
Vacant
Appointed to continue Vance's term.
Successor qualified.
Apr 19, 1894 –
Jan 23, 1895
Democratic
Thomas J. Jarvis
19
Elected in 1894 to finish Vance's term. Jan 23, 1895 –
Mar 3, 1903
Republican
Jeter C. Pritchard
20
13
Marion Butler
Populist Mar 4, 1895 –
Mar 3, 1901
Elected in 1894.
Lost re-election.
19 54th
55th 19 Re-elected in 1897.[2]
Lost re-election.
56th
14
F. M. Simmons
Democratic Mar 4, 1901 –
Mar 3, 1931
Elected in 1901.[3] 20 57th
58th 20 Elected in 1903. Mar 4, 1903 –
Dec 12, 1930
Democratic
Lee S. Overman
21
59th
Re-elected in 1907.[4] 21 60th
61st 21 Re-elected in 1909
62nd
Re-elected in 1913 22 63rd
64th 22 Re-elected in 1914.
65th
Re-elected in 1918. 23 66th
67th 23 Re-elected in 1920.
68th
Re-elected in 1924.
Lost renomination.
24 69th
70th 24 Re-elected in 1926.
Died.
71st
Appointed to continue Overman's term.
Lost election to finish Overman's term.
Dec 13, 1930 –
Dec 4, 1932
Democratic
Cameron A. Morrison
22
15
Josiah Bailey
Democratic Mar 4, 1931 –
Dec 15, 1946
Elected in 1930. 25 72nd
Elected to finish Overman's term. Dec 5, 1932 –
Jan 3, 1945
Democratic
Robert Reynolds
23
73rd 25 Elected to full term in 1932.
74th
Re-elected in 1936. 26 75th
76th 26 Re-elected in 1938.
Retired.
77th
Re-elected in 1942.
Died.
27 78th
79th 27 Elected in 1944. Jan 3, 1945 –
May 12, 1954
Democratic
Clyde R. Hoey
24
Vacant Dec 15, 1946 –
Dec 18, 1946
 
16
William B. Umstead
Democratic Dec 18, 1946 –
Dec 30, 1948
Appointed to continue Bailey's term.
Lost election to finish Bailey's term.
80th
17
J. Melville Broughton
Democratic Dec 31, 1948 –
Mar 6, 1949
Elected to finish Bailey's term.
Elected to full term in 1948.
Died.
28 81st
Vacant Mar 6, 1949 –
Mar 29, 1949
 
18
Frank Graham
Democratic Mar 29, 1949 –
Nov 26, 1950
Appointed to continue Broughton's term.
Lost nomination to finish Broughton's term.
19
Willis Smith
Democratic Nov 27, 1950 –
Jun 26, 1953
Elected to finish Broughton's term.
Died.
82nd 28 Re-elected in 1950.
Died.
83rd
  May 12, 1954 –
Jun 5, 1954
Vacant
Appointed to continue Hoey's term.
Elected in 1954 to finish Hoey's term.
Jun 5, 1954 –
Dec 31, 1974
Democratic
Sam Ervin
25
Vacant Jun 26, 1953 –
Jul 10, 1953
 
20
Alton Lennon
Democratic Jul 10, 1953 –
Nov 28, 1954
Appointed to continue Broughton's term.
Lost nomination to finish Broughton's term.
21
W. Kerr Scott
Democratic Nov 29, 1954 –
Apr 16, 1958
Elected in 1954 to finish Broughton's term.
Elected to full term in 1954.
Died.
29 84th
85th 29 Re-elected in 1956.
Vacant Apr 16, 1958 –
Apr 19, 1958
 
22
B. Everett Jordan
Democratic Apr 19, 1958 –
Jan 3, 1973
Appointed to continue Scott's term.
Elected in 1958 to finish Scott's term.
86th
Re-elected in 1960. 30 87th
88th 30 Re-elected in 1962.
89th
Re-elected in 1966.
Lost renomination.
31 90th
91st 31 Re-elected in 1968.
Retired and resigned early.
92nd
23
Jesse Helms
Republican Jan 3, 1973 –
Jan 3, 2003
Elected in 1972. 32 93rd
  Dec 31, 1974 –
Jan 3, 1975
Vacant
94th 32 Elected in 1974.
Lost re-election.
Jan 3, 1975 –
Jan 3, 1981
Democratic
Robert Morgan
26
95th
Re-elected in 1978. 33 96th
97th 33 Elected in 1980.
Died.
Jan 3, 1981 –
Jun 29, 1986
Republican
John East
27
98th
Re-elected in 1984. 34 99th
  Jun 29, 1986 –
Jul 14, 1986
Vacant
Appointed to continue East's term.
Lost election to finish East's term.
Jul 14, 1986 –
Nov 4, 1986
Republican
Jim Broyhill
28
Elected to finish East's term. Nov 5, 1986 –
Jan 3, 1993
Democratic
Terry Sanford
29
100th 34 Elected to full term in 1986.
Lost re-election.
101st
Re-elected in 1990. 35 102nd
103rd 35 Elected in 1992.
Lost re-election.
Jan 3, 1993 –
Jan 3, 1999
Republican
Lauch Faircloth
30
104th
Re-elected in 1996.
Retired.
36 105th
106th 36 Elected in 1998.
Retired to run for U.S. President.
Jan 3, 1999 –
Jan 3, 2005
Democratic
John Edwards
31
107th
24
Elizabeth Dole
Republican Jan 3, 2003 –
Jan 3, 2009
Elected in 2002.
Lost re-election.
37 108th
109th 37 Elected in 2004. Jan 3, 2005 –
Jan 3, 2023
Republican
Richard Burr
32
110th
25
Kay Hagan
Democratic Jan 3, 2009 –
Jan 3, 2015
Elected in 2008.
Lost re-election.
38 111th
112th 38 Re-elected in 2010.
113th
26
Thom Tillis
Republican Jan 3, 2015 –
present
Elected in 2014. 39 114th
115th 39 Re-elected in 2016.
Retired.
116th
Re-elected in 2020. 40 117th
118th 40 Elected in 2022. Jan 3, 2023 –
present
Republican
Ted Budd
33
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

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References

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  1. ^ a b This date is approximate. Stone's resignation letter was read on Feb 17, but it could have been delivered on as early as Feb 11, 1807, according to the Annals of Congress (pages 66 to 68).
  2. ^ "PRITCHARD IN PRITCHARD IN NORTH CAROLINA". The New York Times. January 21, 1897. p. 2.
  3. ^ "North Carolina Elects a Democrat". The New York Times. January 23, 1901. p. 5.
  4. ^ The Tribune Almanac and Political Register 1908. New York: The Tribune Association. 1908. p. 259.
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