List of United States senators from New Jersey

This is a chronological listing of the United States senators from New Jersey. Since the enforcement of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, U.S. senators are popularly elected for a six-year term beginning January 3. Elections are held the first Tuesday after November 1. Before 1914, they were chosen by the New Jersey Legislature, and before 1935, their terms began March 4. The state's current senators are Democrats Cory Booker (serving since 2013) and George Helmy (serving since 2024). Frank Lautenberg was New Jersey's longest-serving senator (1982–2001; 2003–2013).

Current delegation

Cory Booker (D)

George Helmy (D)

List of senators

#	Senator	Party	Dates in office	Electoral history	T	C	T	Electoral history	Dates in office	Party	Senator	#
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 2008, 2013 (special election), 2014, and 2020. The next election will be in 2026.
1	Jonathan Elmer	Pro- Admin.	Mar 4, 1789 – Mar 3, 1791	Elected in 1788.	1	1st	1	Elected in 1788. Resigned to become New Jersey Governor.	Mar 4, 1789 – Nov 13, 1790	Pro- Admin.	William Paterson	1
									Nov 13, 1790 – Nov 23, 1790	Vacant
								Elected to finish Paterson's term. Retired.	Nov 23, 1790 – Mar 3, 1793	Pro- Admin.	Philemon Dickinson	2
2	John Rutherfurd	Pro- Admin.	Mar 4, 1791 – Dec 5, 1798	Elected in 1790.	2	2nd		Elected to finish Paterson's term. Retired.	Nov 23, 1790 – Mar 3, 1793	Pro- Admin.	Philemon Dickinson	2
		Pro- Admin.				3rd	2	Elected in 1792 or 1793. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1793 – Nov 12, 1796	Pro- Admin.	Frederick Frelinghuysen	3
		Federalist				4th		Elected in 1792 or 1793. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1793 – Nov 12, 1796	Federalist	Frederick Frelinghuysen	3
						4th		Elected to finish Frelinghuysen's term. Retired.	Nov 12, 1796 – Mar 3, 1799	Federalist	Richard Stockton	4
				Re-elected in 1796. Resigned.	3	5th
3	Franklin Davenport	Federalist	Dec 5, 1798 – Mar 3, 1799	Appointed to continue Rutherfurd's term.		5th
4	James Schureman	Federalist	Mar 4, 1799 – Feb 16, 1801	Elected to finish Rutherfurd's term. Resigned.		6th	3	Elected in 1798. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1799– Mar 3, 1805	Federalist	Jonathan Dayton	5
Vacant			Feb 16, 1801 – Feb 28, 1801
5	Aaron Ogden	Federalist	Feb 28, 1801 – Mar 3, 1803	Elected to finish Rutherfurd's term. Lost re-election.
5	Aaron Ogden	Federalist	Feb 28, 1801 – Mar 3, 1803	Elected to finish Rutherfurd's term. Lost re-election.		7th
Vacant			Mar 4, 1803 – Sep 1, 1803	Legislature failed to elect.	4	8th
6	John Condit	Democratic- Republican	Sep 1, 1803 – Mar 3, 1809	Appointed to begin the vacant term. Elected in 1803 to finish the vacant term.^[1] Lost renomination.^[2]		8th
						9th	4	Elected in 1804. Resigned.	Mar 4, 1805 – Mar 12, 1809	Democratic- Republican	Aaron Kitchell	6
						10th
7	John Lambert	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1809 – Mar 3, 1815	Elected in 1808.^[2] Lost re-election.	5	11th
									Mar 12, 1809 – Mar 21, 1809	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Kitchell's term^[3] Elected in 1809 to finish Kitchell's term.^[3]	Mar 21, 1809 – Mar 3, 1817	Democratic- Republican	John Condit	7
						12th	5	Re-elected in 1810.
						13th
8	James J. Wilson	Democratic- Republican	Mar 4, 1815 – Jan 8, 1821	Elected in 1815.^[4] Lost re-election, resigned early.	6	14th
						15th	6	Elected in 1817.	Mar 4, 1817 – Jan 30, 1829	Democratic- Republican	Mahlon Dickerson	8
						16th
Vacant			Jan 8, 1821 – Jan 26, 1821
9	Samuel L. Southard	Democratic- Republican	Jan 26, 1821 – Mar 3, 1823	Appointed to finish Wilson's term, having been elected to the next term.
9	Samuel L. Southard	Democratic- Republican	Jan 26, 1821 – Mar 3, 1823	Elected in 1820. Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Navy.	7	17th
Vacant			Mar 4, 1823 – Nov 12, 1823			18th	7	Re-elected in 1823. Resigned and immediately re-elected for the class 1 seat.
10	Joseph McIlvaine	Democratic-Republican	Nov 12, 1823 – Aug 19, 1826	Elected to finish Southard's term. Died.		18th
10	Joseph McIlvaine	National Republican	Nov 12, 1823 – Aug 19, 1826	Elected to finish Southard's term. Died.		19th				Jacksonian
Vacant			Aug 19, 1826 – Nov 10, 1826
11	Ephraim Bateman	National Republican	Nov 10, 1826 – Jan 12, 1829	Elected to finish Southard's term.
11	Ephraim Bateman	National Republican	Nov 10, 1826 – Jan 12, 1829	Elected to full term in 1826. Resigned because of failing health.	8	20th
Vacant			Jan 12, 1829 – Jan 30, 1829
12	Mahlon Dickerson	Jacksonian	Jan 30, 1829 – Mar 3, 1833	Elected to finish Bateman's term.					Jan 30, 1829 – Mar 3, 1829	Vacant
						21st	8	Elected in 1829.	Mar 4, 1829 – Mar 3, 1835	National Republican	Theodore Frelinghuysen	9
						22nd
13	Samuel L. Southard	National Republican	Mar 4, 1833 – Jun 26, 1842	Elected in 1833.	9	23rd
		National Republican				24th	9	Elected in 1835. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1835 – Mar 3, 1841	Jacksonian	Garret D. Wall	10
		Whig				25th				Democratic
				Re-elected in 1839. Resigned due to failing health.	10	26th				Democratic
				Re-elected in 1839. Resigned due to failing health.		27th	10	Elected in 1840.	Mar 4, 1841 – Mar 3, 1853	Whig	Jacob W. Miller	11
Vacant			Jun 26, 1842 – Jul 2, 1842
14	William L. Dayton	Whig	Jul 2, 1842 – Mar 3, 1851	Appointed to continue Southard's term. Elected to finish Southard's term.
						28th
				Re-elected in 1845. Lost re-election.	11	29th
						30th	11	Re-elected in 1846. Lost re-election.
						31st
15	Robert F. Stockton	Democratic	Mar 4, 1851 – Jan 10, 1853	Elected in 1851. Resigned to become President of the Delaware and Raritan Canal Company.	12	32nd
Vacant			Jan 10, 1853 – Mar 4, 1853			32nd
16	John Renshaw Thomson	Democratic	Mar 4, 1853 – Sep 12, 1862	Elected to finish Stockton's term.		33rd	12	Elected in 1853. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1853 – Mar 3, 1859	Democratic	William Wright	12
				Elected to finish Stockton's term.		34th
				Re-elected in 1857. Died.	13	35th
						36th	13	Elected in 1858. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1859 – Mar 3, 1865	Republican	John C. Ten Eyck	13
						37th
Vacant			Sep 12, 1862 – Nov 21, 1862
17	Richard Stockton Field	Republican	Nov 21, 1862 – Jan 14, 1863	Appointed to continue Thomson's term. Retired when his successor was elected.
18	James Walter Wall	Democratic	Jan 14, 1863 – Mar 3, 1863	Elected to finish Thomson's term. Lost re-election.
19	William Wright	Democratic	Mar 4, 1863 – Nov 1, 1866	Elected in 1863. Died.	14	38th
						39th	14		Mar 3, 1865– Mar 15, 1865	Vacant
								Elected in 1864. Election disputed and seat declared vacant.	Mar 15, 1865 – Mar 27, 1866	Democratic	John P. Stockton	14
									Mar 27, 1866 – Sep 19, 1866	Vacant
								Elected to finish Stockton's term. Retired.	Sep 19, 1866 – Mar 3, 1871	Republican	Alexander G. Cattell	15
Vacant			Nov 1, 1866 – Nov 12, 1866
20	Frederick T. Frelinghuysen	Republican	Nov 12, 1866 – Mar 3, 1869	Appointed to continue Wright's term. Elected in 1867 to finish Wright's term.^[1] Lost re-election.
20	Frederick T. Frelinghuysen	Republican	Nov 12, 1866 – Mar 3, 1869			40th
21	John P. Stockton	Democratic	Mar 4, 1869 – Mar 3, 1875	Elected in 1869.	15	41st
						42nd	15	Elected in 1870 or 1871. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1871– Mar 3, 1877	Republican	Frederick T. Frelinghuysen	16
						43rd
22	Theodore F. Randolph	Democratic	Mar 4, 1875 – Mar 3, 1881	Elected in 1875.	16	44th
						45th	16	Elected in 1877.	Mar 4, 1877– Mar 3, 1895	Democratic	John R. McPherson	17
						46th
23	William J. Sewell	Republican	Mar 4, 1881 – Mar 3, 1887	Elected in 1881. Lost re-election.	17	47th
						48th	17	Re-elected in 1883.
						49th
24	Rufus Blodgett	Democratic	Mar 4, 1887 – Mar 3, 1893	Elected in 1886. Retired.	18	50th
						51st	18	Re-elected in 1889.
						52nd
25	James Smith Jr.	Democratic	Mar 4, 1893 – Mar 3, 1899	Elected in 1893.^[5] Lost re-election.^[6]	19	53rd
						54th	19	Elected in 1895.	Mar 4, 1895– Dec 27, 1901	Republican	William J. Sewell	18
						55th
26	John Kean	Republican	Mar 4, 1899 – Mar 3, 1911	Elected in 1899.^[6]	20	56th
						57th	20	Re-elected in 1901. Died.
									Dec 27, 1901– Jan 29, 1902	Vacant
								Elected to finish Sewell's term. Withdrew from election contest to full term.	Jan 29, 1902– Mar 3, 1907	Republican	John F. Dryden	19
						58th
				Re-elected in 1905. Retired.	21	59th
						60th	21	Elected in 1907. Lost re-election.	Mar 4, 1907 – Mar 3, 1913	Republican	Frank O. Briggs	20
						61st
27	James E. Martine	Democratic	Mar 4, 1911 – Mar 3, 1917	Elected in 1911. Lost re-election.	22	62nd
						63rd	22	Elected in 1913. Died.	Mar 4, 1913 – Jan 30, 1918	Democratic	William Hughes	21
						64th
28	Joseph S. Frelinghuysen Sr.	Republican	Mar 4, 1917 – Mar 3, 1923	Elected in 1916. Lost re-election.	23	65th
									Jan 30, 1918 – Feb 23, 1918	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Hughes's term. Elected in 1918 to finish Hughes's term. Retired.	Feb 23, 1918 – Mar 3, 1919	Republican	David Baird Sr.	22
						66th	23	Elected in 1918.	Mar 4, 1919 – Nov 21, 1929	Republican	Walter E. Edge	23
						67th
29	Edward I. Edwards	Democratic	Mar 4, 1923 – Mar 3, 1929	Elected in 1922. Lost re-election.	24	68th
						69th	24	Re-elected in 1924. Resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to France.
						70th
30	Hamilton F. Kean	Republican	Mar 4, 1929 – Jan 3, 1935	Elected in 1928. Lost re-election.	25	71st
									Nov 21, 1929 – Nov 30, 1929	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Edge's term. Retired when his successor was qualified.	Nov 30, 1929 – Dec 2, 1930	Republican	David Baird Jr.	24
								Elected in 1930 to finish Edge's term.	Dec 3, 1930 – Oct 5, 1931	Republican	Dwight Morrow	25
						72nd	25	Elected to full term in 1930. Died.	Dec 3, 1930 – Oct 5, 1931	Republican	Dwight Morrow	25
									Oct 5, 1931 – Dec 1, 1931	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Morrow's term. Elected in 1932 to finish Morrow's term. Lost re-election.	Dec 1, 1931 – Jan 3, 1937	Republican	W. Warren Barbour	26
						73rd
31	A. Harry Moore	Democratic	Jan 3, 1935 – Jan 17, 1938	Elected in 1934. Resigned to become governor.	26	74th
31	A. Harry Moore	Democratic	Jan 3, 1935 – Jan 17, 1938	Elected in 1934. Resigned to become governor.		75th	26	Elected in 1936.^[7] Lost re-election.	Jan 3, 1937 – Jan 3, 1943	Democratic	William H. Smathers	27
32	John Milton	Democratic	Jan 18, 1938 – Nov 8, 1938	Appointed to continue Moore's term. Retired when successor qualified.
33	W. Warren Barbour	Republican	Nov 8, 1938 – Nov 22, 1943	Elected to finish Moore's term
				Elected to finish Moore's term		76th
				Re-elected in 1940. Died.	27	77th
				Re-elected in 1940. Died.		78th	27	Elected in 1942. Retired.	Jan 3, 1943 – Jan 3, 1949	Republican	Albert W. Hawkes	28
Vacant			Nov 22, 1943 – Nov 26, 1943
34	Arthur Walsh	Democratic	Nov 26, 1943 – Dec 7, 1944	Appointed to finish Barbour's term Retired when successor was elected
35	H. Alexander Smith	Republican	Dec 7, 1944– Jan 3, 1959	Elected to finish Barbour's term.
				Elected to finish Barbour's term.		79th
				Re-elected in 1946.	28	80th
						81st	28	Elected in 1948. Retired.	Jan 3, 1949 – Jan 3, 1955	Republican	Robert C. Hendrickson	29
						82nd
				Re-elected in 1952. Retired.	29	83rd
						84th	29	Elected in 1954.	Jan 3, 1955 – Jan 3, 1979	Republican	Clifford P. Case	30
						85th
36	Harrison A. Williams	Democratic	Jan 3, 1959– Mar 11, 1982	Elected in 1958.	30	86th
						87th	30	Re-elected in 1960.
						88th
				Re-elected in 1964.	31	89th
						90th	31	Re-elected in 1966.
						91st
				Re-elected in 1970.	32	92nd
						93rd	32	Re-elected in 1972. Lost renomination.
						94th
				Re-elected in 1976. Resigned.	33	95th
						96th	33	Elected in 1978.	Jan 3, 1979 – Jan 3, 1997	Democratic	Bill Bradley	31
						97th
Vacant			Mar 11, 1982 – Apr 12, 1982
37	Nicholas F. Brady	Republican	Apr 12, 1982 – Dec 27, 1982	Appointed to finish Williams's term. Retired and resigned early to give his elected successor preferential seniority.
38	Frank Lautenberg	Democratic	Dec 27, 1982 – Jan 3, 2001	Appointed early to finish Williams's term, having been already elected to the next term.
				Elected in 1982.	34	98th
						99th	34	Re-elected in 1984.
						100th
				Re-elected in 1988.	35	101st
						102nd	35	Re-elected in 1990. Retired.
						103rd
				Re-elected in 1994. Retired.	36	104th
						105th	36	Elected in 1996. Ran for re-election, but withdrew.	Jan 3, 1997 – Jan 3, 2003	Democratic	Robert Torricelli	32
						106th
39	Jon Corzine	Democratic	Jan 3, 2001 – Jan 17, 2006	Elected in 2000. Resigned to become Governor of New Jersey.	37	107th
						108th	37	Elected in 2002.	Jan 3, 2003 – Jun 3, 2013	Democratic	Frank Lautenberg	33
						109th
40	Bob Menendez	Democratic	Jan 17, 2006 – Aug 20, 2024	Appointed to finish Corzine's term.		109th
				Elected to full term in 2006.	38	110th
						111th	38	Re-elected in 2008. Died.
						112th
				Re-elected in 2012.	39	113th
									Jun 3, 2013 – Jun 6, 2013	Vacant
								Appointed to continue Lautenberg's term. Retired when his successor was elected.	Jun 6, 2013 – Oct 30, 2013	Republican	Jeffrey Chiesa	34
								Elected in 2013 to finish Lautenberg's term.	Oct 31, 2013 – present	Democratic	Cory Booker	35
						114th	39	Re-elected in 2014.
						115th
				Re-elected in 2018. Resigned due to bribery convictions.	40	116th
						117th	40	Re-elected in 2020.
						118th
Vacant			Aug 20, 2024 – Aug 23, 2024
41	George Helmy	Democratic	Aug 23, 2024 – present	Appointed to finish Menendez's term. Retiring at end of term and resigning early to give his elected successor preferential seniority.^[8]
42	Andy Kim	Democratic	Taking office Nov 27, 2024	To be appointed early to finish Menendez's term, having been already elected to the next term.^[8]
				Elected in 2024.	41	119th
						120th	41	To be determined in the 2026 election.
						121st	41	To be determined in the 2026 election.
#	Senator	Party	Years in office	Electoral history	T	C	T	Electoral history	Years in office	Party	Senator	#
Class 1						C	Class 2

Notes

^ ^a ^b Byrd, p. 142.
^ ^a ^b "New Jersey 1808 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 6, 2018., citing The True American and Commercial Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). Nov 9, 1808.
^ ^a ^b Byrd, p. 143.
^ "New Jersey 1815 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 26, 2018., citing New Jersey Privy Council Records, 1814. 306-307.
^ "THE RESULT IN NEW-JERSEY.; ELECTION OF JAMES SMITH, JR., THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE". The New York Times. January 25, 1893. p. 5.
^ ^a ^b "KEAN UNITED STATES senator". The New York Times. January 25, 1899. p. 2.
^ William H. Smathers was installed late on Apr 15, 1937, remaining until then a member of the state Senate, but that does not affect when his service in the U.S. Senate begins, as there is no prohibition in concurrent service in both federal and state legislatures.
^ ^a ^b "Governor Murphy Announces Appointment of George Samir Helmy to the United States Senate". Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024. Helmy will serve as one of New Jersey's two United States Senators until the winner of the November General Election is certified on November 27, at which point Senator Helmy will resign and the Governor will appoint the winner of November's election to the U.S. Senate.

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.

[FOOTNOTEByrd142-1] Byrd, p. 142.

[NJ1808-2] "New Jersey 1808 U.S. Senate, Ballot 2". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 6, 2018., citing The True American and Commercial Advertiser (Philadelphia, PA). Nov 9, 1808.

[FOOTNOTEByrd143-3] Byrd, p. 143.

[NJ1815-4] "New Jersey 1815 U.S. Senate". Tufts Digital Collations and Archives. A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787–1825. Tufts University. Retrieved February 26, 2018., citing New Jersey Privy Council Records, 1814. 306-307.

[5] "THE RESULT IN NEW-JERSEY.; ELECTION OF JAMES SMITH, JR., THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE". The New York Times. January 25, 1893. p. 5.

[NYT1899-6] "KEAN UNITED STATES senator". The New York Times. January 25, 1899. p. 2.

[7] William H. Smathers was installed late on Apr 15, 1937, remaining until then a member of the state Senate, but that does not affect when his service in the U.S. Senate begins, as there is no prohibition in concurrent service in both federal and state legislatures.

[Helmy_Resigns-8] "Governor Murphy Announces Appointment of George Samir Helmy to the United States Senate". Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy. August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024. Helmy will serve as one of New Jersey's two United States Senators until the winner of the November General Election is certified on November 27, at which point Senator Helmy will resign and the Governor will appoint the winner of November's election to the U.S. Senate.

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List of United States senators from New Jersey

Contents

List of senators

See also

Notes

References