Current delegation
Thom Tillis (R)
Ted Budd (R)

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

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

References

  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.

External links

United States senators from North Carolina
North Carolina's current delegation to the United States Congress
Lists of United States congressional delegations
Categories