List of United States Senators from West Virginia

This is a list of United States Senators from West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

. Its senators belong to Classes 1 and 2. West Virginia is currently represented in the U.S. Senate

United States Senate

The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...

by Jay Rockefeller

Jay Rockefeller

John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985...

and Joe Manchin

Joe Manchin

Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...

, both Democrats

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

Class 1

#	Senator	Party	Years	Term	Electoral history
1	Peter G. Van Winkle Peter G. Van Winkle Peter Godwin Van Winkle was a United States Senator from West Virginia.Born in New York City, he completed preparatory studies, studied law, and was admitted to the bar, commencing practice in Parkersburg, Virginia in 1835...	Republican	August 4, 1863 – March 4, 1869	1	Elected in 1863
2	Arthur I. Boreman Arthur I. Boreman Arthur Inghram Boreman was the first Governor of the U.S. state of West Virginia and a United States Senator.-Biography:...	Republican	March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1875	2	Elected in 1869 Retired
3	Allen T. Caperton Allen T. Caperton Allen Taylor Caperton was an American politician who was a United States Senator serving as a Democrat, as well as previous positions.-Early life:...	Democratic	March 4, 1875 – July 26, 1876	3	Elected in 1874 Died
Vacant			July 26, 1899 – August 26, 1876
4	Samuel Price Samuel Price Samuel Price was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Fauquier County, Virginia, he moved with his parents to Preston County in 1815. He received a preparatory training, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1832, commencing the practice of his profession in Nicholas and...	Democratic	August 26, 1876 – January 26, 1877		Appointed to continue Caperton's term Lost special election to finish Caperton's term
5	Frank Hereford Frank Hereford Frank Hereford was a United States Representative and Senator from West Virginia. Born near Warrenton, Virginia, he completed preparatory studies and graduated from McKendree University in 1845. He studied law and was admitted to the bar and practiced...	Democratic	January 31, 1877 – March 4, 1881		Elected to finish Caperton's term
6	Johnson N. Camden Johnson N. Camden Johnson Newlon Camden was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Collins Settlement, Virginia , he attended school in Sutton. He was appointed as a cadet to the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1846 until 1848, when he resigned...	Democratic	March 4, 1881 – March 4, 1887	4	Elected in 1880
7	Charles J. Faulkner Charles James Faulkner Charles James Faulkner was a United States Senator from West Virginia and the son of Charles James Faulkner, a U.S. Representative from Virginia and West Virginia. Born on the family estate, "Boydville," near Martinsburg, Virginia , he accompanied his father, who was U.S...	Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 4, 1899	5	Elected in 1886
7		Democratic	March 4, 1887 – March 4, 1899	6	Re-elected in 1892 Retired
8	Nathan B. Scott Nathan B. Scott Nathan Bay Scott was a United States Senator from West Virginia.-Biography:Born near Quaker City, Ohio, he attended the common schools and engaged in mining near Colorado Springs, Colorado from 1859 to 1862...	Republican	March 4, 1899 – March 4, 1911	7	Elected in 1898
8		Republican	March 4, 1899 – March 4, 1911	8	Re-elected in 1904 Lost renomination
9	William E. Chilton William E. Chilton William Edwin Chilton was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Colesmouth, Virginia , he attended public and private schools and graduated from Shelton College in St. Albans. He taught school, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1880, commencing practice in Charleston, West...	Democratic	March 4, 1911 – March 4, 1917	9	Elected in 1910 Lost re-election in 1916
10	Howard Sutherland Howard Sutherland Howard Sutherland was an American politician. He was a Republican who represented West Virginia in both houses of the United States Congress....	Republican	March 4, 1917 – March 4, 1923	10	Elected in 1916 Lost re-election in 1922
11	Matthew M. Neely Matthew M. Neely Matthew Mansfield Neely was a Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as the Governor of West Virginia...	Democratic	March 4, 1923 – March 4, 1929	11	Elected in 1922 Lost re-election in 1928
12	Henry D. Hatfield Henry D. Hatfield Henry Drury Hatfield was a Republican politician from Logan County, West Virginia. He served a term as the 14th Governor of the state, in addition to one term in the United States Senate...	Republican	March 4, 1929 – January 3, 1935	12	Elected in 1928 Lost re-election in 1934
13	Rush D. Holt, Sr.	Democratic	January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1941	13	Elected in 1934 Lost renomination in 1940
14	Harley M. Kilgore Harley M. Kilgore Harley Martin Kilgore was a United States Senator from West Virginia.Born in Brown, West Virginia, he attended the public schools and graduated from the law department of West Virginia University at Morgantown in 1914 and was admitted to the bar the same year.He taught school in Hancock, West...	Democratic	January 3, 1941 – February 28, 1956	14	Elected in 1940
				15	Re-elected in 1946
				16	Re-elected in 1952 Died
Vacant			February 28, 1956 – March 13, 1956
15	William R. Laird, III William R. Laird, III William Ramsey Laird, III was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Keswick, California, he was educated in the public schools. He graduated from Greenbrier Military School, King College and from West Virginia University in 1944. During the Second World War he served in the United...	Democratic	March 13, 1956 – November 6, 1956		Appointed to continue Kilgore's term Retired when successor elected
16	W. Chapman Revercomb	Republican	November 7, 1956 – January 3, 1959		Elected to finish Kilgore's term Lost re-election in 1958
17	Robert Byrd Robert Byrd Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...	Democratic	January 3, 1959 – June 28, 2010	17	Elected in 1958
				18	Re-elected in 1964
				19	Re-elected in 1970
				20	Re-elected in 1976
				21	Re-elected in 1982 United States Senate election in West Virginia, 1982 The 1982 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1982. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Byrd won re-election to a fifth term.- Campaign :...
				22	Re-elected in 1988 United States Senate election in West Virginia, 1988 The 1988 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1988. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Byrd won re-election to a sixth term.-Results:...
				23	Re-elected in 1994 United States Senate election in West Virginia, 1994 The 1994 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 1994. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Byrd won re-election to a seventh term. He won every county and congressional district in the state.- Campaign :...
				24	Re-elected in 2000 United States Senate election in West Virginia, 2000 The 2000 United States Senate election in West Virginia took place on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert Byrd won re-election to an eighth term. He won every county and congressional district in the state.-Results:...
				25	Re-elected in 2006 Died
Vacant			June 28, 2010 – July 16, 2010
18	Carte Goodwin Carte Goodwin Carte Patrick Goodwin is an American politician and attorney who served as a United States Senator from West Virginia. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Goodwin was appointed by West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin on July 16, 2010, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Robert Byrd. ...	Democratic	July 16, 2010 – November 15, 2010		Appointed to continue Byrd's term Retired when successor elected
19	Joe Manchin Joe Manchin Joseph "Joe" Manchin III is the junior United States Senator representing West Virginia. Manchin, a Democrat, was Governor of West Virginia from 2005 to 2010...	Democratic	November 15, 2010 – Present		Elected to finish Byrd's term United States Senate special election in West Virginia, 2010 The 2010 United States Senate special election in West Virginia was held on November 2, 2010. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd died in office on June 28, 2010. Democrat Governor Joe Manchin appointed Carte Goodwin to temporarily fill the vacancy. Goodwin pledged to not run for...

Class 2

#	Senator	Party	Years	Term	Electoral history
1	Waitman T. Willey Waitman T. Willey Waitman Thomas Willey was an American lawyer and politician from Morgantown, West Virginia. He represented both the states of Virginia and West Virginia in the United States Senate and was one of West Virginia's first two Senators.Willey was born in 1811, in a log cabin near the present day...	Unionist Unionist Party (United States) The Union Party was a fusion political party conceived by Republicans in 1861 to combine people of all political affiliations into a single movement committed to the preservation of the Union and to war. Republicans wanted to project an image of wartime nonpartisanship and they also expected to...	August 4, 1863 – March 3, 1865	1	Elected in 1863
1		Republican	March 4, 1865 – March 3, 1871	2	Re-elected in 1865
2	Henry G. Davis Henry G. Davis Henry Gassaway Davis was a self-made millionaire and U.S. Senator from West Virginia. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1904. His brother was U.S...	Democratic	March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1883	3	Elected in 1871 or 1872
2		Democratic	March 4, 1871 – March 4, 1883	4	Re-elected in 1877 Retired
3	John E. Kenna John E. Kenna John Edward Kenna was an American politician who was a Senator from West Virginia from 1883 until his death....	Democratic	March 4, 1883 – January 11, 1893	5	Elected in 1882 or 1883 United States Senate elections, 1882 The United States Senate election of 1882 was an election which had the Republican Party obtain an outright majority in the United States Senate....
3		Democratic	March 4, 1883 – January 11, 1893	6	Re-elected in 1888/9 United States Senate elections, 1888 The United States Senate election of 1888 was an election which, coinciding with Benjamin Harrison's victory over incumbent President Grover Cleveland, had the Republican Party gain twelve seats in the United States Senate, mostly from newly-admitted States.... Died
Vacant			January 11, 1893 – March 4, 1893
4	Johnson N. Camden Johnson N. Camden Johnson Newlon Camden was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Collins Settlement, Virginia , he attended school in Sutton. He was appointed as a cadet to the United States Military Academy at West Point from 1846 until 1848, when he resigned...	Democratic	March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1895		Elected to finish Kenna's term United States Senate elections, 1892 The United States Senate election of 1892 was an election which, corresponding with former President Grover Cleveland's return to power, had the Republican Party lose seven seats in the United States Senate and lose its majority to the Democratic Party....
5	Stephen B. Elkins Stephen Benton Elkins Stephen Benton Elkins was an American industrialist and political figure. He served as the Secretary of War between 1891 and 1893...	Republican	March 4, 1895 – January 4, 1911	7	Elected in 1894 or 1895
				8	Re-elected in 1900 United States Senate elections, 1900 The United States Senate election of 1900 was an election which had the Republican Party gain three seats in the United States Senate, and which corresponded with President William McKinley's landslide re-election....
				9	Re-elected in 1906 United States Senate elections, 1900 The United States Senate election of 1900 was an election which had the Republican Party gain three seats in the United States Senate, and which corresponded with President William McKinley's landslide re-election.... Died
Vacant			January 4, 1911 – January 9, 1911
6	Davis Elkins Davis Elkins Davis Elkins was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Washington, D.C., he attended the Lawrenceville School, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and Harvard University...	Republican	January 9, 1911 – January 31, 1911		Appointed to continue his father's term Successor elected
7	Clarence W. Watson Clarence Wayland Watson Clarence Wayland Watson was a coal mining "baron" from West Virginia. Watson organized several coal companies that became the Consolidation Coal and Mining Companies in West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky. Watson was president of the company until 1911, then became its chairman...	Democratic	February 1, 1911 – March 4, 1913		Elected to finish Stephen Elkins's term Lost Election to full term
Vacant			March 4, 1913 – April 1, 1913	8
8	Nathan Goff	Republican	April 1, 1913 – March 4, 1919	8	Chose to take office late Retired
9	Davis Elkins Davis Elkins Davis Elkins was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Washington, D.C., he attended the Lawrenceville School, Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and Harvard University...	Republican	March 4, 1919 – March 4, 1925	9	Elected in 1918 Retired
10	Guy D. Goff	Republican	March 4, 1925 – March 4, 1931	10	Elected in 1924 Retired
11	Matthew M. Neely Matthew M. Neely Matthew Mansfield Neely was a Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as the Governor of West Virginia...	Democratic	March 4, 1931 – January 12, 1941	11	Elected in 1930
11		Democratic	March 4, 1931 – January 12, 1941	12	Re-elected in 1936 Resigned
12	Joseph Rosier Joseph Rosier Joseph Rosier was a United States Senator from West Virginia. Born in Wilsonburg, West Virginia, he attended the public schools and graduated from Salem College in 1895...	Democratic	January 13, 1941 – November 17, 1942		Appointed to continue Neely's term Lost special election to finish Neely's term
13	Hugh I. Shott Hugh Ike Shott Hugh Ike Shott was a newspaper editor, pioneer broadcaster, and Republican politician in the U.S. State of West Virginia.-Career:...	Republican	November 18, 1942 – January 3, 1943		Elected to finish Neely's term Retired
14	W. Chapman Revercomb	Republican	January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1949	13	Elected in 1942 Lost re-election
15	Matthew M. Neely Matthew M. Neely Matthew Mansfield Neely was a Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as the Governor of West Virginia...	Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 8, 1958	14	Elected in 1948
15		Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 8, 1958	15	Re-elected in 1954 Died
Vacant			January 8, 1985 – November 4, 1958
16	John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. John D. Hoblitzell, Jr. John Dempsey Hoblitzell, Jr. was an American politician from West Virginia. He was a member of the Republican Party....	Republican	January 25, 1958 – November 4, 1958		Appointed to continue Neely's term Lost special election to finish Neely's term
17	Jennings Randolph Jennings Randolph Jennings Randolph was an American politician from West Virginia. He was a member of the Democratic Party and was the last surviving member of the United States Congress to have served during the first 100 days of Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration.-Early life and career:Randolph was born in...	Democratic	November 5, 1958 – January 3, 1985		Elected to finish Neely's term
				16	Elected to full term in 1960
				17	Re-elected in 1966
				18	Re-elected in 1972
				19	Re-elected in 1978 Retired
Vacant			January 3, 1985 – January 15, 1985	20
18	Jay Rockefeller Jay Rockefeller John Davison "Jay" Rockefeller IV is the senior United States Senator from West Virginia. He was first elected to the Senate in 1984, while in office as Governor of West Virginia, a position he held from 1977 to 1985...	Democratic	January 15, 1985 – Present	20	Elected in 1984, but delayed term to finish term as Governor of West Virginia
				21	Re-elected in 1990
				22	Re-elected in 1996
				23	Re-elected in 2002 United States Senate election in West Virginia, 2002 The 2002 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 5, 2002. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Jay Rockefeller won re-election to a fourth term.- Campaign :...
				24	Re-elected in 2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia, 2008 The 2008 United States Senate election in West Virginia was held on November 4, 2008. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator John D. Rockefeller, IV won re-election to a fifth-term.-Background:...

Class 1

Class 2

See also