List of United States senators from North Carolina

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).

Current delegation

Thom Tillis (R)

Ted Budd (R)

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 P. 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

• United States portal
• North Carolina portal
• Politics portal

• United States congressional delegations from North Carolina
• List of United States representatives from North Carolina
• Elections in North Carolina