Women in the United States Senate

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    This article covers the history of women in the

    President of the Senate
    .

    Nancy Kassebaum is currently the oldest living former female member of the Senate at the age 91.

    History

    Rebecca Latimer Felton (D-Georgia), the first female member of the United States Senate, who served for a single day in 1922.
    One woman (Barbara Mikulski) was reelected and four women were elected to the Senate in 1992, the "Year of the Woman," Left to right: Senators Murray, Moseley Braun, Mikulski, Feinstein, and Boxer.
    By the 111th United States Congress (2009–2011), the number of female senators had increased to 17, including 4 Republicans and 13 Democrats

    For its first 130 years in existence, the Senate's membership was entirely male. Until

    sex discrimination
    .

    The first woman to serve in the U.S. Senate was

    Second Lady to serve in the United States Senate, after Hubert Humphrey's unexpected death in office. Humphrey Brown was appointed by the Governor of Minnesota
    to fill her late husband's Senate seat; she served for less than one year and did not seek to be elected to her husband's seat.

    In 1978,

    John Seymour in a special election. Feinstein entered the Senate the same year as the first female Jewish senator.[2][3][4]

    Bathroom facilities for women in the Senate on the Senate chamber level were first provided in 1992.[5] Women were not allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor until 1993.[6][7] In 1993, Senators Barbara Mikulski and Carol Moseley Braun wore pants onto the floor in defiance of the rule, and female support staff followed soon after, with the rule being amended later that year by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Martha Pope to allow women to wear pants on the floor so long as they also wore a jacket.[6][7]

    The first time two female senators from the same state served concurrently was beginning in 1993; Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer (both D-CA) were both elected in 1992, with Feinstein taking office that same year (as the result of a special election) and Boxer taking office in 1993; Boxer served until 2016, when she retired, and Feinstein was joined by Kamala Harris. In June 1993, Kay Bailey Hutchison won a special election in Texas, and joined Kassebaum as a fellow female Republican senator. These additions significantly diminished the popular perception of the Senate as an exclusive "boys' club". Since 1992, there has been at least one new woman elected to the Senate every two years, with the exception of 2004 (Lisa Murkowski was elected for the first time in 2004, but had been appointed to the seat since 2002).

    Maine state legislature. She and later Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming are the only women to have served in both houses of a state legislature and both houses of the federal legislature. In 2000, Stabenow and Maria Cantwell became the first women to defeat incumbent elected senators in a general election, unseating Senators Spencer Abraham and Slade Gorton respectively.[n 2] Hillary Clinton is the first and only First Lady to run for or win a Senate seat. Clinton joined the Senate in 2001, becoming the first female senator from New York, and served until 2009, when she resigned to become the 67th United States Secretary of State, under President Barack Obama. She was replaced by Kirsten Gillibrand, who has been elected three times and was herself a candidate for president in the 2020 Democratic Party presidential primaries
    .

    In 2008, Kay Hagan became the first woman to unseat a female incumbent, Elizabeth Dole. Upon the opening of the 112th United States Congress in 2011, New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen was joined by newly elected Republican Kelly Ayotte, making up the first Senate delegation of two women belonging to different parties.

    In November 2022, Dianne Feinstein became the longest-serving female senator in history,[8] surpassing Barbara Mikulski,[9][10] having served for 30 years.[11] Feinstein was retiring at the end of her last term, scheduled for January 3, 2025,[12] but died on September 29, 2023, before her term ended.[13] Subsequently, Patty Murray surpassed Feinstein as the longest serving woman senator, and continues to serve.

    In 2012, a record five new female senators were elected. This beat the record of four new female senators from 1992 and set the record of five new women and eleven female senators in one Senate class. The five new women were Democrats Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Republican Deb Fischer of Nebraska. Hirono was the first Asian-American woman and first Buddhist in the Senate, and Baldwin was the first openly gay person in the Senate.

    In 2014,

    top-two primary, Attorney General of California Kamala Harris and U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez
    became the first women of the same party to advance to a Senate general election. In November 2016, Harris became the first woman to defeat a woman of the same party in a Senate general election.

    In 2016, Hillary Clinton became the first former female senator to win a major party's nomination for President of the United States. Despite winning a plurality of the popular vote, she ultimately lost her bid to Donald Trump.

    Starting in 2017, United States Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, have held the distinction of being the first and second women elected as both the governor of a state and a United States senator from a state; both served as Governor of New Hampshire before their time in the Senate.

    In 2018, Kyrsten Sinema defeated Martha McSally, becoming Arizona's first female senator, as well as the first openly bisexual senator from any state. Two weeks later, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced that he would appoint McSally to Arizona's other Senate seat, which was becoming vacant with the resignation of Jon Kyl. Sinema and McSally have been the only concurrently serving female senators to have previously faced off against each other in a Senate election. McSally exited the Senate in late 2020 after losing that year's special election to Mark Kelly, a Democrat.

    Also in 2018, Jacky Rosen made political history as the first female one-term outgoing U.S. representative ever elected to the Senate.[15]

    In 2023, Patty Murray became the first woman to serve as president pro tempore, a role traditionally given to the most senior member of the majority party in the United States Senate. Dianne Feinstein was the most senior Democratic senator, but declined to serve. This made Murray the third person in line to become president, after the vice president and the Speaker of the House.[16]

    Sixty women have served in the United States Senate since its establishment in 1789.

    third party
    in her career. In December 2022, Senator Kyrsten Sinema became the first female senator to switch her party affiliation while in office. In September 2023, Senator Dianne Feinstein became the first female senator to die in office.

    Some female U.S. senators have later run for U.S. president or vice president—see list of female United States presidential and vice presidential candidates. In 2020, Kamala Harris became the first female senator, current or past, to win her vice presidential election bid and become the first female President of the United States Senate.

    Election, selection, and family

    Before 2001, a plurality of women joined the U.S. Senate through appointment following the death or resignation of a husband or father who previously held the seat. An example is Muriel Humphrey (D-MN), the widow of former senator and Vice President Hubert Humphrey; she was appointed to fill his seat until a special election was held (in which she did not run). However, with the election of three women in 2000, the balance shifted; more women have now entered service as a senator by winning elections than by being appointed.[citation needed]

    Recent examples of selection include

    Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski, who had resigned from the Senate to become governor, to serve the remaining two years of his term. Lisa Murkowski defeated former governor Tony Knowles in her reelection bid in 2004
    .

    Two recent members of the Senate brought with them a combination of name recognition resulting from the political careers of their famous husbands and their own substantial experience in public affairs. The first, former senator

    George H.W. Bush; she later ran a losing bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. The other, former senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), wife of former President Bill Clinton, was First Lady of the United States and First Lady of Arkansas before taking her seat in 2000. She too ran an unsuccessful campaign for her party's presidential nomination in 2008; she resigned in 2009 to become the secretary of state for the eventual victor of that election, Barack Obama. In 2016, she ran a successful campaign for her party's presidential nomination, eventually losing in the general election to Republican nominee Donald Trump
    .

    Another famous name is

    Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-KS), the daughter of former Kansas governor and one-time presidential candidate Alf Landon. After retiring from the Senate, she married former senator Howard Baker (R-TN). Kassebaum has the distinction of being the first female elected senator who did not succeed her husband in Congress (Margaret Chase Smith
    was only elected to the Senate after succeeding her husband to his House seat).

    Among the women elected or appointed in Senate history, by stature, Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) are the shortest, at 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m), whereas Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) is the tallest, at 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m).[18][19][20]

    List of female U.S. senators

    Portrait Name
    (lifespan)     		State Term Entered by Left for Party
    Term start Term end Length of
    service (days)
    Sen. Felton Rebecca Felton
    (1835–1930)[n 3]     		Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia November 21, 1922 November 21, 1922 1
    (0 days)     		Appointment by Thomas W. Hardwick Appointment ended Democratic
    Sen. Caraway
    Hattie Caraway
    (1878–1950)[n 4]
    		 Arkansas Arkansas November 13, 1931 January 3, 1945 4,800
    (13 years, 51 days)     		Appointment by Harvey Parnell Lost renomination Democratic
    Sen. Long Rose Long
    (1892–1970)[n 5]     		Louisiana Louisiana January 31, 1936 January 3, 1937 338
    (338 days)     		Appointment by
    James Noe
    		 Retired Democratic
    Sen. Graves Dixie Graves
    (1882–1965)     		Alabama Alabama August 20, 1937 January 10, 1938 143
    (143 days)     		Appointment by Bibb Graves Appointment ended Democratic
    Sen. Pyle Gladys Pyle
    (1890–1989)     		South Dakota South Dakota November 9, 1938 January 3, 1939 55
    (55 days)     		Special election Retired Republican
    Sen. Bushfield Vera C. Bushfield
    (1889–1976)[n 6]     		South Dakota South Dakota October 6, 1948 December 26, 1948 81
    (81 days)     		Appointment by
    George Mickelson
    		 Appointment ended Republican
    Sen. Smith Margaret Chase Smith
    (1897–1995)     		Maine Maine January 3, 1949 January 3, 1973 8,766
    (24 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Republican
    Sen. Bowring Eva Bowring
    (1892–1985)     		Nebraska Nebraska April 16, 1954 November 7, 1954 205
    (205 days)     		Appointment by Robert B. Crosby Appointment ended Republican
    Sen. Abel Hazel Abel
    (1888–1966)     		Nebraska Nebraska November 8, 1954 December 31, 1954 53
    (53 days)     		Special election Retired and resigned early[n 7] Republican
    Sen. Neuberger Maurine Neuberger
    (1907–2000)[n 8]     		Oregon Oregon November 9, 1960 January 3, 1967 2,246
    (6 years, 55 days)     		Special election Retired Democratic
    Sen. Edwards
    Elaine Edwards

    (1929–2018)     		Louisiana Louisiana August 1, 1972 November 13, 1972 104
    (104 days)     		Appointment by Edwin Edwards Appointment ended Democratic
    Sen. Humphrey
    Muriel Humphrey
    (1912–1998)[n 9]
    		 Minnesota Minnesota January 25, 1978 November 7, 1978 286
    (286 days)     		Appointment by Rudy Perpich Appointment ended Democratic (DFL)
    Sen. Allen Maryon Allen
    (1925–2018)[n 10]     		Alabama Alabama June 8, 1978 November 7, 1978 152
    (152 days)     		Appointment by George Wallace Lost nomination to finish term Democratic
    Sen. Kassebaum Nancy Kassebaum
    (born 1932)     		Kansas Kansas December 23, 1978 January 3, 1997 6,586
    (18 years, 11 days)     		Election[n 11] Retired Republican
    Sen. Hawkins Paula Hawkins
    (1927–2009)     		Florida Florida January 1, 1981 January 3, 1987 2,193
    (6 years, 2 days)     		Election[n 11] Lost reelection Republican
    Sen. Mikulski Barbara Mikulski
    (born 1936)     		Maryland Maryland January 3, 1987 January 3, 2017 10,959
    (30 years, 0 days)     		Election Retired Democratic
    Sen. Burdick Jocelyn Burdick
    (1922–2019)[n 12]     		North Dakota North Dakota September 12, 1992 December 14, 1992 93
    (93 days)     		Appointment by
    George Sinner
    		 Appointment ended Democratic–NPL
    Sen. Feinstein Dianne Feinstein
    (1933–2023)[n 13]     		California California November 4, 1992 September 29, 2023 11,286
    (30 years, 329 days)     		Special election Died in office Democratic
    Sen. Boxer Barbara Boxer
    (born 1940)     		California California January 3, 1993 January 3, 2017 8,767
    (24 years, 0 days)     		Election Retired Democratic
    Sen. Moseley Braun Carol Moseley-Braun
    (born 1947)[n 14]     		Illinois Illinois January 3, 1993 January 3, 1999 2,191
    (6 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Democratic
    Sen. Murray Patty Murray
    (born 1950)     		Washington (state) Washington January 3, 1993 present 11,437
    (31 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Hutchison Kay Hutchison
    (born 1943)     		Texas Texas June 14, 1993 January 3, 2013 7,143
    (19 years, 203 days)     		Special election Retired Republican
    Sen. Snowe Olympia Snowe
    (born 1947)     		Maine Maine January 3, 1995 January 3, 2013 6,576
    (18 years, 0 days)     		Election Retired Republican
    Sen. Frahm Sheila Frahm
    (born 1945)     		Kansas Kansas June 11, 1996 November 6, 1996 148
    (148 days)     		Appointment by Bill Graves Lost nomination to finish term Republican
    Sen. Collins Susan Collins
    (born 1952)     		Maine Maine January 3, 1997 present 9,976
    (27 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Landrieu Mary Landrieu
    (born 1955)     		Louisiana Louisiana January 3, 1997 January 3, 2015 6,575
    (18 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Democratic
    Sen. Lincoln Blanche Lincoln
    (born 1960)[n 15]     		Arkansas Arkansas January 3, 1999 January 3, 2011 4,383
    (12 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Democratic
    Sen. Cantwell Maria Cantwell
    (born 1958)     		Washington (state) Washington January 3, 2001 present 8,515
    (23 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Carnahan Jean Carnahan
    (1933-2024)     		Missouri Missouri January 3, 2001 November 23, 2002 689
    (1 year, 324 days)     		Appointment by Roger B. Wilson Lost election to finish term Democratic
    Sen. Clinton Hillary Clinton
    (born 1947)     		New York (state) New York January 3, 2001 January 21, 2009 2,940
    (8 years, 18 days)     		Election Resigned to become United States Secretary of State Democratic
    Sen. Stabenow Debbie Stabenow
    (born 1950)     		Michigan Michigan January 3, 2001 present 8,515
    (23 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Murkowski Lisa Murkowski
    (born 1957)[n 16]     		Alaska Alaska December 20, 2002 present 7,799
    (21 years, 129 days)     		Appointment by Frank Murkowski Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Dole Elizabeth Dole
    (born 1936)[n 17]     		North Carolina North Carolina January 3, 2003 January 3, 2009 2,192
    (6 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection[n 18] Republican
    Sen. Klobuchar Amy Klobuchar
    (born 1960)     		Minnesota Minnesota January 3, 2007 present 6,324
    (17 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic (DFL)
    Sen. McCaskill Claire McCaskill
    (born 1953)     		Missouri Missouri January 3, 2007 January 3, 2019 4,383
    (12 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Democratic
    Jeanne Shaheen
    (born 1947)     		New Hampshire New Hampshire January 3, 2009 present 5,593
    (15 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Hagan Kay Hagan
    (1953–2019)     		North Carolina North Carolina January 3, 2009 January 3, 2015 2,191
    (6 years, 0 days)     		Election[n 18] Lost reelection Democratic
    Sen. Gillibrand Kirsten Gillibrand
    (born 1966)     		New York (state) New York January 26, 2009 present 5,570
    (15 years, 92 days)     		Appointment by David Paterson Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Ayotte Kelly Ayotte
    (born 1968)     		New Hampshire New Hampshire January 3, 2011 January 3, 2017 2,192
    (6 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Republican
    Sen. Baldwin Tammy Baldwin
    (born 1962)[n 19]     		Wisconsin Wisconsin January 3, 2013 present 4,132
    (11 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Fischer Deb Fischer
    (born 1951)     		Nebraska Nebraska January 3, 2013 present 4,132
    (11 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Heitkamp Heidi Heitkamp
    (born 1955)     		North Dakota North Dakota January 3, 2013 January 3, 2019 2,191
    (6 years, 0 days)     		Election Lost reelection Democratic–NPL
    Sen. Hirano Mazie Hirono
    (born 1947)[n 20]     		Hawaii Hawaii January 3, 2013 present 4,132
    (11 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Warren Elizabeth Warren
    (born 1949)     		Massachusetts Massachusetts January 3, 2013 present 4,132
    (11 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Ernst Joni Ernst
    (born 1970)     		Iowa Iowa January 3, 2015 present 3,402
    (9 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Moore Capito Shelley Moore Capito
    (born 1953)     		West Virginia West Virginia January 3, 2015 present 3,402
    (9 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Cortez Masto Catherine Cortez Masto
    (born 1964)[n 21]     		Nevada Nevada January 3, 2017 present 2,671
    (7 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Duckworth Tammy Duckworth
    (born 1968)[n 22]     		Illinois Illinois January 3, 2017 present 2,671
    (7 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Harris Kamala Harris
    (born 1964)[n 23]     		California California January 3, 2017 January 18, 2021 1,476
    (4 years, 15 days)     		Election Resigned to become Vice President of the United States Democratic
    Sen. Hassan Maggie Hassan
    (born 1958)     		New Hampshire New Hampshire January 3, 2017 present 2,671
    (7 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Smith Tina Smith
    (born 1958)     		Minnesota Minnesota January 3, 2018 present 2,306
    (6 years, 115 days)     		Appointment by Mark Dayton Incumbent Democratic (DFL)
    Sen. Hyde-Smith Cindy Hyde-Smith
    (born 1959)     		Mississippi Mississippi April 2, 2018 present 2,217
    (6 years, 25 days)     		Appointment by Phil Bryant Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Blackburn Marsha Blackburn
    (born 1952)[n 24]     		Tennessee Tennessee January 3, 2019 present 1,941
    (5 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Sinema Kyrsten Sinema
    (born 1976)     		Arizona Arizona January 3, 2019 present 1,941
    (5 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    (2019–2022)
    Independent
    (since 2022)[n 25]
    Sen. McSally Martha McSally
    (born 1966)     		Arizona Arizona January 3, 2019 December 2, 2020 699
    (1 year, 334 days)     		Appointment by Doug Ducey Lost election to finish term Republican
    Sen. Rosen Jacky Rosen
    (born 1957)     		Nevada Nevada January 3, 2019 present 1,941
    (5 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Democratic
    Sen. Loeffler Kelly Loeffler
    (born 1970)     		Georgia (U.S. state) Georgia January 6, 2020 January 20, 2021 380
    (1 year, 14 days)     		Appointment by Brian Kemp
    Lost election to finish term
    		 Republican
    Sen. Lummis Cynthia Lummis
    (born 1954)     		Wyoming Wyoming January 3, 2021 present 1,210
    (3 years, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Britt Katie Britt
    (born 1982)     		Alabama Alabama January 3, 2023 present 480
    (1 year, 115 days)     		Election Incumbent Republican
    Sen. Butler Laphonza Butler
    (born 1979)[n 26]     		California California October 1, 2023 present 209
    (209 days)     		Appointment by Gavin Newsom Incumbent Democratic

    Currently serving female U.S. senators

    Map of current female senators by state.      No female senators      One female senator      Two female senators


    There are 25 women currently serving in the United States Senate. This is the second-highest number of women to have served concurrently in the Senate in U.S. history. Fifteen are Democrats, nine are Republicans, and one is an independent.

    In January 2019, four new female senators (Blackburn, McSally, Rosen, and Sinema) were seated, but two others (Heitkamp and McCaskill) lost reelection bids, so the number of female senators reached 25, with 17 being Democrats and 8 being Republicans. In January 2020, Kelly Loeffler was appointed to the Senate from Georgia, increasing the number of women in the Senate to 26, the highest proportion of women serving as U.S. senators in history.

    Pink represents the Women in the United States Senate
    Pie chart showing current female senators. Pink is female

    Martha McSally lost an election to finish John McCain's unexpired term on November 3, 2020, and left the Congress on December 2, which reduced the number of female senators to 25. On January 3, 2021, Cynthia Lummis, the first female senator from Wyoming, began her term, so the number of female senators reached 26 once again. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris was elected Vice President of the United States; she resigned her Senate seat on January 18 in anticipation of the scheduled commencement of her term as Vice President (and thus President of the Senate) on January 20, which reduced the number of female senators to 25. In addition, Loeffler lost the January 5 special election runoff for the remainder of the term to which she had been appointed, and she left office also on January 20, which further reduced the number of women serving in the Senate to 24. On December 9, 2022, Sinema defected from the Democratic Party to become a registered independent, leaving 15 of her fellow female senators from her former party, and, on January 3, 2023, Katie Britt, the first female Republican senator from Alabama and also the first woman ever elected to the Senate from her state, began her term as well, increasing the number to 25 again. The death of Dianne Feinstein on September 29, 2023, brought the number back down to 24. The seating of Feinstein's replacement, appointed senator Laphonza Butler, on October 3 returned the figure to 25.

    As of January 2023, four states (Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Washington) are represented by two female U.S. senators. Eleven incumbent women in the Senate are former U.S. representatives: Senators Stabenow, Cantwell, Gillibrand, Baldwin, Hirono, Moore Capito, Duckworth, Sinema, Rosen, Blackburn, and Lummis.

    Class State Name Party Prior experience First took
    office     		Born
    3 Alabama Katie Britt Republican CEO of the Business Council of Alabama, chief of staff to predecessor Richard Shelby 2023

    (age 40)

    		1982
    3 Alaska Lisa Murkowski Republican Alaska House of Representatives 2002

    (age 45)

    		1957
    1 Arizona Kyrsten Sinema Independent[n 25] Arizona House of Representatives, Arizona Senate, U.S. House of Representatives 2019

    (age 42)

    		1976
    1 California Laphonza Butler Democratic Member of the Board of Regents of the University of California, President of EMILY's List 2023

    (age 44)

    		1979
    1 Hawaii Mazie Hirono Democratic Hawaii House of Representatives, Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, gubernatorial nominee, U.S. House of Representatives 2013

    (age 65)

    		1947
    3 Illinois Tammy Duckworth Democratic U.S. House of Representatives 2017

    (age 48)

    		1968
    2 Iowa Joni Ernst Republican Montgomery County Auditor, Iowa Senate 2015

    (age 44)

    		1970
    2 Maine Susan Collins Republican Massachusetts Deputy Treasurer, gubernatorial nominee 1997

    (age 44)

    		1952
    1 Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren Democratic Special Advisor to the President for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 2013

    (age 63)

    		1949
    1 Michigan Debbie Stabenow Democratic Michigan House of Representatives, Michigan Senate, U.S. House of Representatives 2001

    (age 50)

    		1950
    1 Minnesota Amy Klobuchar Democratic-Farmer-Labor Hennepin County Attorney 2007

    (age 46)

    		1960
    2 Minnesota Tina Smith Democratic-Farmer-Labor Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota 2018

    (age 60)

    		1958
    2 Mississippi Cindy Hyde-Smith Republican
    Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce
    		 2018

    (age 58)

    		1959
    1 Nebraska Deb Fischer Republican Nebraska Legislature 2013

    (age 61)

    		1951
    3 Nevada Catherine Cortez Masto Democratic Nevada Attorney General 2017

    (age 52)

    		1964
    1 Nevada Jacky Rosen Democratic U.S. House of Representatives 2019

    (age 61)

    		1957
    2 New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen Democratic New Hampshire Senate, Governor of New Hampshire 2009

    (age 61)

    		1947
    3 New Hampshire Maggie Hassan Democratic New Hampshire Senate, Governor of New Hampshire 2017

    (age 58)

    		1958
    1 New York Kirsten Gillibrand Democratic U.S. House of Representatives 2009

    (age 43)

    		1966
    1 Tennessee Marsha Blackburn Republican Tennessee Senate, U.S. House of Representatives 2019

    (age 66)

    		1952
    3 Washington Patty Murray Democratic Washington Senate 1993

    (age 42)

    		1950
    1 Washington Maria Cantwell Democratic Washington House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives 2001

    (age 42)

    		1958
    2 West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito Republican West Virginia House of Delegates, U.S. House of Representatives 2015

    (age 62)

    		1953
    1 Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin Democratic Wisconsin State Assembly, U.S. House of Representatives 2013

    (age 50)

    		1962
    2 Wyoming Cynthia Lummis Republican Wyoming House of Representatives, Wyoming Senate, Wyoming Treasurer, U.S. House of Representatives 2021

    (age 66)

    		1954

    List of states represented by women

    Thirty-three states have been represented by female senators. As of October 3, 2023, 21 states are represented by female senators.

    State Current Previous Total First woman senator Years represented by female senators Year first elected a female senator
    Alabama 1 2 3 Dixie Graves 1937–1938, 1978, 2023–present 2022
    Alaska 1 0 1 Lisa Murkowski 2002–present 2004
    Arizona 1 1 2 Kyrsten Sinema &
    Martha McSally    		 2019–present 2018
    Arkansas 0 2 2 Hattie Caraway 1931–1945, 1999–2011 1932
    California 1 3 4 Dianne Feinstein 1992–2023, 2023–present 1992 (special)
    Colorado 0 0 0
    Connecticut 0 0 0
    Delaware 0 0 0
    Florida 0 1 1 Paula Hawkins 1981–1987 1980
    Georgia 0 2 2
    Rebecca Felton
    		 1922, 2020–2021 N / A; both women senators appointed
    Hawaii 1 0 1 Mazie Hirono 2013–present 2012
    Idaho 0 0 0
    Illinois 1 1 2
    Carol Moseley-Braun
    		 1993–1999, 2017–present 1992
    Indiana 0 0 0
    Iowa 1 0 1 Joni Ernst 2015–present 2014
    Kansas 0 2 2 Nancy Kassebaum 1978–1997 1978
    Kentucky 0 0 0
    Louisiana 0 3 3 Rose Long 1936–1937, 1972, 1997–2015 1936 (special)
    Maine 1 2 3 Margaret Chase Smith 1949–1973, 1995–present 1948
    Maryland 0 1 1 Barbara Mikulski 1987–2017 1986
    Massachusetts 1 0 1 Elizabeth Warren 2013–present 2012
    Michigan 1 0 1 Debbie Stabenow 2001–present 2000
    Minnesota 2 1 3 Muriel Humphrey 1978, 2007–present 2006
    Mississippi 1 0 1 Cindy Hyde-Smith 2018–present 2018 (special)
    Missouri 0 2 2 Jean Carnahan 2001–2002, 2007–2019 2006
    Montana 0 0 0
    Nebraska 1 2 3 Eva Bowring 1954, 2013–present 1954 (special)
    Nevada 2 0 2 Catherine Cortez Masto 2017–present 2016
    New Hampshire 2 1 3 Jeanne Shaheen 2009–present 2008
    New Jersey 0 0 0
    New Mexico 0 0 0
    New York 1 1 2 Hillary Clinton 2001–2009, 2009–present 2000
    North Carolina 0 2 2 Elizabeth Dole 2003–2015 2002
    North Dakota 0 2 2 Jocelyn Burdick 1992, 2013–2019 2012
    Ohio 0 0 0
    Oklahoma 0 0 0
    Oregon 0 1 1 Maurine Neuberger 1960–1967
    1960
    (special)
    Pennsylvania 0 0 0
    Rhode Island 0 0 0
    South Carolina 0 0 0
    South Dakota 0 2 2 Gladys Pyle 1938–1939, 1948
    1938
    (special)
    Tennessee 1 0 1 Marsha Blackburn 2019–present 2018
    Texas 0 1 1
    Kay Hutchison
    		 1993–2013 1993 (special)
    Utah 0 0 0
    Vermont 0 0 0
    Virginia 0 0 0
    Washington 2 0 2 Patty Murray 1993–present 1992
    West Virginia 1 0 1 Shelley Moore Capito 2015–present 2014
    Wisconsin 1 0 1 Tammy Baldwin 2013–present 2012
    Wyoming 1 0 1 Cynthia Lummis 2021–present 2020
    Total 25 35 60 Rebecca Felton 1922, 1931–1945, 1948–1973,

    1978–present

    		1932

    Graphs

    Histograph

    Note: In the graph below, entry dates refer to the date the senator was sworn in, not the date of the appointment, or election.

    Starting Total Graph Event
    March 4, 1789 0    
    November 21, 1922 1
    		Increase
    Rebecca Felton
    appointed
    November 23, 1922 0   Decrease End of Rebecca Felton's appointment
    December 9, 1931 1
    		Increase Hattie Caraway appointed
    January 31, 1936 2
    		Increase
    Rose Long
    appointed
    January 3, 1937 1
    		Decrease Rose Long retires
    August 20, 1937 2
    		Increase
    Dixie Graves
    appointed
    January 10, 1938 1
    		Decrease End of Dixie Graves's appointment
    November 9, 1938 2
    		Increase Gladys Pyle begins service
    January 3, 1939 1
    		Decrease Gladys Pyle retires
    January 3, 1945 0   Decrease Hattie Caraway ends service
    October 6, 1948 1
    		Increase Vera C. Bushfield appointed
    December 27, 1948 0   Decrease End of Vera C. Bushfield's appointment
    January 3, 1949 1
    		Increase Margaret Chase Smith begins service
    April 16, 1954 2
    		Increase Eva Bowring appointed
    November 7, 1954 1
    		Decrease End of Eva Bowring's appointment
    November 8, 1954 2
    		Increase Hazel Abel begins service
    December 31, 1954 1
    		Decrease Hazel Abel retires
    November 9, 1960 2
    		Increase Maurine Neuberger begins service
    January 3, 1967 1
    		Decrease Maurine Neuberger retires
    August 1, 1972 2
    		Increase Elaine Edwards appointed
    November 13, 1972 1
    		Decrease End of Elaine Edwards's appointment
    January 3, 1973 0   Decrease Margaret Chase Smith ends service
    January 25, 1978 1
    		Increase Muriel Humphrey appointed
    June 8, 1978 2
    		Increase
    Maryon Allen
    appointed
    November 7, 1978 0   DecreaseDecrease End of Muriel Humphrey's and Maryon Allen's appointments
    December 23, 1978 1
    		Increase Nancy Kassebaum begins service
    January 1, 1981 2
    		Increase Paula Hawkins begins service
    September 16, 1992 3
    		Increase Jocelyn Burdick appointed
    November 4, 1992 4
    		Increase Dianne Feinstein begins service
    December 14, 1992 3
    		Decrease End of Jocelyn Burdick's appointment
    January 3, 1993 6
    		IncreaseIncreaseIncrease Barbara Boxer, Carol Moseley Braun, and Patty Murray begin service
    June 14, 1993 7
    		Increase
    Kay Hutchison
    begins service
    January 3, 1995 8
    		Increase Olympia Snowe begins service
    June 11, 1996 9
    		Increase Sheila Frahm appointed
    November 6, 1996 8
    		Decrease End of Sheila Frahm's appointment
    January 3, 1997 9
    		IncreaseIncreaseDecrease Susan Collins and Mary Landrieu begin service;
    Nancy Kassebaum retires
    January 3, 2001 13
    		IncreaseIncreaseIncreaseIncrease Maria Cantwell, Hillary Clinton, and Debbie Stabenow begin service;
    Jean Carnahan appointed
    November 23, 2002 12
    		Decrease End of Jean Carnahan's appointment
    December 20, 2002 13
    		Increase Lisa Murkowski appointed
    January 3, 2003 14
    		Increase Elizabeth Dole begins service
    January 3, 2007 16
    		IncreaseIncrease Amy Klobuchar and Claire McCaskill begin service
    January 3, 2009 17
    		IncreaseIncreaseDecrease Jeanne Shaheen and Kay Hagan begin service; Elizabeth Dole ends service
    January 21, 2009 16
    		Decrease Hillary Clinton resigns to become Secretary of State
    January 26, 2009 17
    		Increase Kirsten Gillibrand appointed
    January 3, 2013 20
    		IncreaseIncreaseIncreaseIncreaseIncreaseDecreaseDecrease Tammy Baldwin, Deb Fischer, Heidi Heitkamp, Mazie Hirono, and Elizabeth Warren begin service;
    Kay Hutchison and Olympia Snowe retire
    January 3, 2017 21
    		IncreaseIncreaseIncreaseIncreaseDecreaseDecreaseDecrease Catherine Cortez Masto, Tammy Duckworth, Kamala Harris, and Maggie Hassan begin service; Barbara Boxer and Barbara Mikulski retire; Kelly Ayotte ends service
    January 3, 2018 22
    		Increase Tina Smith appointed
    April 9, 2018 23
    		Increase
    Cindy Hyde Smith
    appointed
    January 3, 2019 25
    		IncreaseIncreaseIncreaseIncreaseDecreaseDecrease Marsha Blackburn, Kyrsten Sinema, and Jacky Rosen begin service; Martha McSally appointed; Heidi Heitkamp and Claire McCaskill end service
    January 6, 2020 26
    		Increase Kelly Loeffler appointed
    December 2, 2020 25
    		Decrease End of Martha McSally's appointment
    January 3, 2021 26
    		Increase Cynthia Lummis begins service
    January 18, 2021 25
    		Decrease Kamala Harris resigns to become Vice President of the United States
    January 20, 2021 24
    		Decrease End of Kelly Loeffler's appointment
    January 3, 2023 25
    		Increase Katie Britt begins service
    September 29, 2023 24
    		Decrease Death of Dianne Feinstein
    October 3, 2023 25
    		Increase Laphonza Butler appointed

    Timeline

    Laphonza ButlerKatie BrittCynthia LummisKelly LoefflerKyrsten SinemaJacky RosenMartha McSallyMarsha BlackburnCindy Hyde-SmithTina SmithMaggie HassanKamala HarrisTammy DuckworthCatherine Cortez MastoShelley Moore CapitoJoni ErnstElizabeth WarrenMazie HironoHeidi HeitkampDeb FischerTammy BaldwinKelly AyotteKirsten GillibrandJeanne ShaheenKay HaganClaire McCaskillAmy KlobucharElizabeth DoleLisa MurkowskiDebbie StabenowHillary ClintonJean CarnahanMaria CantwellBlanche LincolnMary LandrieuSusan CollinsSheila FrahmOlympia SnoweKay Bailey HutchisonPatty MurrayCarol Moseley-BraunBarbara BoxerDianne FeinsteinJocelyn BurdickBarbara MikulskiPaula Hawkins (politician)Nancy KassebaumMaryon AllenMuriel HumphreyElaine S. EdwardsMaurine NeubergerHazel AbelEva BowringMargaret Chase SmithVera C. BushfieldGladys PyleDixie Bibb GravesRose McConnell LongHattie CarawayRebecca Latimer Felton

    Concurrently serving women from the same state

    On January 3, 2019, Arizona's Kyrsten Sinema and Martha McSally became the first women from the same state to start serving in the Senate on the same date.

    State Start date End date Duration Senior senator Junior senator
    California January 3, 1993 January 18, 2021 10,242 days
    (28 years, 15 days)     		Dianne Feinstein (D) Barbara Boxer (D)
    (January 3, 1993 – January 3, 2017),
    8,766 days (24 years, 0 days)
    Kamala Harris (D)
    (January 3, 2017 – January 18, 2021),
    1,476 days (4 years, 15 days)
    Kansas June 11, 1996 November 6, 1996 148 days Nancy Kassebaum (R) Sheila Frahm (R)
    Maine January 3, 1997 January 3, 2013 5,844 days
    (16 years, 0 days)     		Olympia Snowe (R) Susan Collins (R)
    Washington January 3, 2001 Present 8,515 days
    (23 years, 115 days)     		Patty Murray (D) Maria Cantwell (D)
    New Hampshire January 3, 2011 Present 4,863 days
    (13 years, 115 days)     		Jeanne Shaheen (D) Kelly Ayotte (R)
    (January 3, 2011 – January 3, 2017),
    2,192 days (6 years, 0 days)
    Maggie Hassan (D)
    (January 3, 2017–present),
    2,671 days (7 years, 115 days)
    Minnesota January 3, 2018 Present 2,306 days
    (6 years, 115 days)     		Amy Klobuchar (DFL) Tina Smith (DFL)
    Nevada January 3, 2019 Present 1,941 days
    (5 years, 115 days)     		Catherine Cortez Masto (D) Jacky Rosen (D)
    Arizona January 3, 2019 December 2, 2020 699 days
    (1 year, 334 days)     		Kyrsten Sinema (D) Martha McSally (R)

    Elections with two women major-party nominees

    Incumbent senators are in bold.

    Elections with two women major-party nominees
    Election year State Winner Second-place finisher Other major female candidates
    1960 Maine Margaret Chase Smith
    Lucia Cormier
    1986 Maryland Barbara Mikulski Linda Chavez
    1998 Washington Patty Murray Linda Smith
    2002 Louisiana Mary Landrieu Suzanne Haik Terrell
    Maine (2) Susan Collins Chellie Pingree
    2006 Maine (3) Olympia Snowe Jean Hay Bright
    Texas Kay Bailey Hutchison Barbara Ann Radnofsky
    2008 North Carolina[n 18] Kay Hagan Elizabeth Dole
    2010 California Barbara Boxer Carly Fiorina
    2012 California (2) Dianne Feinstein Elizabeth Emken
    Hawaii Mazie Hirono Linda Lingle
    New York Kirsten Gillibrand Wendy Long
    2014 Maine (4) Susan Collins Shenna Bellows
    West Virginia Shelley Moore Capito Natalie Tennant
    2016 California (3) Kamala Harris Loretta Sanchez
    New Hampshire Maggie Hassan Kelly Ayotte
    2018 Arizona Kyrsten Sinema Martha McSally
    Minnesota Tina Smith Karin Housley
    Nebraska Deb Fischer Jane Raybould
    New York (2) Kirsten Gillibrand Chele Farley
    Washington (2) Maria Cantwell Susan Hutchison
    Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin Leah Vukmir
    2020 Iowa Joni Ernst Theresa Greenfield
    Maine (5) Susan Collins Sara Gideon
    West Virginia (2) Shelley Moore Capito Paula Jean Swearengin
    Wyoming Cynthia Lummis Merav Ben-David
    2022 Alaska Lisa Murkowski Kelly Tshibaka Pat Chesbro
    Illinois Tammy Duckworth
    Kathy Salvi
    Washington (3) Patty Murray Tiffany Smiley

    Pregnancies

    On April 9, 2018, Tammy Duckworth, at age 50, gave birth to her daughter Maile Pearl, becoming the first sitting senator to give birth.[21] Shortly thereafter, the Senate's rules were changed to allow senators to bring with them to the Senate floor children under one year of age during votes, as well as explicitly allow breastfeeding.[22] The day after those rules were changed, Maile became the first baby on the Senate floor when Duckworth brought her.[22][23]

    See also

    Notes

    1. ^ Of the female senators who preceded Kassebaum:
      Maurine Brown Neuberger were both elected to full six-year terms, but their husbands had held the seat previously. Margaret Chase Smith's (R-ME) husband never served in the Senate, but he did serve in the House. When he died, Margaret won the ensuing election. Of the appointed senators, Long, Bushfield, Humphrey, and Allen were all appointed to fill out part of the terms of their deceased husbands, while Graves and Edwards were appointed by their husbands, the governor of their states at the time. However, Kassebaum's father was a former governor of Kansas, which means that the first woman to be elected to the Senate without any family connections was Paula Hawkins
      , who was elected in 1980 to represent Florida.
    2. John F. Seymour
      , defeated by Kay Bailey Hutchison and Dianne Feinstein respectively, were appointed to the Senate by the governors of their states.
    3. ^ Latimer Felton was the oldest woman appointed to the Senate (at age 87)
      Shortest-serving woman in the Senate
    4. her late husband

      First woman in the Senate to succeed her spouse
      First woman re-elected to the Senate
    5. ^ Succeeded her late husband
    6. ^ Succeeded her late husband
    7. ^ Abel resigned 3 days before the end of her term, a common practice to give her successor seniority advantage.
    8. ^ Followed her late husband (although she did not directly succeed him)
    9. ^ Succeeded her late husband
    10. ^ Succeeded her late husband
    11. ^ a b Predecessor resigned early to give successor seniority advantage, so the senator was appointed for the few days prior to the commencement of the elected term
    12. ^ Succeeded her late husband
    13. ^ First non-Christian (Jewish) woman elected to the Senate
    14. ^ First African-American woman elected to the Senate
    15. ^ Lincoln was the first youngest woman to hold the distinction of "youngest member of the Senate" (at age 38)
      Lincoln was also the youngest woman elected to the Senate (at age 38)
    16. ^ Succeeded her father
      First woman in the Senate to succeed a living parent
    17. ^ Married to Bob Dole
    18. ^ a b c When Kay Hagan defeated Elizabeth Dole, it was the first time in history a woman candidate defeated an incumbent woman.
    19. ^ First openly LGBT and lesbian woman elected to the Senate
    20. ^ First Asian-American woman elected to the Senate
      First Japanese-American woman elected to the Senate
      First Buddhist woman elected to the Senate
    21. ^ First Hispanic and Latina American woman elected to the Senate
    22. ^ First woman with a disability elected to the Senate
      First Southeast Asian-American (Thai) woman elected to the Senate
      First Amerasian or Eurasian woman elected to the Senate
    23. ^ First South Asian-American (Indian) woman elected to the Senate
      First Jamaican American woman elected to the Senate
      First woman of African-American and South Asian descent elected to the Senate
    24. ^ Blackburn was the oldest woman at the time of first election to the Senate (at 66 years and 5 months).
    25. ^ a b Sinema was elected as a Democrat in 2018, but switched to an independent in December 2022.
    26. woman of color
      appointed to the Senate
      First LGBT African American woman appointed to the Senate

    References

    1. ^ "Year of the Woman". U.S. Senate.
    2. ^ "Jewesses in politics represent!". Jewish Women's Archive. November 5, 2002. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
    3. ^ "Dianne Feinstein". Congress.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
    4. ^ "Barbara Boxer". Congress.gov. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
    5. ^ Plaskow, Judith (July 8, 2008). "Embodiment, Elimination, and the Role of Toilets in Struggles for Social Justice". Cross Currents. 58 (1): 51–64.
      doi:10.1111/j.1939-3881.2008.00004.x
      .
    6. ^ a b Robin Givhan (January 21, 2004). "Moseley Braun: Lady in red". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
    7. ^ a b Cooper, Kent (June 9, 2005). "The Long and Short of Capitol Style : Roll Call Special Features 50th Anniversary". Rollcall.com. Retrieved July 30, 2014.
    8. ^ Franke-Ruta, Garance (January 5, 2011). "Barbara Mikulski Becomes Longest-Serving Female Senator". The Atlantic.
    9. ^ "Biography". Dianne Feinstein United States Senator for California. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
    10. ^ Gaines, Danielle E. (December 17, 2020). "Capitol Meeting Room Named in Honor of Maryland's First Female U.S. Senator". Maryland Matters.
    11. ^ Schwartzman, Paul (December 12, 2016). "Passing the torch: Mikulski says goodbye to the Senate". The Washington Post.
    12. ^ Haberkorn, Jennifer (February 14, 2023). "Sen. Feinstein makes it official: She will retire at the end of her current term". The Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 14, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
    13. ^ Swan, Rachel; Stein, Shira; Fracassa, Dominic; Echeverria, Danielle; Parker, Jordan; Toledo, Aldo (September 29, 2023). "Dianne Feinstein: Senator died of natural causes Friday morning". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on September 29, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
    14. ^ "U.S. Senate: Senators, 1789 to present". senate.gov. Retrieved April 8, 2018.
    15. ^ Ostermeier, Eric (July 27, 2017). "Jacky Rosen's Historic 2018 US Senate Bid". Smart Politics. Archived from the original on November 24, 2018.
    16. ^ Shabad, Rebecca (January 3, 2023). "Sen. Patty Murray becomes first female president pro tempore". NBC News.
    17. ^ "Women in the U.S. Senate 1922–2015" (PDF). Center for American Women and Politics. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2015.
    18. ^ Kanin, Zach (November 17, 2007). "Does Height Matter in Politics?". HuffPost.
    19. ^ Saenz, Arlette (March 2, 2015). "Barbara Mikulski: From Girl Scout to Senator, 7 Things You Might Not Know About the Retiring Senator". ABC News.
    20. ^ "Risk, hoops memories entice new Dream owner Loeffler". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. June 4, 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2020. A skinny 5-foot-11, her nickname on the court was NBC — 'Newborn Calf.'
    21. ^ "Tammy Duckworth Becomes First U.S. Senator To Give Birth While In Office". NPR.org. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
    22. ^ a b Serfaty, Sunlen (April 18, 2018). "Babies now allowed on Senate floor after rule change". CNN.
    23. ^ "A duckling onesie and a blazer: The Senate floor sees its first baby, but many traditions stand". The Washington Post. April 19, 2018. Retrieved April 20, 2018.

    External links

    Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Women_in_the_United_States_Senate&oldid=1219793099"