As most of you know, ML’s seat in Lousisiana is the one that’s gone the longest without being held by a Republican (but not electing one, since Woody Jenkins was the legitimate winner in 1996, it’s a travesty the GOP-controlled Senate didn’t overturn the election). I started making a list of how long each seat had been held by each party. I’m sure FMDJ and AUH2o will catch any errors.
The number after the state abbreviation is the class the seat is from Class 1 is 2006 2012, Class 2 is 2008 2004 Class 3 is is 2010 2016.
The year is the year it came into the hands of the party that has it, that means the other party last won it 6 years prior to that, unless otherwise noted.
*Special election
**Gubernatorial appointment
***Party switch
****Election to a full term followed by appointment after the incumbent resigned so his successor could gain a seniority advantage over other freshman, a cynical practice they had to change Senate rules in order to stop.
LA-2 1883
Last held by Republican William P. Kellogg, who ironically was the last Republican to hold the state’s OTHER seat before Vitter and the last Republican Governor before Dave Treen. Also ironically, this is the Southern seat that was the last to be taken back by the rats after reconstruction.
MT-2 1913
Has never popularly elected a Republican. Last Republican to win was elected by the leg in 1907.
RI-2 1937
WI-1 1957*
Since rat William Proxmire won the ‘57 special election after Joe McCarthy’s death (elected to his last term in 1952). Proxmire was ironically the first rat popularly elected to the seat.
WV-2 1958*
Since rat Jennings Randolph won the 1958 special election for the remainder of the vacant term. Aside from a brief Republican appointment in 1958, it’s been rat held since 1949, it last elected a Republican in 1942, the excellent Chapman Revercomb, who was also the last Republican to hold the state’s other seat.
WV-1 1959
Revercomb was beaten by Byrd in 1958 for a full term, he won a special election 1956. This seat last elected a Republican to a full term in 1928. WV has gone the longest without electing a Republican to either seat.
HI-3 1959
This seat has never elected a Republican, it’s been rat since statehood, only 3 members. It’s up this year (special election).
ND-1 1960*
Since rat Quentin Burdick won the 1960 special election for the seat of deceased NPL RINO Wild Bill Langer. I think a witch put a hex on this seat, it was stolen in 2012. So it ironically last officially elected a Republican (RINO) in 1958.
CT-3 1963
CA-3 1969
DE-2 1973
Since a young Joe Biden won it
VT-3 1975
Leaky Leahy was the first and technically still the only rat Senator in State history
HI-1 1977
Until then it had been held by Republican Hiram Fong
MD-1 1977
NY-1 1977
Republican Buckley was elected to this seat as a Conservative in 1970, the last time it was won with the Republican line was 1958.
MA-2 1979
MI-2 1979
NJ-1 1982****
Since the upset victory of Lautenberg. Republican Nickolas Brady was appointed to fill a rat vacancy and didn’t run for the full term. The seat last elected a Republican in 1952.
NM-1 1983
IL-2 1985
IA-2 1985
MD-3 1987
WA-3 1987
NV-3 1987
CT-1 1989
CA-1 1992*
Since the 1992 special election win by Feinstien, Pete Wilson won the last Republican term in 1988.
OR-3 1996*
Since the 1996 special election win by Ron Wyden, Bob Packwood won the last Republican term in 1992.
SD-2 1997
NY-3 1999
FL-1 2001
DE-1 2001
MI-1 2001
MN-1 2001
WA-1 2001
Since Maria Cantwell stole the 2000 election from Slade Gorton, who was also the last Republican to hold the state’s other seat.
VT-1 2001***
Since Jeffords party switch to “I”. This seat had NEVER officially been held by a democrat or even a proto-democrat, it was Federalist/Proto-Whig/Whig/Republican all the way. Bernie Sanders is the first non-Republican/proto-Republican ever elected to the seat.
AR-2 2003
CO-3 2005
MO-1 2007
MT-1 2007
OH-1 2007
RI-1 2007
VA-1 2007
PA-2 2007
CO-2 2009
AK-2 2009
MN-2 2009
VA-2 2009
NH-2 2009
NM-2 2009
NC-2 2009
OR-2 2009
You can see how awful 2006 and 2008 were.
IN-1 2013
MA-1 2013
Last won by Republican Scott Brown in the 2010 special. It last elected a Republican to a full term in 1946.
ME-1 2013
“I” Angus King (who may switch to supporting the GOP if the rats lose the Senate) won in 2012. The last official rat to win was George Mitchell in 1988.
NJ-2 2013* (1979)
Since Cory Booker’s special election victory. Aside from fat boy’s appointed Republican Senator, this seat has been rat held since 1979. The last Republican to win it (or any Senate race in NJ) was RINO Clifford Case in 1972, he was beaten in the 1978 primary by Jeff Bell, who is also the GOP nominee for the seat this year.
The Montana and WV seats will be won by the GOP this year, hopefully Louisiana as well.
Now the Republican Seats, in reverse order
NE-1 2013
AR-3 2011
IL-3 2011
IN-3 2011
ND-3 2011
WI-3 2011
PA-3 2011
Aside from Specter’s party switch, this seat has been GOP held since 1969. It was last won by a rat in 1962.
GA-3 2005
Zell Miller last won for the rats in a 2000 special, following his appointment after Republican Paul Coverdell’s death. The last full term for the rats was won in 1986 by Wyche Fowler.
FL-3 2005
LA-3 2005
SC-3 2005
SD-3 2005
NC-3 2005
GA-2 2003
NV-1 2001
KY-3 1999
OH-3 1999
NE-2 1997
AL-2 1997
AL-3 1995***
Since Shelby’s 1995 party switch
AZ-1 1995
TN-1 1995
TN-2 1994*
Since Fred Thompson’s special election win, Al Gore won the last rat term in 1990.
OK-2 1994*
Since Jim Inhofe’s special election win. Dave Boren won the last rat term in 1990.
TX-1 1993*
Since KBH’s 1993 special win. Lloyd Bentsen won the last rat term in 1988.
MS-1 1989
MO-3 1987
KY-2 1985
IA-3 1981
ID-3 1981
AK-3 1981
Including RINO incumbent Lisa Murkowski, last elected as a write in.
NH-3 1980****
In 1980 Warren Rudman was elected to a full term, then appointed when the rat he beat resigned.
ME-2 1979
MS-2 1978****
Thad Cochran, same as Rudman, except it was an open seat.
WY-1 1977
UT-1 1977
AZ-3 1969
OK-3 1969
SC-2 1964***
Since Strom’s party switch. He won the last rat term in 1960, unopposed.
TX-2 1961*
Since John Tower’s 1961 special win. LBJ had beaten Tower in 1960 and was simultaneously “elected” VP.
WY-2 1962*
Since Republican Milward Simpson’s special win in 1962, he replaced an appointed rat. GOP Senator-Elect Keith Thomson, elected in 1960, died before taking office. The rats last won in 1954.
UT-3 1951
ID-2 1949**
Since Republican Henry Dworshak was appointed to a rat vacancy in 1949, the vacancy of the man who beat him for reelection in 1948, Bert Miller. Dworshak had been elected in 1946 special, he went on to win a 1950 special and full terms in 1954 and 1960, serving until his death in 1962.
KS-3 1939
Kansas has gone the longest without a rat Senate win for either seat, George McGill in 1932. McGill first came to the Senate in a 1930 special, he is the only rat to ever hold this seat. 2 Populist Party members are the only other non-Republicans to hold it. Bob Dole had a close call in 1974.
KS-2 1919
Roberts seat. Kansas and a few other states had popular elections prior to the 17th amendment. Rat William H. Thompson was elected in 1912, technically they had a popular election and the state legislature then elected him after he won it. One other rat, elected by the legislature in 1893 to a vacant term, serving 2 years, was the only other non-Republican to hold the seat.
It’s at moderate risk this year, though I think the rich “independent” (”former” democrat) has a better chance at upsetting Roberts than the weak rat. We’d be in real trouble if Milton Wolf had beaten Roberts.
Looks OK. I probably would’ve just listed the name of the current occupant for each seat rather than number the class, which is confusing (and makes it look like some states have a 3rd seat or that you’re referring to House districts). I’d also tend to list the year of the last party win, rather than the year they left office (since it would reflect the mindset of the voters when they came in, say listing 1994 instead of 2001).
Excellent post! Just a couple of nits: In your introduction, you meant to say that Class 2 elects members in 2008 and 2014 (not 2004); and the name of the WY congressman who was elected to the Senate in 1960 but died before taking office was Edwin Keith Thomson.
Nice piece of research, Impy!