List of presidents pro tempore of the United States Senate explained

The president pro tempore of the United States Senate (also president pro tem) is the second-highest-ranking official of the United States Senate. Article I, Section Three of the United States Constitution provides that the vice president of the United States, despite not being a senator, is the president of the Senate. It also establishes that the Senate must choose a president pro tempore to act in the absence of the vice president:^[1]

In practice, neither the vice president nor the president pro tempore usually presides; instead, the duty of presiding officer is rotated among junior senators of the majority party to give them experience in parliamentary procedure.

The president pro tempore is third in the line of succession to the presidency, after the vice president and the speaker of the House of Representatives and ahead of the secretary of state.^[2]

Since 1890, the most senior senator in the majority party has generally been chosen to be president pro tempore,^[3] and holds the office continuously until the election of another president pro tempore.^[3] During most of the 62nd Congress, following William Frye's resignation on April 27, 1911, five senators—Augustus Bacon, Charles Curtis, Jacob Gallinger, Henry Cabot Lodge, and Frank Brandegee—alternated as president pro tempore.

Since the office was created in 1789, 92 individuals, from 39 of the 50 states, have served as president pro tempore of the Senate. The current president pro tempore is Patty Murray of Washington, who assumed office on January 3, 2023, at the start of the 118th Congress. In 2001, the honorary title of president pro tempore emeritus was created, and it has been given to a senator of the minority party who has previously served as president pro tempore. This title is currently held by Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

Every president pro tempore but one has been a member of a political party or faction; the number affiliated with each is:

Presidents pro tempore

Portrait	Name	State	Party	Term	Congress
	John Langdon	New Hampshire		Pro-Administration	April 6–21, 1789
	August 7–9, 1789
	data-sort-value="Lee, RichardHenry"	Richard Henry Lee	Virginia		Anti-Administration	April 18 – October 8, 1792
	John Langdon	New Hampshire		Pro-Administration	November 5 – December 4, 1792
	March 1–3, 1793
	March 4 – December 2, 1793
	data-sort-value="Izard, Ralph"	Ralph Izard		South Carolina		Pro-Administration	May 31 – November 9, 1794
	Henry Tazewell	Virginia			Anti-Administration	February 20, 1795 – June 7, 1795
			Democratic-Republican
	December 7–8, 1795
	data-sort-value="Livermore, Samuela"	Samuel Livermore	New Hampshire			Federalist	May 6 – December 4, 1796
	data-sort-value="Bingham, William"	William Bingham	Pennsylvania			Federalist	February 16 – March 3, 1797
	data-sort-value="Bradford, William"	William Bradford	Rhode Island		Federalist	July 6 – October 1797
	data-sort-value="Reed, Jacob"	Jacob Read	South Carolina		Federalist	November 22 – December 12, 1797
	data-sort-value="Sedgwick, Theodore"	Theodore Sedgwick	Massachusetts		Federalist	June 27 – December 5, 1798
	data-sort-value="Laurence, John"	John Laurance	New York		Federalist	December 6–27, 1798
	data-sort-value="Ross, James"	James Ross	Pennsylvania		Federalist	March 1 – December 1, 1799
	data-sort-value="Livermore, Samuelb"	Samuel Livermore	New Hampshire		Federalist	December 2–29, 1799
	data-sort-value="Tracy, Uriah"	Uriah Tracy	Connecticut		Federalist	May 14 – November 16, 1800
	data-sort-value="Howard, JohnE"	John E. Howard	Maryland		Federalist	November 21–27, 1800
	data-sort-value="Hillhouse, James"	James Hillhouse	Connecticut		Federalist	February 28 – March 3, 1801
	Abraham Baldwin	Georgia		Democratic-Republican	December 7, 1801 – January 14, 1802
	April 17 – December 13, 1802
	Stephen R. Bradley	Vermont		Democratic-Republican	December 14, 1802 – January 18, 1803
	February 25, 1803
	March 2 – October 16, 1803
	John Brown	Kentucky		Democratic-Republican	October 17 – December 6, 1803
	January 23 – February 26, 1804
	data-sort-value="Franklin, Jesse"	Jesse Franklin	North Carolina		Democratic-Republican		March 10 – November 4, 1804
	Joseph Anderson	Tennessee		Democratic-Republican	January 15 – February 3, 1805
	February 28 – March 2, 1805
	March 2 – December 1, 1805
	Samuel Smith	Maryland		Democratic-Republican	December 2–15, 1805
	March 18 – November 30, 1806
	March 2 – October 25, 1807
	April 16 – November 6, 1808
	data-sort-value="Bradley, StephenRb"	Stephen R. Bradley		Vermont		Democratic-Republican	December 28, 1808 – January 8, 1809
	John Milledge	Georgia			Democratic-Republican	January 30 – March 3, 1809
	March 4 – May 21, 1809
	data-sort-value="Gregg, Andrew"	Andrew Gregg		Pennsylvania		Democratic-Republican	June 26 – December 18, 1809
	John Gaillard	South Carolina			Democratic-Republican	February 28 – March 2, 1810
	April 17 – December 11, 1810
	data-sort-value="Pope, John"	John Pope		Kentucky		Democratic-Republican	February 23 – November 3, 1811
	William H. Crawford	Georgia		Democratic-Republican	March 24, 1812 – March 3, 1813
	March 4–23, 1813
	data-sort-value="Varnum, JosephB"	Joseph B. Varnum		Massachusetts		Democratic-Republican	December 6, 1813 – February 3, 1814
	John Gaillard	South Carolina			Democratic-Republican	April 18 – November 25, 1814
	November 25, 1814 – December 3, 1815
	December 4, 1815 – March 3, 1817
	March 4, 1817
	March 6, 1817 – February 18, 1818
	March 31, 1818 – January 5, 1819
	James Barbour	Virginia			Democratic-Republican	February 15 – December 5, 1819
	December 6–26, 1819
	John Gaillard	South Carolina			Democratic-Republican	January 25, 1820 – December 2, 1821
	December 3–27, 1821
	February 1 – December 2, 1822
	February 19 – November 30, 1823
	December 1, 1823 – January 20, 1824
	May 21, 1824 – March 3, 1825
	March 9 – December 4, 1825
	Nathaniel Macon	North Carolina			Democratic-Republican	May 20 – December 3, 1826
	January 2 – February 13, 1827
	March 2 – December 2, 1827
	Samuel Smith	Maryland		Jacksonian	May 15 – December 18, 1828
	March 13 – December 10, 1829
	May 20 – December 31, 1830
	March 1 – December 4, 1831
	December 5–11, 1831
	data-sort-value="Tazewell, Littleton"	Littleton Tazewell		Virginia		Jacksonian	July 9–16, 1832
	Hugh Lawson White	Tennessee			Jacksonian	December 3, 1832 – December 1, 1833
	December 2–15, 1833
	data-sort-value="Poindexter, George"	George Poindexter		Mississippi		National Republican	June 28 – November 30, 1834
	data-sort-value="Tyler, John"	John Tyler	Virginia		National Republican	March 3 – December 6, 1835
	William R. King	Alabama		Democratic	July 1 – December 4, 1836
	January 28 – March 3, 1837
	March 7 – September 3, 1837
	October 13 – December 3, 1837
	nowrap				July 2 – December 18, 1838
	February 25 – December 1, 1839
	December 2–26, 1839
	July – December 15, 1840
	March 3, 1841
	March 4, 1841
	data-sort-value="Southard, Samuel"	Samuel Southard		New Jersey		Whig	March 11, 1841 – May 31, 1842
	Willie P. Mangum	North Carolina			Whig	May 31, 1842 – December 3, 1843
	December 4, 1843 – March 3, 1845
	March 4, 1845
	data-sort-value="Sevier, AmbroseH"	Ambrose H. Sevier		Arkansas		Democratic	December 27, 1845
	David R. Atchison	Missouri			Democratic	August 8 – December 6, 1846
	January 11–13, 1847
	March 3 – December 5, 1847
	February 2–8, 1848
	June 1–14, 1848
	June 26 – July 29, 1848
	July 29 – December 4, 1848
	December 26, 1848 – January 1, 1849
	March 2–4, 1849
	March 5, 1849
	March 16 – December 2, 1849
	William R. King	Alabama			Democratic	May 6–19, 1850
	July 11, 1850 – March 3, 1851
	March 4, 1851 – December 20, 1852
	David R. Atchison	Missouri			Democratic	December 20, 1852 – March 3, 1853
	March 4, 1853 – December 4, 1854
	data-sort-value="Cass, Lewis"	Lewis Cass		Michigan		Democratic	December 4, 1854
	Jesse D. Bright	Indiana			Democratic	December 5, 1854 – December 2, 1855
	December 5, 1855 –June 9, 1856
	data-sort-value="Stuart, CharlesE"	Charles E. Stuart		Michigan		Democratic	June 9 – June 10, 1856
	data-sort-value="Bright, Jesseb"	Jesse D. Bright		Indiana		Democratic	June 11, 1856 – January 6, 1857
	James M. Mason	Virginia			Democratic	January 6 – March 3, 1857
	March 4, 1857
	data-sort-value="Rusk, ThomasJefferson"	Thomas J. Rusk		Texas		Democratic	March 14 – July 29, 1857
	Benjamin Fitzpatrick	Alabama			Democratic	December 7–20, 1857
	March 29 – May 2, 1858
	June 14 – December 5, 1858
	January 19, 1859
	January 25 – February 9, 1859
	March 9 – December 4, 1859
	nowrap			December 19, 1859 – January 15, 1860
	February 20–26, 1860
	data-sort-value="Bright, JesseDc"	Jesse D. Bright		Indiana		Democratic	June 12 – June 26, 1860
	data-sort-value="Fitzpatrick, Benjaminb"	Benjamin Fitzpatrick		Alabama		Democratic	June 26 – December 2, 1860
	Solomon Foot	Vermont			Republican	February 16–17, 1861
	March 23 – July 3, 1861
	July 18 – December 1, 1861
	January 15, 1862
	March 31 – May 21, 1862
	June 19 – December 12, 1862
	February 18 – March 3, 1863
	March 4 – December 6, 1863
	December 18–20, 1863
	February 23, 1864
	March 11–13, 1864
	April 11–13, 1864
	Daniel Clark	New Hampshire			Republican	April 26, 1864 – January 4, 1865
	February 9–19, 1865
	data-sort-value="Foster, LafayetteS"	Lafayette S. Foster	Connecticut		Republican	March 7, 1865 – March 2, 1867
	Benjamin F. Wade	Ohio		Republican	March 2–3, 1867
	March 4, 1867 – March 3, 1869
	Henry B. Anthony	Rhode Island		Republican	March 23–28, 1869
	April 9 – December 5, 1869
	May 28 – June 2, 1870
	July 1–5, 1870
	July 14 – December 4, 1870
	March 10–12, 1871
	April 17 – May 9, 1871
	May 23 – December 3, 1871
	December 21, 1871 – January 7, 1872
	February 23–25, 1872
	June 8 – December 1, 1872
	December 4–8, 1872
	December 13–15, 1872
	December 20, 1872 – January 5, 1873
	January 24, 1873
	Matthew H. Carpenter	Wisconsin		Republican	March 12–13, 1873
	March 26 – November 30, 1873
	December 11, 1873 – December 6, 1874
	December 23, 1874 – January 4, 1875
	Henry B. Anthony	Rhode Island		Republican	January 25–31, 1875
	February 15–17, 1875
	Thomas W. Ferry	Michigan		Republican	March 9–10, 1875
	March 19 – December 20, 1875
	December 20, 1875 – March 4, 1877
	March 5, 1877
	February 26 – March 3, 1878
	April 17 – December 1, 1878
	March 3–17, 1879
	Allen G. Thurman	Ohio		Democratic	April 15 – November 30, 1879
	April 7–14, 1880
	May 6 – December 5, 1880
	data-sort-value="Bayard, ThomasF"	Thomas F. Bayard, Sr.	Delaware		Democratic	October 10–13, 1881
	data-sort-value="Davis, David"	David Davis	Illinois		Independent	October 13, 1881 – March 3, 1883
	George F. Edmunds	Vermont		Republican	March 3 – December 2, 1883
	December 3, 1883 – January 14, 1884
	January 14, 1884 – March 3, 1885
	data-sort-value="Sherman, John"	John Sherman	Ohio		Republican	December 7, 1885 – February 26, 1887
	John James Ingalls	Kansas		Republican	February 26 – December 4, 1887
	December 5, 1887 – March 3, 1889
	March 7–17, 1889
	April 2 – December 1, 1889
	December 5–10, 1889
	February 28 – March 18, 1890
	April 3, 1890 – March 2, 1891
	Charles F. Manderson	Nebraska			Republican	March 2 – December 6, 1891
	December 7, 1891 – March 3, 1893
	March 4–22, 1893
	data-sort-value="Harris, IshamGa"	Isham G. Harris		Tennessee		Democratic	March 22, 1893 – January 7, 1895
	data-sort-value="Ransom, MattWhitaker"	Matt W. Ransom		North Carolina		Democratic	January 7–10, 1895
	data-sort-value="Hafrris, IshamGb"	Isham G. Harris		Tennessee		Democratic	January 10 – March 3, 1895
	William P. Frye	Maine		Republican	February 7, 1896 – March 3, 1897
	March 4, 1897 – December 3, 1899
	December 4, 1899 – March 3, 1901
	March 7, 1901 – March 4, 1903
	March 5, 1903 – March 3, 1905
	March 4, 1905 – March 3, 1907
	December 5, 1907 – March 3, 1909
	March 4, 1909 – April 3, 1911
	April 4–27, 1911
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	August 14, 1911
	data-sort-value="Curtis, Charles"	Charles Curtis		Kansas		Republican	December 4–12, 1911
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	January 15–17, 1912
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	February 12–14, 1912
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	March 11–12, 1912
	data-sort-value="Brandegee, FrankB"	Frank B. Brandegee		Connecticut		Republican	March 25–26, 1912
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugusgtusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	April 8, 1912
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	April 26–27, 1912; May 7, 1912
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	May 10, 1912
	data-sort-value="Lodge, HenryCabot"	Henry Cabot Lodge		Massachusetts		Republican	May 25, 1912
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	May 30 – June 3, 1912; June 13 – July 5, 1912
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	July 6–31, 1912
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	August 1–10, 1912
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	August 12–26, 1912
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	August 27 – December 15, 1912
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	December 16, 1912, and January 4, 1913
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	January 5–18, 1913
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	January 19 – February 1, 1913
	data-sort-value="Bacon, AugustusO"	Augustus O. Bacon		Georgia		Democratic	February 2–15, 1913
	data-sort-value="Gallinger, JacobH"	Jacob H. Gallinger		New Hampshire		Republican	February 16 – March 3, 1913
	James Paul Clarke	Arkansas		Democratic	March 13, 1913 – March 3, 1915
	December 6, 1915 – October 1, 1916
	Willard Saulsbury Jr.	Delaware			Democratic	December 14, 1916 – March 4, 1917
	March 5, 1917 – March 3, 1919
	Albert B. Cummins	Iowa		Republican	May 19, 1919 – March 3, 1921
	March 7, 1921 – December 2, 1923
	December 3, 1923 – March 3, 1925
	March 4–6, 1925
	George H. Moses	New Hampshire			Republican	March 6, 1925 – March 4, 1927
	December 15, 1927 – March 3, 1929
	March 4, 1929 – December 6, 1931
	December 7, 1931 – March 3, 1933
	Key Pittman	Nevada		Democratic	March 9, 1933 – January 2, 1935
	January 7, 1935 – January 4, 1937
	January 5, 1937 – January 2, 1939
	January 3, 1939 – November 10, 1940
	data-sort-value="King, WilliamH"	William H. King		Utah		Democratic	November 19, 1940 – January 3, 1941
	data-sort-value="Harrison, Pat"	Pat Harrison	Mississippi		Democratic	January 6 – June 22, 1941
	Carter Glass	Virginia		Democratic	July 10, 1941 – January 5, 1943
	January 14, 1943 – January 2, 1945
	data-sort-value="McKellar, Kennetha"	Kenneth McKellar	Tennessee		Democratic	January 6, 1945 – January 2, 1947
	data-sort-value="Vandenberg, ArthurH"	Arthur H. Vandenberg	Michigan		Republican	January 4, 1947 – January 2, 1949
	Kenneth McKellar	Tennessee		Democratic	January 3, 1949 – January 2, 1951
	January 3, 1951 – January 2, 1953
	data-sort-value="Bridges, Styles"	Styles Bridges	New Hampshire		Republican	January 3, 1953 – January 4, 1955
	data-sort-value="George, WalterF"	Walter F. George	Georgia		Democratic	January 5, 1955 – January 2, 1957
	Carl Hayden	Arizona		Democratic	January 3, 1957 – January 6, 1959
	January 7, 1959 – January 2, 1961
	January 3, 1961 – January 8, 1963
	January 9, 1963 – January 3, 1965
	January 4, 1965 – January 9, 1967
	January 10, 1967 – January 2, 1969
	Richard Russell Jr.	Georgia		Democratic	January 3, 1969 – January 3, 1971
	January 3, 1971 – January 21, 1971
	data-sort-value="Ellender, AllenJ"	Allen J. Ellender		Louisiana		Democratic	January 22, 1971 – July 27, 1972
	James Eastland	Mississippi			Democratic	July 28, 1972 – January 2, 1973
	January 3, 1973 – January 13, 1975
	January 14, 1975 – January 3, 1977
	January 4, 1977 – December 27, 1978
	data-sort-value="Magnuson, Warrena"	Warren Magnuson	Washington		Democratic	January 15, 1979 – December 4, 1980
	data-sort-value="Young, Milton"	Milton Young	North Dakota		Republican	December 5, 1980
	data-sort-value="Magnuson, Warrenb"	Warren Magnuson	Washington		Democratic	December 6, 1980 – January 4, 1981
	Strom Thurmond	South Carolina		Republican	January 5, 1981 – January 2, 1983
	January 3, 1983 – January 2, 1985
	January 3, 1985 – January 5, 1987
	data-sort-value="Stennis, JohnC"	John C. Stennis	Mississippi		Democratic	January 6, 1987 – January 3, 1989
	Robert Byrd	West Virginia		Democratic	January 3, 1989 – January 2, 1991
	January 3, 1991 – January 4, 1993
	January 5, 1993 – January 3, 1995
	Strom Thurmond	South Carolina		Republican	January 4, 1995 – January 6, 1997
	January 7, 1997 – January 6, 1999
	January 7, 1999 – January 3, 2001
	data-sort-value="Byrd, Robertb"	Robert Byrd	West Virginia		Democratic	January 3–20, 2001
	data-sort-value="Thurmond, Stromc"	Strom Thurmond	South Carolina		Republican	January 20 – June 6, 2001
	data-sort-value="Byrd, Robertc"	Robert Byrd	West Virginia		Democratic	June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
	Ted Stevens	Alaska		Republican	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2005
	January 3, 2005 – January 4, 2007
	Robert Byrd	West Virginia		Democratic	January 4, 2007 – January 3, 2009
	January 3, 2009 – June 28, 2010
	Daniel Inouye	Hawaii			Democratic	June 28, 2010 – January 5, 2011
	January 5, 2011 – December 17, 2012
	Patrick Leahy	Vermont			Democratic	December 17, 2012 – January 3, 2013
	January 3, 2013 – January 3, 2015
	Orrin Hatch	Utah		Republican	January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017
	January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019
	Chuck Grassley	Iowa		Republican	January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2021
	January 3, 2021 – January 20, 2021
	data-sort-value="Leahy, Patrick"	Patrick Leahy		Vermont		Democratic	January 20, 2021 – January 3, 2023
	data-sort-value="Murray, Patty"	Patty Murray	Washington		Democratic	January 3, 2023 – present

Notes

President pro tempore emeritus

In 2001, the honorary title of president pro tempore emeritus was created. It has subsequently been bestowed upon a senator of the minority party who has previously served as president pro tempore.^[3]

Portrait	Name	State	Party		Term	Congress
	Strom Thurmond	South Carolina		Republican	June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003
	Robert Byrd	West Virginia		Democratic	January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007
	Ted Stevens	Alaska		Republican	January 3, 2007 – January 3, 2009
	Patrick Leahy	Vermont		Democratic	January 3, 2015 – January 20, 2021
	Chuck Grassley	Iowa		Republican	January 20, 2021 – present

See also

• Dean of the United States Senate
• History of the United States Senate
• Seniority in the United States Senate
• List of current presidents of legislatures, presiding officers of legislative assemblies worldwide

Notes and References

1. Web site: Gill . Kathy . US Senate Organization . About.com . The New York Times Company . October 19, 2009.
2. Web site: Steve . Mount . Constitutional Topic: Presidential Line of Succession . USConstitution.net . Steve Mount . October 19, 2009 .
3. Davis . Christopher M. . The President Pro Tempore of the Senate: History and Authority of the Office . December 20, 2012 . Congressional Research Service . February 23, 2015.