List of United States senators from Iowa explained

Iowa was admitted to the Union on December 28, 1846, and elects United States senators to class 2 and class 3. The state's current U.S. senators are Republicans Chuck Grassley (serving since 1981) and Joni Ernst (serving since 2015). Chuck Grassley is Iowa's longest-serving senator (since 1981).

List of senators

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2 colspan=3 | Vacant| rowspan=2 nowrap | Dec 28, 1846 –
Dec 7, 1848| rowspan=2 | Legislature failed to elect.| rowspan=2 | —| | rowspan=2 | —| rowspan=2 | Legislature failed to elect.| rowspan=2 nowrap | Dec 28, 1846 –
Dec 7, 1848| rowspan=2 colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=9 | 1| rowspan=9 align=left |
George W. Jones| rowspan=9 | Democratic| rowspan=9 nowrap | Dec 7, 1848 –
Mar 3, 1859| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1848.| rowspan=3 | 1| 1| Elected in 1848.| rowspan=4 nowrap | Dec 7, 1848 –
Feb 22, 1855| rowspan=4 | Democratic| rowspan=4 align=right |
Augustus C. Dodge! rowspan=4 | 1

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=4 | 2| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1849.Resigned to become U.S. Minister to Spain, having lost re-election.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=6 | Re-elected in 1852.Lost renomination.| rowspan=6 | 2| rowspan=2

|- style="height:2em"|  | nowrap | Feb 22, 1855 –
Mar 3, 1855| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | rowspan=5 | 3| Elected in 1855.Elected invalidated, as the Iowa Senate had not participated in it.| nowrap | Mar 4, 1855 –
Jan 5, 1857| | Free Soil| align=right |
James Harlan! rowspan=8 | 2

|- style="height:2em"|  | nowrap | Jan 5, 1857 –
Jan 29, 1857| colspan=2 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected to finish his vacant term.| rowspan=6 nowrap | Jan 29, 1857 –
May 15, 1865| rowspan=6 | Republican| rowspan=6 align=right |
James Harlan

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=8 | 2| rowspan=8 align=left |
James W. Grimes| rowspan=8 | Republican| rowspan=8 nowrap | Mar 4, 1859 –
Dec 6, 1869| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1858.| rowspan=3 | 3|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=5 | 4| rowspan=3 |Re-elected in 1860.Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=5 | Re-elected in 1864.Resigned due to ill health.| rowspan=7 | 4| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"|  | nowrap | May 15, 1865 –
Jan 13, 1866| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| Elected to finish Harlan's term.^[1] Lost nomination for the next term.| nowrap | Jan 13, 1866 –
Mar 3, 1867| | Republican| align=right |
Samuel J. Kirkwood! 3

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=5 | 5| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1866.^[2] Lost re-election.| rowspan=5 nowrap | Mar 4, 1867 –
Mar 3, 1873| rowspan=5 | Republican| rowspan=5 align=right |
James Harlan! rowspan=5 | 4

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"| colspan=3 | Vacant| nowrap | Dec 6, 1869 –
Jan 18, 1870|  

|- style="height:2em"! 3| align=left |
James B. Howell| | Republican| nowrap | Jan 18, 1870 –
Mar 3, 1871| Elected to finish Grimes's term.Retired.

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 4| rowspan=3 align=left |
George G. Wright| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1871 –
Mar 3, 1877| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1870.Retired.| rowspan=3 | 5|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 6| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1872.| rowspan=21 nowrap | Mar 4, 1873 –
Aug 4, 1908| rowspan=21 | Republican| rowspan=21 align=right |
William B. Allison! rowspan=21 | 5

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 5| rowspan=3 align=left |
Samuel J. Kirkwood| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1877 –
Mar 7, 1881| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1876 or 1877.Resigned to become U.S. Secretary of the Interior.| rowspan=4 | 6|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=4 | 7| rowspan=4 | Re-elected in 1878.^[3]

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2

|- style="height:2em"! 6| align=left |
James W. McDill| | Republican| nowrap | Mar 8, 1881 –
Mar 3, 1883| Appointed to continue Kirkwood's term.Elected in 1882 to finish Kirkwood's term.^[4] Retired.

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=6 | 7| rowspan=6 align=left |
James F. Wilson| rowspan=6 | Republican| rowspan=6 nowrap | Mar 4, 1883 –
Mar 3, 1895| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1882.^[5] | rowspan=3 | 7|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 8| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1884.^[6]

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1888.Retired.| rowspan=3 | 8|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 9| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1890.^[7]

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 8| rowspan=3 align=left |
John H. Gear| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1895 –
Jul 14, 1900| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1894.^[8] Re-elected in 1900,^[9] but died.| rowspan=5 | 9|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=5 | 10| rowspan=5 | Re-elected in 1896.^[10]

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"| colspan=3 | Vacant| nowrap | Jul 14, 1900 –
Aug 22, 1900|  

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=8 | 9| rowspan=8 align=left |
Jonathan P. Dolliver| rowspan=8 | Republican| rowspan=8 nowrap | Aug 22, 1900 –
Oct 15, 1910| Appointed to finish Gear's term.

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Appointed to begin the vacant term.Elected in 1902 to finish the vacant term.^[11] | rowspan=3 | 10|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=5 | 11| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1902.^[12] Renominated in 1908 but died before the general election.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=4 | Re-elected in 1907.Died.| rowspan=8 | 11| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"|  | nowrap | Aug 4, 1908 –
Nov 24, 1908| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| Elected to finish Allison's term.| rowspan=16 nowrap | Nov 24, 1908 –
Jul 30, 1926| rowspan=16 | Republican| rowspan=16 align=right |
Albert B. Cummins! rowspan=16 | 6

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | rowspan=6 | 12| rowspan=6 | Re-elected in 1909.

|- style="height:2em"| colspan=3 | Vacant| nowrap | Oct 15, 1910 –
Nov 12, 1910|  

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=2 | 10| rowspan=2 align=left |
Lafayette Young| rowspan=2 | Republican| rowspan=2 nowrap | Nov 12, 1910 –
Apr 11, 1911| rowspan=2 | Appointed to continue Dolliver's term.Lost election to finish Dolliver's term.

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=6 | 11| rowspan=6 align=left |
William S. Kenyon| rowspan=6 | Republican| rowspan=6 nowrap | Apr 12, 1911 –
Feb 24, 1922| rowspan=1 | Elected to finish Dolliver's term.

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1913.| rowspan=3 | 12|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 13| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1914.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2 | Re-elected in 1918.Resigned to become Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals.| rowspan=5 | 13|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | rowspan=8 | 14| rowspan=6 | Re-elected in 1920.Lost renomination, then died.

|- style="height:2em"! 12| align=left |
Charles A. Rawson| | Republican| nowrap | Feb 24, 1922 –
Dec 1, 1922| Appointed to continue Kenyon's term.Retired when his successor was elected.

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 13| rowspan=3 align=left |
Smith W. Brookhart| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Dec 1, 1922 –
Apr 12, 1926| rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Kenyon's term.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| Re-elected in 1924.Lost election challenge.| rowspan=6 | 14| rowspan=4

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=5 | 14| rowspan=5 align=left |
Daniel F. Steck| rowspan=5 | Democratic| rowspan=5 nowrap | Apr 12, 1926 –
Mar 3, 1931| rowspan=5 | Successfully challenged his predecessor's election.Lost re-election.

|- style="height:2em"|  | nowrap | Jul 30, 1926 –
Aug 7, 1926| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| Appointed to continue Cummins's term.Elected in 1926 to finish Cummins's term.Retired.| nowrap | Aug 7, 1926 –
Mar 3, 1927| | Republican| align=right |
David W. Stewart! 7

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 15| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1926.Lost renomination and then lost re-election as an Independent.| rowspan=3 nowrap | Mar 4, 1927 –
Mar 3, 1933| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 align=right |
Smith W. Brookhart! rowspan=3 | 8

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=5 | 15| rowspan=5 align=left |
L. J. Dickinson| rowspan=5 | Republican| rowspan=5 nowrap | Mar 4, 1931 –
Jan 3, 1937| rowspan=5 | Elected in 1930.Lost re-election.| rowspan=5 | 15|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=5 | 16| rowspan=2 | Elected in 1932.Died.| rowspan=2 nowrap | Mar 4, 1933 –
Jul 16, 1936| rowspan=2 | Democratic| rowspan=2 align=right |
Louis Murphy! rowspan=2 | 9

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3

|- style="height:2em"|  | nowrap | Jul 16, 1936 –
Nov 3, 1936| colspan=3 | Vacant

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2 | Elected to finish Murphy's term.| rowspan=5 nowrap | Nov 3, 1936 –
Jan 3, 1945| rowspan=5 | Democratic| rowspan=5 align=right |
Guy Gillette! rowspan=5 | 10

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 16| rowspan=3 align=left |
Clyde L. Herring| rowspan=3 | Democratic| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1937 –
Jan 3, 1943| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1936.
Did not take seat until Jan 15, 1937 in order to remain Governor of Iowa.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 | 16|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 17| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1938.Lost re-election.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 17| rowspan=3 align=left |
George A. Wilson| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1943 –
Jan 3, 1949| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1942.
Did not take seat until Jan 14, 1943 in order to remain Governor of Iowa.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 | 17|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 18| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1944.| rowspan=12 nowrap | Jan 3, 1945 –
Jan 3, 1969| rowspan=12 | Republican| rowspan=12 align=right |
Bourke B. Hickenlooper! rowspan=12 | 11

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 18| rowspan=3 align=left |
Guy Gillette| rowspan=3 | Democratic| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1949 –
Jan 3, 1955| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1948.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 | 18|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 19| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1950.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 19| rowspan=3 align=left |
Thomas E. Martin| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1955 –
Jan 3, 1961| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1954.Retired.| rowspan=3 | 19|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 20| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1956.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=6 | 20| rowspan=6 align=left |
Jack Miller| rowspan=6 | Republican| rowspan=6 nowrap | Jan 3, 1961 –
Jan 3, 1973| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1960.| rowspan=3 | 20|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 21| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1962Retired.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1966.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 | 21|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 22| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1968.Retired.| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1969 –
Jan 3, 1975| rowspan=3 | Democratic| rowspan=3 align=right |
Harold Hughes! rowspan=3 | 12

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 21| rowspan=3 align=left |
Dick Clark| rowspan=3 | Democratic| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1973 –
Jan 3, 1979| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1972.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 | 22|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 23| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1974.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1975 –
Jan 3, 1981| rowspan=3 | Democratic| rowspan=3 align=right |
John Culver! rowspan=3 | 13

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=3 | 22| rowspan=3 align=left |
Roger Jepsen| rowspan=3 | Republican| rowspan=3 nowrap | Jan 3, 1979 –
Jan 3, 1985| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1978.Lost re-election.| rowspan=3 | 23|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 24| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1980.| rowspan=24 nowrap | Jan 3, 1981 –
present| rowspan=24 | Republican| rowspan=24 align=right |
Chuck Grassley! rowspan=24 | 14

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=15 | 23| rowspan=15 align=left |
Tom Harkin| rowspan=15 | Democratic| rowspan=15 nowrap | Jan 3, 1985 –
Jan 3, 2015| rowspan=3 | Elected in 1984.| rowspan=3 | 24|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 25| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1986.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1990.| rowspan=3 | 25|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 26| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1992.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1996.| rowspan=3 | 26|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 27| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 1998.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2002.| rowspan=3 | 27|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 28| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2004.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2008Retired.| rowspan=3 | 28|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 29| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2010.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"! rowspan=6 | 24| rowspan=6 align=left |
Joni Ernst| rowspan=6 | Republican| rowspan=6 nowrap | Jan 3, 2015 –
present| rowspan=3 | Elected in 2014.| rowspan=3 | 29|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3 | 30| rowspan=3 | Re-elected in 2016.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=3 |Re-elected in 2020.| rowspan=3 | 30|

|- style="height:2em"| | rowspan=3|31| rowspan=3| Re-elected in 2022.

|- style="height:2em"|

|- style="height:2em"| rowspan=2 colspan=5 | To be determined in the 2026 election.| rowspan=2 | 31|

|- style="height:2em"| | 32| colspan=5 | To be determined in the 2028 election.

See also

• List of United States representatives from Iowa
• United States congressional delegations from Iowa
• Elections in Iowa

References

• Book: Byrd, Robert C. . Robert Byrd. Wendy . Wolff. The Senate, 1789-1989: Historical Statistics, 1789-1992. volume 4 Bicentennial. United States Senate Historical Office. Washington, D.C.. U.S. Government Printing Office. October 1, 1993. 9780160632563 . .
• Web site: Clark . Dan Elbert. History of Senatorial Elections in Iowa. Iowa City, Iowa. 1913. .

Notes and References

1. Clark, p. 141: Kirkwood 118 votes, John Thompson Stoneman (Democratic) 20
2. Clark, p. 141: Harlan 118 votes, Henry Hoffman Trimble (Democratic) 20
3. Clark, p. 185: Allison 104 votes, Daniel F. Miller 35 votes, E. N. Gates 3 votes.
4. Clark, p. 199: Moses M. Ham and Daniel Campbell lost.
5. Clark, p. 199: La Vega G. Kinne and Daniel P. Stubbs lost.
6. Clark, p. 209: Allison 90 votes, Benton J. Hall 48 votes, D. M. Clark 10 votes, La Vega G. Kinne 1 vote.
7. Clark, p. 221: Allison 79 votes, Samuel L. Bestow (Democratic) 63 votes, William Larrabee 8 votes.
8. Clark, p. 234: Gear beat Democrat Horace Boies by votes unknown.
9. Clark, p. 245: Gear 111 votes, Fred E. White (Democratic) 32 votes.
10. Clark, p. 238: Allison 118 votes, Washington I. Babb (Democratic) 25 votes, Frank Q. Stuart 1 vote.
11. Clark, p. 247: Dolliver 119 votes, John J. Seerley (Democratic) 20 votes.
12. Clark, p. 247: Allison 119 votes, Edward Hankinson Thayer (Democratic) 20 votes.