United States congressional delegations from Delaware
In this article, we will delve into the fascinating topic of United States congressional delegations from Delaware, exploring its origins, evolution and relevance in today's society. Since its inception, United States congressional delegations from Delaware has played a crucial role in various aspects of everyday life, influencing everything from culture and the arts to technology and economics. Over the years, United States congressional delegations from Delaware has undergone significant changes, adapting to new paradigms and challenges that have arisen over time. Through a deep and detailed analysis, we will discover the many facets of United States congressional delegations from Delaware and its impact on the contemporary world, as well as the different perspectives that exist around this important topic.
Delaware became a U.S. state in 1787, which allowed it to send congressional delegations to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives beginning with the 1st United States Congress in 1789. Voters in each state elect two senators to serve for six years, and members of the House to two-year terms. Before 1914 United States Senators were chosen by the Delaware General Assembly and before 1935 all congressional terms began March 4.
This is a chronological listing, in timeline format, of the congressional delegations from Delaware to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.
The dates for the various Congress represent the range of dates they could have been in session, rather than the actual dates of the sessions. Congressional terms began on March 4 through 1933. Since 1935 they have begun on January 3. The juxtaposition of the terms with the sessions is approximate; see the footnotes for actual dates of special appointments, elections, resignations or deaths.
Current delegation
| Current U.S. senators from Delaware | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Delaware
|
Class I senator | Class II senator | ||
 Lisa Blunt Rochester (Junior senator) (Wilmington) |
 Chris Coons (Senior senator) (Wilmington) | |||
| Party | Democratic | Democratic | ||
| Incumbent since | January 3, 2025 | November 15, 2010 | ||
Delaware's current congressional delegation in the 119th Congress consists of its two senators and its sole representative, all of whom are Democrats.
The current dean of the Delaware's delegation is Senator Chris Coons, having served in the Senate since 2010.
| District | Member (Residence)[2] |
Party | Incumbent since | CPVI (2025)[3] |
District map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-large |  Sarah McBride (Wilmington) |
Democratic | January 3, 2025 | D+8 | 
|
United States Senate
The alternating grey and white boxes indicate the duration of the six-year Senate terms.
| Class I senator | Congress | Class II senator | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Read (PA) | 1st (1789–1791) | Richard Bassett (AA) | ||
| 2nd (1791–1793) | Richard Bassett (PA) | |||
| 3rd (1793–1795) | John Vining (PA)[a] | |||
| Henry Latimer (PA) | ||||
| Henry Latimer (F) | 4th (1795–1797) | |||
| 5th (1797–1799) | ||||
| Joshua Clayton (F)[b] | ||||
| William H. Wells (F)[c] | ||||
| 6th (1799–1801) | ||||
| Samuel White (F) | 7th (1801–1803) | |||
| 8th (1803–1805) | ||||
| 9th (1805–1807) | James A. Bayard (F) | |||
| 10th (1807–1809) | ||||
| Outerbridge Horsey (F) | 11th (1809–1811) | |||
| 12th (1811–1813) | ||||
| 13th (1813–1815) | William H. Wells (F) | |||
| 14th (1815–1817) | ||||
| 15th (1817–1819) | Nicholas Van Dyke (F) | |||
| 16th (1819–1821) | ||||
| vacant | 17th (1821–1823) | |||
| Caesar A. Rodney (DR) | ||||
| vacant | ||||
| 18th (1823–1825) | ||||
| Thomas Clayton (F) | ||||
| Thomas Clayton (NR) | 19th (1825–1827) | Daniel Rodney (NR) | ||
| Louis McLane (J) | 20th (1827–1829) | Henry M. Ridgely (J) | ||
| Arnold Naudain (NR) | 21st (1829–1831) | John M. Clayton (NR) | ||
| 22nd (1831–1833) | ||||
| 23rd (1833–1835) | ||||
| Richard H. Bayard (NR) | 24th (1835–1837) | |||
| Thomas Clayton (NR) | ||||
| Richard H. Bayard (W) | 25th (1837–1839) | Thomas Clayton (W) | ||
| 26th (1839–1841) | ||||
| vacant | ||||
| Richard H. Bayard (W) | 27th (1841–1843) | |||
| 28th (1843–1845) | ||||
| John M. Clayton (W) | 29th (1845–1847) | |||
| 30th (1847–1849) | Presley Spruance (W) | |||
| John Wales (W) | 31st (1849–1851) | |||
| James A. Bayard Jr. (D) | 32nd (1851–1853) | |||
| 33rd (1853–1855) | John M. Clayton (W) | |||
| 34th (1855–1857) | Joseph P. Comegys (W) | |||
| 35th (1857–1859) | Martin W. Bates (D) | |||
| 36th (1859–1861) | Willard Saulsbury Sr. (D) | |||
| 37th (1861–1863) | ||||
| George R. Riddle (D) | 38th (1863–1865) | |||
| 39th (1865–1867) | ||||
| James A. Bayard Jr. (D) | 40th (1867–1869) | |||
| Thomas F. Bayard (D) | 41st (1869–1871) | |||
| 42nd (1871–1873) | Eli Saulsbury (D) | |||
| 43rd (1873–1875) | ||||
| 44th (1875–1877) | ||||
| 45th (1877–1879) | ||||
| 46th (1879–1881) | ||||
| 47th (1881–1883) | ||||
| 48th (1883–1885) | ||||
| George Gray (D) | 49th (1885–1887) | |||
| 50th (1887–1889) | ||||
| 51st (1889–1891) | Anthony Higgins (R) | |||
| 52nd (1891–1893) | ||||
| 53rd (1893–1895) | ||||
| 54th (1895–1897) | vacant | |||
| 55th (1897–1899) | Richard R. Kenney (D) | |||
| vacant | 56th (1899–1901) | |||
| 57th (1901–1903) | vacant | |||
| L. Heisler Ball (R) | 58th (1903–1905) | J. Frank Allee (R) | ||
| vacant | 59th (1905–1907) | |||
| Henry A. du Pont (R) | ||||
| 60th (1907–1909) | Harry A. Richardson (R) | |||
| 61st (1909–1911) | ||||
| 62nd (1911–1913) | ||||
| 63rd (1913–1915) | Willard Saulsbury Jr. (D) | |||
| 64th (1915–1917) | ||||
| Josiah O. Wolcott (D) | 65th (1917–1919) | |||
| 66th (1919–1921) | L. Heisler Ball (R) | |||
| T. Coleman du Pont (R) | 67th (1921–1923) | |||
| Thomas F. Bayard Jr. (D) | 68th (1923–1925) | |||
| 69th (1925–1927) | T. Coleman du Pont (R) | |||
| 70th (1927–1929) | ||||
| John G. Townsend Jr. (R) | 71st (1929–1931) | Daniel O. Hastings (R) | ||
| 72nd (1931–1933) | ||||
| 73rd (1933–1935) | ||||
| 74th (1935–1937) | ||||
| 75th (1937–1939) | James H. Hughes (D) | |||
| 76th (1939–1941) | ||||
| James M. Tunnell (D) | 77th (1941–1943) | |||
| 78th (1943–1945) | C. Douglass Buck (R) | |||
| 79th (1945–1947) | ||||
| John J. Williams (R) | 80th (1947–1949) | |||
| 81st (1949–1951) | J. Allen Frear Jr. (D) | |||
| 82nd (1951–1953) | ||||
| 83rd (1953–1955) | ||||
| 84th (1955–1957) | ||||
| 85th (1957–1959) | ||||
| 86th (1959–1961) | ||||
| 87th (1961–1963) | J. Caleb Boggs (R) | |||
| 88th (1963–1965) | ||||
| 89th (1965–1967) | ||||
| 90th (1967–1969) | ||||
| 91st (1969–1971) | ||||
| William Roth (R) | 92nd (1971–1973) | |||
| 93rd (1973–1975) | Joe Biden (D)[d] | |||
| 94th (1975–1977) | ||||
| 95th (1977–1979) | ||||
| 96th (1979–1981) | ||||
| 97th (1981–1983) | ||||
| 98th (1983–1985) | ||||
| 99th (1985–1987) | ||||
| 100th (1987–1989) | ||||
| 101st (1989–1991) | ||||
| 102nd (1991–1993) | ||||
| 103rd (1993–1995) | ||||
| 104th (1995–1997) | ||||
| 105th (1997–1999) | ||||
| 106th (1999–2001) | ||||
| Tom Carper (D) | 107th (2001–2003) | |||
| 108th (2003–2005) | ||||
| 109th (2005–2007) | ||||
| 110th (2007–2009) | ||||
| 111th (2009–2011) | ||||
| Ted Kaufman (D) | ||||
| Chris Coons (D) | ||||
| 112th (2011–2013) | ||||
| 113th (2013–2015) | ||||
| 114th (2015–2017) | ||||
| 115th (2017–2019) | ||||
| 116th (2019–2021) | ||||
| 117th (2021–2023) | ||||
| 118th (2023–2025) | ||||
| Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) | 119th (2025–2027) | |||
United States House of Representatives
In Delaware all representatives have been elected statewide at-large, rather than by district. Delaware has always had one seat apportioned to it, except for the 13th through 17th Congresses (1813–1823), when it was apportioned two seats per 1810 census.
| Congress | At-large | |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (1789–1791) | John Vining (PA) | |
| 2nd (1791–1793) | ||
| 3rd (1793–1795) | John Patten (AA)[e] | |
| Henry Latimer (F)[f] | ||
| 4th (1795–1797) | John Patten (DR) | |
| 5th (1797–1799) | James A. Bayard (F) | |
| 6th (1799–1801) | ||
| 7th (1801–1803) | ||
| 8th (1803–1805) | Caesar Rodney (DR) | |
| 9th (1805–1807) | James M. Broom (F)[g] | |
| 10th (1807–1809) | Nicholas Van Dyke (F)[h] | |
| 11th (1809–1811) | ||
| 12th (1811–1813) | Henry M. Ridgely (F) | |
| 13th (1813–1815) | At-large seat 2 | |
| Thomas Cooper (F) | ||
| 14th (1815–1817) | Thomas Clayton (F) | |
| 15th (1817–1819) | Louis McLane (F) | Willard Hall (DR)[i] |
| 16th (1819–1821) | ||
| 17th (1821–1823) | Caesar A. Rodney (DR)[j] | |
| Daniel Rodney (F)[k] | ||
| 18th (1823–1825) | ||
| 19th (1825–1827) | Louis McLane (J) | |
| 20th (1827–1829) | Kensey Johns Jr. (NR)[l] | |
| 21st (1829–1831) | ||
| 22nd (1831–1833) | John J. Milligan (NR) | |
| 23rd (1833–1835) | ||
| 24th (1835–1837) | ||
| 25th (1837–1839) | John J. Milligan (W) | |
| 26th (1839–1841) | Thomas Robinson Jr. (D) | |
| 27th (1841–1843) | George B. Rodney (W) | |
| 28th (1843–1845) | ||
| 29th (1845–1847) | John W. Houston (W) | |
| 30th (1847–1849) | ||
| 31st (1849–1851) | ||
| 32nd (1851–1853) | George R. Riddle (D) | |
| 33rd (1853–1855) | ||
| 34th (1855–1857) | Elisha D. Cullen (KN) | |
| 35th (1857–1859) | William G. Whiteley (D) | |
| 36th (1859–1861) | ||
| 37th (1861–1863) | George P. Fisher (U) | |
| 38th (1863–1865) | William Temple (D)[m] | |
| Nathaniel B. Smithers (U)[n] | ||
| 39th (1865–1867) | John A. Nicholson (D) | |
| 40th (1867–1869) | ||
| 41st (1869–1871) | Benjamin T. Biggs (D) | |
| 42nd (1871–1873) | ||
| 43rd (1873–1875) | James R. Lofland (R) | |
| 44th (1875–1877) | James Williams (D) | |
| 45th (1877–1879) | ||
| 46th (1879–1881) | Edward L. Martin (D) | |
| 47th (1881–1883) | ||
| 48th (1883–1885) | Charles B. Lore (D) | |
| 49th (1885–1887) | ||
| 50th (1887–1889) | John B. Penington (D) | |
| 51st (1889–1891) | ||
| 52nd (1891–1893) | John W. Causey (D) | |
| 53rd (1893–1895) | ||
| 54th (1895–1897) | Jonathan S. Willis (R) | |
| 55th (1897–1899) | L. Irving Handy (D) | |
| 56th (1899–1901) | John H. Hoffecker (R)[o] | |
| Walter O. Hoffecker (R)[p] | ||
| 57th (1901–1903) | L. Heisler Ball (R)[q] | |
| 58th (1903–1905) | Henry A. Houston (D) | |
| 59th (1905–1907) | Hiram R. Burton (R) | |
| 60th (1907–1909) | ||
| 61st (1909–1911) | William H. Heald (R) | |
| 62nd (1911–1913) | ||
| 63rd (1913–1915) | Franklin Brockson (D) | |
| 64th (1915–1917) | Thomas W. Miller (R) | |
| 65th (1917–1919) | Albert F. Polk (D) | |
| 66th (1919–1921) | Caleb R. Layton (R) | |
| 67th (1921–1923) | ||
| 68th (1923–1925) | William H. Boyce (D) | |
| 69th (1925–1927) | Robert G. Houston (R) | |
| 70th (1927–1929) | ||
| 71st (1929–1931) | ||
| 72nd (1931–1933) | ||
| 73rd (1933–1935) | Wilbur L. Adams (D) | |
| 74th (1935–1937) | J. George Stewart (R) | |
| 75th (1937–1939) | William F. Allen (D) | |
| 76th (1939–1941) | George S. Williams (R) | |
| 77th (1941–1943) | Philip A. Traynor (D) | |
| 78th (1943–1945) | Earle D. Willey (R) | |
| 79th (1945–1947) | Philip A. Traynor (D) | |
| 80th (1947–1949) | J. Caleb Boggs (R) | |
| 81st (1949–1951) | ||
| 82nd (1951–1953) | ||
| 83rd (1953–1955) | Herbert Warburton (R) | |
| 84th (1955–1957) | Harris McDowell (D) | |
| 85th (1957–1959) | Hal Haskell (R) | |
| 86th (1959–1961) | Harris McDowell (D) | |
| 87th (1961–1963) | ||
| 88th (1963–1965) | ||
| 89th (1965–1967) | ||
| 90th (1967–1969) | William Roth (R)[r] | |
| 91st (1969–1971) | ||
| 92nd (1971–1973) | Pete du Pont (R) | |
| 93rd (1973–1975) | ||
| 94th (1975–1977) | ||
| 95th (1977–1979) | Thomas Evans (R) | |
| 96th (1979–1981) | ||
| 97th (1981–1983) | ||
| 98th (1983–1985) | Tom Carper (D) | |
| 99th (1985–1987) | ||
| 100th (1987–1989) | ||
| 101st (1989–1991) | ||
| 102nd (1991–1993) | ||
| 103rd (1993–1995) | Mike Castle (R) | |
| 104th (1995–1997) | ||
| 105th (1997–1999) | ||
| 106th (1999–2001) | ||
| 107th (2001–2003) | ||
| 108th (2003–2005) | ||
| 109th (2005–2007) | ||
| 110th (2007–2009) | ||
| 111th (2009–2011) | ||
| 112th (2011–2013) | John Carney (D) | |
| 113th (2013–2015) | ||
| 114th (2015–2017) | ||
| 115th (2017–2019) | Lisa Blunt Rochester (D) | |
| 116th (2019–2021) | ||
| 117th (2021–2023) | ||
| 118th (2023–2025) | ||
| 119th (2025–2027) | Sarah McBride (D) |
Key
| Anti-Administration (AA) |
| Democratic (D) |
| Democratic-Republican (DR) |
| Federalist (F) Pro-Administration (PA) |
| Jacksonian (J) |
| Know Nothing (KN) |
| National Republican (NR) |
| Republican (R) |
| Union (U) |
| Whig (W) |
See also
- List of United States congressional districts
- Delaware's congressional districts
- Political party strength in Delaware
Notes
- ^ Resigned January 19, 1798.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy left by Vining's resignation, died August 11, 1798.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy left by Clayton's death.
- ^ Resigned upon being elected Vice-President.
- ^ Contested election, served until February 14, 1794, when a successor was selected.
- ^ Successfully contested election of John Patten, seated February 14, 1794; resigned February 7, 1795, to become U.S. Senator.
- ^ Resigned October 6, 1807, before Tenth Congress assembled.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of James M. Broom, seated December 2, 1807.
- ^ Resigned January 22, 1821.
- ^ Resigned January 24, 1822, to become U.S. Senator.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Caesar A. Rodney, seated December 2, 1822.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy caused by the resignation of Louis McLane in the preceding Congress, seated December 3, 1827.
- ^ Died May 28, 1863, before Congress assembled.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of William Temple, seated December 7, 1863.
- ^ Died June 16, 1900.
- ^ Elected to fill vacancy caused by the death of John H. Hoffecker, seated December 3, 1900.
- ^ Resigned March 3, 1903, to become U.S. Senator.
- ^ Resigned December 31, 1970, to become U.S. Senator.
References
- ^ "2025 Cook PVI: State Map and List". Cook Political Report. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". clerk.house.gov. Retrieved January 6, 2022.
- ^ "2025 Cook PVI: District Map and List". Cook Political Report. April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
- Barone, Michael & Richard E. Cohen (2005). The Almanac of American Politics. Washington: National Journal Group. ISBN 0-89234-112-2.
External links
- Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress
- Delaware's Members of Congress
- Election Statistics
- Political Graveyard
