List of United States senators from Connecticut Facts for Kids

Current delegation

This article is about the people who have served as United States senators from Connecticut.

A U.S. Senator is an important leader who represents their state in Washington, D.C.. Each state has two senators, no matter how big or small the state is. These senators work in the U.S. Capitol building, helping to create and vote on new laws for the entire country. They also represent the people of their state and bring their concerns to the national government.

Senators are elected by the people of their state for a six-year term. This means they serve for a long time, which helps them gain experience and work on important projects. Elections for senators happen every two years, but only about one-third of the Senate seats are up for election at a time. This helps keep the Senate stable.

Before 1914, senators were not chosen by popular vote. Instead, they were picked by the state's government, called the Connecticut General Assembly. This changed with the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave people the power to directly elect their senators. Also, before 1935, a senator's term used to start on March 4, but now it begins on January 3.

Connecticut's current U.S. senators are Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy. Both are members of the Democratic Party. Senator Blumenthal has been serving since 2011, and Senator Murphy since 2013. One of Connecticut's longest-serving senators was Chris Dodd, who served for 30 years, from 1981 to 2011.

How Senators Are Chosen
- Class 1 Senators
- Class 3 Senators
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How Senators Are Chosen

Senators are part of different "classes" for election purposes. This means that not all senators are up for election at the same time. For example, one of Connecticut's senators belongs to "Class 1," and the other belongs to "Class 3."

Class 1 Senators

Senators in Class 1 have their elections in years like 2000, 2006, 2012, and 2018. The next election for a Class 1 senator from Connecticut will be in 2024.

Class 3 Senators

Senators in Class 3 have their elections in different years, such as 2004, 2010, 2016, and 2022. The next election for a Class 3 senator from Connecticut will be in 2028. This system helps make sure there's always experienced leadership in the Senate.