Political History of Nevada
Federal Officers
Like all states, Nevada is entitled to two United State Senators. The first two United States Senators from Nevada were chosen for short terms and their time was decided by lot. Senator Stewart drew a four-year term, while Senator Nye drew a two-year term.
Senators were chosen by the State Legislature until the election of 1914, when popular election replaced this method of selection as a result of passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. However, at the general elections in 1908, 1910, and 1912 candidates for the State Legislature were bound by a ballot measure entitled "Choice for U.S. Senator" which essentially pledged any legislative candidate to elect that senatorial candidate who received the largest number of popular votes, regardless of party affiliations.
From 1864 until 1982, the state also had only one representative in Congress. A second Congressional seat was added in 1982, based on population figures from the 1980 census.
A vacancy in the office of U.S. Senator is filled by an appointment made by the governor. A vacancy in Congress can only be filled by election.
The links below are to the online version of the Biographical Dictionary of the U.S. Congress.
| UNITED STATES SENATORS |
| NAME |
FROM |
TO |
| Nye, James W. (Rep) |
December 15, 1864 |
March 4, 1867 |
| Stewart, William M. (Rep) |
December 15, 1864 |
March 4, 1869 |
| Nye, James W. (Rep) |
March 4, 1867 |
March 4, 1873 |
| Stewart, William M. (Rep) |
March 4, 1869 |
March 4, 1875 |
| Jones, John P. (Rep) |
March 4, 1873 |
March 4, 1879 |
| Sharon, William (Rep) |
March 4, 1875 |
March 4, 1881 |
| Jones, John P. (Rep) |
March 4, 1879 |
March 4, 1885 |
| Fair, James G. (Dem) |
March 4, 1881 |
March 4, 1887 |
| Jones, John P. (Rep) |
March 4, 1885 |
March 4, 1891 |
| Stewart, William M. (S) |
March 4, 1887 |
March 4, 1893 |
| Jones, John P. (S) |
March 4, 1891 |
March 4, 1897 |
| Stewart, William M. (S) |
March 4, 1893 |
March 4, 1899 |
| Jones, John P. (S) |
March 4, 1897 |
March 4, 1903 |
| Stewart, William M. (S) |
March 4, 1899 |
March 4, 1905 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (Dem) |
March 4, 1903 |
March 4, 1909 |
| Nixon, George S. (Rep) |
March 4, 1905 |
March 4, 1911 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (Dem) |
March 4, 1909 |
March 4, 1915 |
| Nixon, George S. (Rep) |
March 4, 1911 |
Died
June 5, 1912 |
Massey, W. A. (Rep)
(Appointed to succeed Senator Nixon.) |
July 1, 1912 |
March 4, 1913 |
| Pittman, Key (Dem) |
March 4, 1913 |
March 4, 1917 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (Dem) |
March 4, 1915 |
Died
December 24, 1917 |
Henderson, Charles B. (Dem)
(Appointed to succeed Senator Newlands.) |
January 12, 1918 |
March 4, 1919 |
| Pittman, Key (Dem) |
March 4, 1917 |
March 4, 1923 |
| Henderson, Charles B. (Dem) |
March 4, 1919 |
March 4, 1921 |
| Oddie, Tasker L. (Rep) |
March 4, 1921 |
March 4, 1927 |
| Pittman, Key (Dem) |
March 4, 1923 |
March 4, 1929 |
| Oddie, Tasker L. (Rep) |
March 4, 1927 |
March 4, 1933 |
| Pittman, Key (Dem) |
March 4, 1929 |
January 3, 1935 |
| McCarran, Patrick A. (Dem) |
March 4, 1933 |
January 3, 1939 |
| Pittman, Key (Dem) |
January 3, 1935 |
Died
November 10, 1940 |
| McCarran, Patrick A. (Dem) |
January 3, 1939 |
January 3, 1945 |
Pittman, Key (Dem)--
(Reelected November 5, 1940, but died before term began.) |
|
|
Bunker, Berkeley L. (Dem)
(Resigned after losing primary election to permit newly-elected James Scrugham to gain U.S. Senate seniority. Appointed to succeed Senator Pittman to remainder of Pittman's six-year term and then reappointed for two years until next general election.) |
November 26, 1940 |
December 6, 1942 |
| Scrugham, James G. (Dem) |
December 7, 1942 |
Died
June 23, 1945 |
| McCarran, Patrick A. (Dem) |
January 3, 1945 |
January 3, 1951 |
Carville, Edward P. (Dem)
(Appointed to succeed Senator Scrugham.) |
July 24, 1945 |
January 3, 1947 |
| Malone, George W. (Rep) |
January 3, 1947 |
January 3, 1953 |
| McCarran, Patrick A. (Dem) |
January 3, 1951 |
Died
September 28, 1954 |
| Malone, George. W. (Rep) |
January 3, 1953 |
January 3, 1959 |
Brown, Ernest S. (Rep)
(Appointed to succeed Senator McCarran. Resigned after losing general election to permit newly-elected Alan Bible to gain U.S. Senate seniority.) |
October 1, 1954 |
December 1, 1954 |
Bible, Alan (Dem)
(Elected to fill unexpired term of Patrick A. McCarran, deceased.) |
December 2, 1954 |
January 3, 1957 |
| Bible, Alan (Dem) |
January 3, 1957 |
January 3, 1963 |
| Cannon, Howard W. (Dem) |
January 3, 1959 |
January 3, 1965 |
| Bible, Alan (Dem) |
January 3, 1963 |
January 3, 1969 |
| Cannon, Howard (Dem) |
January 4, 1965 |
January 4, 1971 |
Bible, Alan (Dem)
(Resigned to permit newly-elected Paul Laxalt to gain U.S. Senatorial seniority.) |
January 3, 1969 |
December 17, 1974 |
| Cannon, Howard (Dem) |
January 4, 1971 |
January 4, 1977 |
| Laxalt, Paul (Rep) |
December 18, 1974 |
January 2, 1981 |
| Cannon, Howard (Dem) |
January 4, 1977 |
January 2, 1983 |
| Laxalt, Paul (Rep) |
January 3, 1981 |
January 3, 1987 |
| Hecht, M. J. "Chic" (Rep) |
January 3, 1983 |
January 3, 1989 |
| Reid, Harry M. (Dem) |
January 6, 1987 |
|
| Bryan, Richard H. (Dem) |
January 3, 1989 |
January 3, 2001
|
| Ensign, John (Rep) |
January 3, 2001 |
|
| REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS |
| NAME |
TO |
| Worthington, Henry G.* (Rep) |
1864-65 |
| Ashley, Delos R. (Rep) |
1865-67 |
| Ashley Delos R. (Rep) |
1867-69 |
| Fitch, Thomas (Rep) |
1869-71 |
| Kendall, Charles W. (Dem) |
1871-73 |
| Kendall, Charles W. (Dem) |
1873-75 |
| Woodburn, William (Rep) |
1875-77 |
| Wren, Thomas (Rep) |
1877-79 |
| Daggett, Rollin M. (Rep) |
1879-81 |
| Cassidy, George W. (Dem) |
1881-83 |
| Cassidy, George W. (Dem) |
1883-85 |
| Woodburn, William (Rep) |
1885-87 |
| Woodburn, William (Rep) |
1887-89 |
| Bartine, Horace F. (Rep) |
1889-91 |
| Bartine, Horace F. (Rep) |
1891-93 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (S) |
1893-95 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (S) |
1895-97 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (S-0) |
1897-99 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (S-D) |
1899-1901 |
| Newlands, Francis G. (S-0) |
1901-03 |
| Van Duzer, Clarence D. (S-0) |
1903-05 |
| Van Duzer, Clarence D. (S.D) |
1905-07 |
| Bartlett, George A. (S-D) |
1907-09 |
| Bartlett, George A. (Dem) |
1909-11 |
| Roberts, Edwin E. (Rep) |
1911-13 |
| Roberts, Edwin E. (Rep) |
1913-15 |
| Roberts, Edwin E. (Rep) |
1915-17 |
| Roberts, Edwin E. (Rep) |
1917-19 |
| Evans, Charles R. (Dem) |
1919-21 |
| Arentz, Samuel S. (Rep) |
1921-23 |
| Richards, Charles L. (Dem) |
1923-25 |
| Arentz, Samuel S. (Rep) |
1925-27 |
| Arentz, Samuel S. (Rep) |
1927-29 |
| Arentz, Samuel S. (Rep) |
1929-31 |
| Arentz, Samuel S. (Rep) |
1931-33 |
| Scrugham, James G. (Dem) |
1933-35 |
| Scrugham, James G. (Dem) |
1935-37 |
| Scrugham, James G. (Dem) |
1937-39 |
| Scrugham, James G. (Dem) |
1939-41 |
| Scrugham, James G. (Dem) |
1941-43 |
| Sullivan, Maurice J. (Dem) |
1943-45 |
| Bunker, Berkeley L. (Dem) |
1945-47 |
| Russell, Charles H. (Rep) |
1947-49 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1949-51 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1951-53 |
| Young, Clarence Clifton "Cliff" (Rep) |
1953-55 |
| Young, Clarence Clifton "Cliff" (Rep) |
1955-57 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1957-59 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1959-61 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1961-63 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1963-65 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1965-67 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1967-69 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1969-71 |
| Baring, Walter S. (Dem) |
1971-73 |
| Towell, David G. (Rep) |
1973-75 |
| Santini, James (Dem) |
1975-77 |
| Santini, James (Dem) |
1977-79 |
| Santini, James (Dem) |
1979-81 |
| Santini, James (Dem) |
1981-83 ** |
| Reid, Harry M. (Dem), No. 1 |
1983-85 |
| Reid, Harry M. (Dem). No. 1 |
1985-87 |
| Bilbray, James (Dem), No. 1 |
1987-89 |
| Bilbray, James (Dem), No. 1 |
1989-91 |
| Bilbray, James (Dem), No. 1 |
1991-93 |
| Bilbray, James (Dem), No. 1 |
1993-95 |
| Ensign, John (Rep), No. 1 |
1995-99 |
| Vucanovich, Barbara F.*** (Rep), No. 2 |
1983-85 |
| Vucanovich. Barbara F. (Rep), No. 2 |
1985-87 |
| Vucanovich, Barbara F. (Rep), No. 2 |
1987-89 |
| Vucanovich, Barbara F. (Rep), No. 2 |
1989-91 |
| Vucanovich, Barbara F. (Rep), No. 2 |
1991-93 |
| Vucanovich, Barbara F. (Rep), No. 2 |
1993-95 |
| Vucanovich, Barbara F. (Rep), No. 2 |
1995-97 |
| Gibbons, James A. (Rep), No. 2 |
1997- |
| Berkley, Shelly (Dem), No. 1 |
1999- |
* Worthington was elected to fill the unexpired portion of the 38th Congress ending in March 1865. Since he served in the later months of that session he was not eligible for the 39th Session except by re-election. Republicans chose Ashley for nominee after a notable contest. From March 4, 1865, to Ashley's election. Nevada had no representative in Congress
** The 1980 census provided Nevada with an entitlement of two members of the House of Representatives.
*** First woman elected from Nevada to the House of Representatives. |
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