This table counts Senate freshmen at the beginning of each Congress. It includes appointments that occurred just before (November or December) or after (within one month) the opening of Congress. It does not include special elections not held in November. Additionally, it does not include those appointed earlier in the election year and then elected in November.
For additional information about new senators by Congress, see New Senators, 2001-present and Senators of the United States 1789-Present: A Chronological List.
| Election Year | Freshmen | Appointed | Special Elections | Political Parties | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democrats | Republicans | Other | ||||
| 2022 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 2020 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| 2018 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 2016 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 2014 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 2012 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010 | 16* | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 0 |
| 2008 | 141 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 0 |
| 2006 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 2004 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 2002 | 11* | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 0 |
| 2000 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| 1998 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1996 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| 1994 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 1992 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 0 |
| 1990 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 1988 | 11* | 1 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 1986 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 0 |
| 1984 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 1982 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1980 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 0 |
| 1978 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 0 |
| 1976 | 18* | 1 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 0 |
| 1974 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 1972 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| 1970 | 12* | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 |
| 1968 | 15* | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| 1966 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 1964 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1962 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 1960 | 8* | 3 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 1958 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
| 1956 | 11*** | 1 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 1954 | 14** | 0 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1952 | 16** | 1 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 0 |
| 1950 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| 1948 | 19** | 1 | 2 | 15 | 4 | 0 |
| 1946 | 22** | 5 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 0 |
| 1944 | 16** | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 1942 | 13** | 0 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 0 |
| 1940 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1938 | 13* | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 0 |
| 1936 | 152 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 1934 | 12* | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 1932 | 19* | 3 | 2 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| 1930 | 21*** | 2 | 6 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| 1928 | 13** | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 1926 | 143 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 0 |
| 1924 | 15* | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 0 |
| 1922 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 1 |
| 1920 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 0 |
| 1918 | 17*** | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 0 |
| 1916 | 17* | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 0 |
| 1914 | 10* | 0 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 0 |
* Including one who previously served in the Senate
1. This number includes Al Franken (D-MN), whose contested election was not decided until June 30, 2009. It does not include senators appointed after January 31, 2009.
2. This number does not include William Smathers (D-NJ), who was elected in November 1936 but did not take office until April 15, 1937.
3. This number does not include Frank Smith (R-IL) whose election and subsequent appointment were contested and who was never seated.
