Senators were selected by the legislatures of the states until the U.S. Constitution was amended in 1913 to require popular elections. The rules of the Democratic Party of Texas were changed in 1904 to require that all candidates for office stand before voters in the primary. Consequently, Texas’ senators faced voters in 1906, 1910 and 1912.
Following is the succession of Texas sentaors since the annexation in 1845:
(D, Democrat, and R, Republican)
Houston Succession
Sam Houston............................................................... Feb. 21, 1846–Mar. 4, 1859
John Hemphill.............................................................. Mar. 4, 1859–July 11, 1861
Louis T. Wigfall and W. S. Oldham took their seats in the Confederate Senate, Nov. 16, 1861, and served until the Confederacy collapsed. After that event, the Legislature on Aug. 21, 1866, elected David G. Burnet and Oran M. Roberts to the U.S. Senate, anticipating immediate readmission to the Union, but they were not allowed to take their seats.
Morgan C. Hamilton (R)................................................... Feb. 22, 1870–Mar. 3, 1877
Richard Coke (D)............................................................... Mar. 4, 1877–Mar. 3, 1895
Horace Chilton (D)............................................................. Mar. 3, 1895–Mar. 3, 1901
Joseph W. Bailey (D)......................................................... Mar. 3, 1901–Jan. 8, 1913
Rienzi Melville Johnston (D)............................................. Jan. 8, 1913–Feb. 3, 1913
Morris Sheppard (D) (died)............................................ Feb. 13, 1913–Apr. 9, 1941
Andrew J. Houston (D)....................................................... June 2–26, 1941
W. Lee O'Daniel (D)......................................................... Aug. 4, 1941–Jan. 3, 1949
Lyndon B. Johnson (D)...................................................... Jan. 3, 1949–Jan. 20, 1961
William A. Blakley (D)....................................................... Jan. 20, 1961–June 15, 1961
John G. Tower (R)........................................................... June 15, 1961–Jan. 21, 1985
Phil Gramm (R)............................................................... Jan. 21, 1985–Dec. 2, 2002
John Cornyn (R)............................................................... Dec. 2, 2002–present
Rusk Succession
Thomas J. Rusk (died)................................................ Feb 21, 1846–July 29, 1857
J. Pinckney Henderson (died)................................... Nov. 9, 1857–June 4, 1858
Matthias Ward (appointed interim)............................ Sept. 29, 1858–Dec. 5, 1859
Louis T. Wigfall........................................................... Dec. 5, 1859–March 23, 1861
Succession was broken by secession. See note above under “Houston Succession” on Louis T. Wigfall, W. S. Oldham, Burnet and Roberts.
James W. Flanagan (R)................................................... Feb. 22, 1870–Mar. 3, 1875
Samuel B. Maxey (D)........................................................ Mar. 3, 1875 – Mar. 3, 1887
John H. Reagan (D) (resigned)......................................... Mar. 3, 1887–June 10, 1891
Horace Chilton (D) (filled vacancy on appointment)....... Dec. 7, 1891–Mar. 30,1892
Roger Q. Mills (D)............................................................. Mar. 30, 1892–Mar. 3, 1899
Charles A. Culberson (D)................................................ Mar. 3, 1899–Mar. 4, 1923
Earle B. Mayfield (D)......................................................... Mar. 4, 1923–Mar. 4, 1929
Tom Connally (D).............................................................. Mar. 4, 1929–Jan. 3, 1953
Price Daniel (D)................................................................. Jan. 3, 1953–Jan. 15, 1957
William A. Blakley (D)....................................................... Jan. 15, 1957–Apr. 27, 1957
Ralph W. Yarborough (D).................................................. Apr. 27, 1957–Jan. 12, 1971
Lloyd Bentsen (D) (resigned when appointed U.S. Secretary of Treasury
by President Clinton)............................................................ Jan. 12, 1971–Jan. 20, 1993
Robert Krueger (D)............................................................ Jan. 20, 1993–June 14, 1993
Kay Bailey Hutchison (R)................................................ June 14, 1993–present
