Assistant party leaders of the United States Senate

Majority Whip of the
United States Senate
Democratic Whip
Incumbent
Dick Durbin

since January 3, 2007
Style Senator
Inaugural holder J. Hamilton Lewis
Formation 1913
Minority Whip of the
United States Senate
Republican Whip
Incumbent
Jon Kyl

since December 19, 2007
Style Senator
Inaugural holder James Wadsworth, Jr.
Formation 1915

The Assistant Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate (commonly called Senate Majority and Minority Whips) are the second-ranking members of the party leadership of the United States Senate.

The main function of the Majority and Minority Whips is to gather votes on major issues. Because he or she is the second ranking member of the Senate, if there is no floor leader present, the whip may become acting floor leader.

Before 1969, the official titles were Majority Whip and Minority Whip.

The current Assistant Majority Leader is Democrat Dick Durbin of Illinois.

The current Assistant Minority Leader is Republican Jon Kyl of Arizona.

List of assistant leaders

Congresses Dates Democratic Whip Majority Republican Whip
63rd 1913 – 1915 J. Hamilton Lewis ← D Maj None
64th 1915 James Wadsworth, Jr.
64th65th 1915 – 1919 Charles Curtis
66th68th 1919 – 1924 Peter Gerry R Maj →
68th70th 1924 – 1929 Wesley Jones
71st72nd 1929 – 1933 Morris Sheppard Simeon Fess
73rd 1933 – 1935 J. Hamilton Lewis ← D Maj Felix Hebert
74th75th 1935 – 1939 None[1]
76th 1939 – 1941 Sherman Minton
77th78th 1941 – 1944 Lister Hill
78th79th 1944 – 1947 Kenneth Wherry
80th 1947 – 1949 Scott Lucas R Maj →
81st 1949 – 1951 Francis Myers ← D Maj Leverett Saltonstall
82nd 1951 – 1953 Lyndon Johnson
83rd 1953 – 1955 Earle Clements R Maj →
84th 1955 – 1957 ← D Maj
85th 1957 – 1959 Mike Mansfield Everett Dirksen
86th 1959 – 1961 Thomas Kuchel
87th88th 1961 – 1965 Hubert Humphrey
89th90th 1965 – 1969 Russell Long
91st 1969 Ted Kennedy Hugh Scott
91st September 7, 1969 – 1971 Robert Griffin
92nd94th 1971 – 1977 Robert Byrd
95th96th 1977 – 1981 Alan Cranston Ted Stevens
97th98th 1981 – 1985 R Maj →
99th 1985 – 1987 Alan Simpson
100th101st 1987 – 1991 ← D Maj
102nd103rd 1991 – 1995 Wendell Ford
104th 1995 – June 12, 1996 R Maj → Trent Lott
June 12, 1996 – 1997 Don Nickles
105th 1997 – 1999
106th 1999 – 2001 Harry Reid
107th January 3, 2001 –
January 20, 2001
← D Maj
January 20, 2001 –
June 6, 2001
R Maj →
June 6, 2001 –
January 3, 2003
← D Maj
108th 2003 – 2005 R Maj → Mitch McConnell
109th 2005 – 2007 Richard Durbin
110th January 3, 2007 –
December 18, 2007
← D Maj Trent Lott
December 19, 2007 –
January 3, 2009
Jon Kyl
111th January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011
112th January 3, 2011 – Present
Congress(es) Dates Democratic Whip Majority Republican Whip

Notes

  1. ^ No Republican whips were appointed from 1935 to 1944 since only 17 Republicans were in the Senate following the landslide reelection of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. Accordingly, the minutes of the Republican Conference for the period state: "On motion of Senator Hastings, duly seconded and carried, it was agreed that no Assistant Leader or Whip be elected but that the chairman be authorized to appoint Senators from time to time to assist him in taking charge of the interests of the minority." A note attached to the conference minutes added: "The chairman of the conference, Senator McNary, apparently appointed Senator Austin of Vermont as assistant leader in 1943 and 1944, until the conference adopted Rules of Organization." Source: Party Whips, via Senate.gov