United States Senate

The United States Senate is one of the two houses of the legislative branch of the United States government, the other being the House of Representatives. The legislative branch provide a check and balance on the powers of the executive and judicial branches of government.

The Senate has exclusive power to confirm U.S. presidential appointments, approve or reject treaties, and try cases of impeachment brought by the House. Together, the Senate and the House maintain authority under Article One of the U.S. Constitution to pass or defeat federal legislation.

President pro tempore[]

The president pro tempore is the second ranking highest official in the United States Senate. The Vice President oversees the work of the Senate and casts the deciding vote in the event of a tie, but in the absence of the Vice President, the president pro tempore presides over the business of the Senate.

The president pro tempore is traditionally the most senior member of the majority party in the Senate. They are third in line in the order of presidential succession, following the Vice President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Joseph Furman, 1999-

Party Leaders[]

The Senate Majority Leader and the Senate Minority Leader are elected by their respective conferences to serve as the chief spokespeople for their parties, manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate, and by rule, the Presiding Officer gives the Majority Leader priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate.

Unnamed Majority Leader - Bruce Weitz - (Ep. 1.19, 1.20) Vehemently opposed to campaign finance reform, he threatens to unleash an agenda of conservative legislation - including school prayer and English as America's national language - if President Bartlet names Bacon and Calhoun to the Federal Election Commission. Josh responds to an angry phone call by telling him to "take his legislative agenda and shove it up your ass." He might be the same person as Senator Moseley.
Senator Moseley (R-CO): Senate Majority Leader in early 2003, opposed to a foreign aid bill in response to a poll that came out that showed a majority of Americans wanted foreign aid cut. Later replaced by Royce some time before May-July 2003
Senator Robert Royce (R-PA) — H. Richard Greene: Senate Majority Leader (Season 5-7) Replaced Moseley in 2003. Was previously a moderate Pennsylvania Congressman. He put himself forward as a VP choice for Vinick in 2006 and considers a Presidential run for 2010, but "doesn't have a chance"
Senator Wendell Tripplehorn — Geoff Pierson: Senate Minority Leader. Liberal-leaning, mistrusts John Hoynes' moderate politics and intends to challenge Hoynes for the nomination in 2006 (Ep 4.09, 5.01, 5.03)

List of Senators[]

Democrats[]

August Adair — Robert Arce (Ep. 5.3)
Senator Aiello (Ep. 1.16)
Senator Avery (D-CA) (4.22)
Senator Bennett (D-NC) (Ep. 4.5): Does spin for Robert Ritchie during the 2002 Presidential debates.
Sarah Brainerd — Kate Burton
Calvin Bowles (D-KY): An aging moderate Democrat who wants a mobile bio lab to be put in his state, which instead went to Texas.
Senator Cambridge (Ep. 1.16)
Dave Canton (Ep. 5.14): Serves on Senate Armed Services Committee
Senator Crandell (D-CO) (4.22)
Senator Dane (Ep. 1.16)
Senator Darius
Senator Degie (D-UT) crossed off the list of potential Vice President nominees
Senator Englemann (D-NH) (Ep. 4.8): Shown as the winner on Election Night television broadcasts. Defeated Waterson (R) in 2002.
Jack Enlow (D-IL) — Robin Thomas: Ranking member of the Appropriations Subcommittee.
Senator Franco (D-IN) (2.11)
Senator Fuller (D-ME): Defeated in 2006
Senator Gianelli (Ep. 1.16)
Seth Gillette (D-ND) — Ed Begley, Jr.: Threatened to run against President Bartlet as a third-party candidate on a more left-wing platform in the 2002 Election. (Ep 2.14)
Senator Grace (2.6)
Tom Grissom (D-WA): A grandfather who agreed to assist with the Stackhouse Filibuster.
Grace Hardin (D-GA): Freshman Democratic Senator in 2003.
Senator Harris (D) - Ranking Democrat on Senate Foreign Relations (6.07)
Senator Huntington (Ep. 1.16)
Michael Jackson — Larry Brandenburg (Ep 4.04)
Ed Keenitz (D-IA) Defeated Senator Niering in 2002, was appointed Secretary of Agriculture in 2007 by Matt Santos.
Senator Kelly (Ep. 1.16)
Senator Kim (D-AR) (4.22)
Senator Kinier (D-CT) (Ep 4.22)
Senator LaGava (D-ME) (Ep 4.23)
Senator Lubin (D-MD) (Ep 4.23)
Ryan Lyndell (D-MA): Possible nominee for Vice President after the resignation of John Hoynes, but was not considered confirmable. (4.22)
Senator Marienhoff (Ep 7.06): Had Louise Thornton as campaign manager, defeated Barrett despite his own questionable business dealings
Senator Martinson (Ep. 1.16)
Senator McKenna (D-DE): Mentioned by Donna as a potential vote for foreign aid. Josh says his health is the reason he was crossed off as a potential replacement for John Hoynes. (4.12, 4.22)
Senator McKenna (D-PA) Defeated in 2006
Senator McMichael (D) (4.12)
Tony Marino (D-PA) — Mike Starr: Lost his seat in the midterm elections in 2000.
George Montgomery (D-IL)
Senator Oliom (D-MS): defeated Danquist (R) in 2002.
Roland Pierce (D-RI) — Mitchell Ryan
Senator Ramsey (2.6)
Senator Rathburn (Ep. 1.16)
Andy Ritter (D-NM) — John Rubinstein (Seasons 1–2)
Ricky Rafferty — Mel Harris (Season 6): briefly a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 2006 election. (Ep 6.16)
Senator Roanoke (2.6)
Senator Rossiter — Robert Walden: Has an ideological opposition to lawsuit against tobacco companies. Former US Attorney. On Judiciary Committee.
Lloyd Russell — John Bedford Lloyd (Ep. 1.2): A Moderate Democrat. Potential challenger to President Bartlet in the primaries in 2002. Abandons campaign before he got started. Briefly hired and dated Mandy Hampton.
Senator Sacho (D-MI)
Senator Schapp (D) (4.12)
Howard Stackhouse (D-MN) — George Coe: 78 years old in 2001. Has an autistic grandson, and staged a filibuster to secure money for autism research. Ran a liberal third-party candidacy for the Presidency in 2002 but later endorsed President Bartlet. (Ep 2-17, 4.04, 4-06)
Senator Starkey — H.M. Wynant: On the Speaker's list for suggested candidates for Vice President.
Roy Turner
Senator Villegas (D-LA) (Ep 4.23)
Senator Warren — Richard McGonagle: Has an ideological opposition to lawsuit against tobacco companies. Former US Attorney.
Senator White (D) — Helen Duffy (4.04)
Sam Whiteside (D-MD)
William Wiley (D-WA): Ran against President Bartlet in the 1998 Primary campaign
Stephen Wilson (D-MA)

Republicans[]

Senator Andrews (R-TN)
Bill Armstrong Jr. (R-CO)
Clancy Bangert (R) (4.18) attached an amendment to a foreign aid bill that prevents money from going to places where abortion is talked about.
Robert Bennett (R-AL)
Alan Broderick (R-FL) Appeared on TV, labelled as a "GOP Leader", when unveiling an $800 billion tax cut plan (Ep. 4.16)
Senator Cantina (4.12)
Senator Casey (2.6)
Senator Davies: Judge Evelyn Baker Lang says he's the "drum-banger" on partial birth. (Ep. 5.17)
Senator Drori (Ep. 5.17)
Senator Ford (R-OH) (Season 2)
Rafe Framhagen (R-FL) — Brian Dennehy. Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee and a staunch supporter of the embargo against Castro's Cuba
Steve Gaines (R-IL) (Ep. 5.12) Works with Toby on Social Security Reform
Joe Gillis (R-NH)
Newton Hacket (R) — Chairman of Senate Armed Forces. He and his wife Lena were invited to Ellie Bartlet's wedding. (7.8)
Senator Hammond (R-TN) (2.11)
James Hoebuck (R-AL) (4.12) Agrees to vote for foreign aid in turn for $115,000 to pay people to pray for strangers.
Senator Howard: described as moderate (Ep. 5.17)
Matt Hunt (R-AZ) — Philip Baker Hall Chairman of the Senate Armed Services committee. In 2004, he leads an investigation into questionable defense contracts, which concludes in one corrupt deal that involves the pilot who saved Leo McGarry's life during the Vietnam War (Ep. 5.14). Later that year, he potentially jeopardizes relations with China by defending Taiwan in a speech on the Senate floor (Ep. 6.7).
Kalmbach (R-MD) (Season 2): A prominent member of the tobacco lobby in Washington. During the 2002 Republican Primary, he is considered to be a major candidate, but ultimately loses in the primaries to Ritchie.
Senator Kogan: described as moderate (Ep. 5.17)
Max Lobell — David Huddleston (Ep. 1.21; 3.21): Chairman of the Intelligence Committee. In his own words, a "gun-toting, redneck son-of-a-bitch". A conservative Republican, he favors aggressive campaign finance reform.
Senator Malkin (R-VA) (Ep. 5.17)
Senator McNull (Ep. 5.17)
Senator Millbank (Ep. 5.17)
Senator Miner (Season 2)
Morgan Mitchell (R-PA): Defeated Tony Marino in the 2000 midterm elections. Serves on the Judiciary Committee (Ep 5.17)
Herman Morton (R) (4.12)
Senator Nearing (R) (4.12)
Senator Newberry (2.6)
Senator Ramsey (R-MN): Reelected in 2006. Won 52% compared to the Democratic Candidate Douglass' 40%.
Senator Jim Simon (R-SD)
Senator Stacy (R-TN) (Season 2)
Senator Stadler (R) (1.18)
Senator Swain (R-RI): Season 7, President-elect Matt Santos considered him for Secretary of Defense
Senator Taglio (2.6)
Senator Tellison (1.18)
Randall Thomas (R-MI) — Tom McCarthy
Arnold Vinick (R-CA) — Alan Alda: Republican candidate for President in 2006 (Seasons 6–7). Nominee for Secretary of State in Santos Administration (Season 7). Senator from 1983 to 2007, was California's Senior US Senator in 2006. Chairman of a powerful Senate Committee (either Judiciary or Finance), and also served on the Foreign Relations and Environment Committees
Senator Wachtel (1.18)
Senator Webster
Sam Wilkinson (R-KS) — Paul Collins: Added Sanctity of Marriage Act (similar to Defense of Marriage Act) to the 2006 budget, previously served on the Judiciary Committee with Hoynes (Ep 6.10)
Howard Weston (R-NV): A member of the Foreign Relations Committee who is expected to move over to Judiciary because he is hoping to be appointed Attorney General under the next Republican president. A candidate for 2002 Republican Nomination. Was considered a "serious candidate" by President Bartlet at the start of the Primary season.

Other Senators[]

Senator Breech (1.13)
Chris Carrick (Idaho) — Tom Skerritt: Switched parties and became a Republican after a run-in with Josh Lyman in 2003.
Senator Choate (4.2) — Mary-Pat Green
Senator Crossfield (1.18)
Senator Cumberland (1.18)
Senator Dashowitz (1.18)
Senator Dejoie (4.22)
Senator Dobson (1.18)
Senator Dubar (5.17)
Senator Ford (2.11)
Senator Robin Fulton
Senator Jenkins (5.21; his name appears in Josh Lyman's e-mail inbox)
Senator Larkin (1.13)
Senator Lindsay — Sarah Benoit
Senator McGowen
Senator McNamara (2.17) - a grandfather who helped with the Stackhouse Filibuster
Senator Proctor (1.18)
Senator Quartermain (1.18)
Senator Rindell (1.18)
Senator Schuler (4.2)
Senator Wirth