Most career popular votes in U.S. Senate elections
Dianne Feinstein has drawn more votes in U.S. Senate elections than anyone: 34,725,660 across a Senate record of 6–0. Barbara Boxer (21,757,692) and Charles E. Schumer (18,911,279) follow. Counting Senate races only separates a long Senate career from a presidential one, which the combined career list cannot.
Looking for who is in office right now rather than the all-time record? See Most career popular votes of all time.
Which senator has won the most votes?
Dianne Feinstein, with 34,725,660 popular votes across their U.S. Senate elections (Senate record 6–0). Only Senate races count here, so presidential and House runs are excluded.
Why is this different from the career popular-vote leaders?
The career list adds up every office — a presidential run alone can bring in tens of millions of votes, which swamps a Senate career. This page counts Senate elections only, so it measures Senate careers against each other.
Do big states dominate the list?
Yes, and unavoidably so: a statewide race in California or Texas casts several times the votes of one in Wyoming, so the leaders are senators from large states who served many terms.
| # | Politician | Career Senate votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dianne FeinsteinD California | 34,725,6606–0 record |
| 2 | Barbara BoxerD California | 21,757,6924–0 record |
| 3 | Charles E. SchumerD New York | 18,911,2795–0 record |
| 4 | Adam B. SchiffD California | 17,873,3032–0 record |
| 5 | Kirsten E. GillibrandD New York | 16,415,1624–0 record |
| 6 | Alan CranstonD California | 15,724,2824–0 record |
| 7 | John CornynR Texas | 15,658,2264–0 record |
| 8 | Ted CruzR Texas | 14,691,4313–0 record |
| 9 | Bill NelsonD Florida | 14,492,9583–1 record |
| 10 | Edward M. KennedyD Massachusetts | 13,405,6889–0 record |
| 11 | Daniel Patrick MoynihanL New York | 13,349,9304–0 record |
| 12 | Richard J. DurbinD Illinois | 13,312,2055–0 record |
| 13 | Jacob K. JavitsL New York | 13,270,8544–1 record |
| 14 | Alex PadillaD California | 13,180,9292–0 record |
| 15 | Robert F. WagnerD New York | 12,911,1324–1 record |
| 16 | Steve GarveyR California | 12,517,2310–2 record |
| 17 | Carl LevinD Michigan | 12,002,5156–0 record |
| 18 | Marco RubioR Florida | 11,955,7813–0 record |
| 19 | Robert P. Casey Jr.D Pennsylvania | 11,576,2083–1 record |
| 20 | Arlen SpecterR Pennsylvania | 11,234,3265–0 record |
| 21 | Alfonse M. D'AmatoR New York | 10,303,8313–1 record |
| 22 | Rick ScottR Florida | 10,077,2112–0 record |
| 23 | Sherrod BrownD Ohio | 10,026,9313–1 record |
| 24 | Kay Bailey HutchisonR Texas | 9,344,9613–0 record |
| 25 | Pete WilsonR California | 9,165,9742–0 record |
| 26 | Debbie StabenowD Michigan | 9,163,5344–0 record |
| 27 | John GlennD Ohio | 9,095,0834–0 record |
| 28 | Patty MurrayD Washington | 8,821,6016–0 record |
| 29 | Everett M. DirksenR Illinois | 8,579,4854–0 record |
| 30 | Phil GrammR Texas | 8,441,3853–0 record |
| 31 | Mark P. MeuserR California | 8,434,4790–2 record |
| 32 | Connie MackR Florida | 8,404,5382–1 record |
| 33 | Lloyd BentsenD Texas | 8,362,0544–0 record |
| 34 | Maria CantwellD Washington | 8,295,5305–0 record |
| 35 | Mike DeWineR Ohio | 8,291,4052–2 record |
| 36 | Thomas H. KuchelR California | 8,164,2373–0 record |
| 37 | Richard G. LugarR Indiana | 8,137,8986–1 record |
| 38 | Howard M. MetzenbaumD Ohio | 7,840,1803–1 record |
| 39 | Raphael WarnockD Georgia | 7,672,2312–2 record |
| 40 | John KerryD Massachusetts | 7,626,9475–0 record |
| 41 | Bob GrahamD Florida | 7,559,5153–0 record |
| 42 | Kamala HarrisD | 7,542,7531–0 record |
| 43 | Herbert H. LehmanD New York | 7,522,8632–1 record |
| 44 | H. John Heinz IIIR Pennsylvania | 7,420,0243–0 record |
| 45 | George VoinovichR Ohio | 7,259,1592–1 record |
| 46 | Mark R. WarnerD Virginia | 7,025,4763–1 record |
| 47 | John V TunneyD California | 6,999,4201–1 record |
| 48 | James L. BuckleyR New York | 6,846,1091–3 record |
| 49 | Frank R. LautenbergD New Jersey | 6,840,3525–0 record |
| 50 | James J. DavisR Pennsylvania | 6,765,6103–1 record |
| 51 | Hillary ClintonD New York | 6,755,7382–0 record |
| 52 | Joseph S. ClarkD Pennsylvania | 6,624,6862–1 record |
| 53 | George MurphyR California | 6,506,1691–1 record |
| 54 | Amy KlobucharD Minnesota | 6,492,0594–0 record |
| 55 | Paul H. DouglasD Illinois | 6,483,0353–0 record |
| 56 | Hiram JohnsonP | 6,472,9575–0 record |
| 57 | Irving M. IvesR New York | 6,413,2992–0 record |
| 58 | Hugh ScottR Pennsylvania | 6,346,5503–0 record |
| 59 | Tim KaineD Virginia | 6,337,5523–0 record |
| 60 | Charles E. GrassleyR Iowa | 6,184,0338–0 record |
| 61 | Barbara A. MikulskiD Maryland | 6,065,4305–1 record |
| 62 | David A. PerdueR Georgia | 6,034,6841–2 record |
| 63 | Richard C. ShelbyR Alabama | 5,995,5166–0 record |
| 64 | Kenneth B. KeatingR New York | 5,946,9981–1 record |
| 65 | Adlai Stevenson IIIS Illinois | 5,941,6043–0 record |
| 66 | Rick SantorumR Pennsylvania | 5,902,4312–1 record |
| 67 | John McCainR Arizona | 5,860,0766–0 record |
| 68 | Donald W. Riegle Jr.D Michigan | 5,676,6893–0 record |
| 69 | Richard BurrR North Carolina | 5,644,8723–0 record |
| 70 | Johnny IsaksonR Georgia | 5,489,9123–0 record |
| 71 | Harrison A. Williams Jr.D New Jersey | 5,482,5614–0 record |
| 72 | William F. KnowlandR California | 5,410,5152–0 record |
| 73 | Royal S. CopelandD New York | 5,407,3173–0 record |
| 74 | Elizabeth Ann WarrenD Massachusetts | 5,371,3853–0 record |
| 75 | C. Wayland BrooksR Illinois | 5,368,8372–1 record |
| 76 | Clifford P. CaseR New Jersey | 5,368,0574–0 record |
| 77 | John William WarnerR Virginia | 5,361,8465–0 record |
| 78 | Scott W. LucasD Illinois | 5,354,8152–1 record |
| 79 | Tammy DuckworthD Illinois | 5,342,0762–0 record |
| 80 | William ProxmireD Wisconsin | 5,339,1646–0 record |
| 81 | Robert Taft Jr.R Ohio | 5,296,2371–2 record |
| 82 | Rob PortmanR Ohio | 5,287,3092–0 record |
| 83 | Charles H. PercyR Illinois | 5,175,1171–1 record |
| 84 | Kevin de LeonD California | 5,093,9420–1 record |
| 85 | Herbert H. KohlD Wisconsin | 5,043,7394–0 record |
| 86 | Colin AllredD Texas | 5,031,2490–1 record |
| 87 | Jesse HelmsR North Carolina | 5,004,3315–0 record |
| 88 | Patrick J. ToomeyR Pennsylvania | 4,980,6472–0 record |
| 89 | Henry M. JacksonD Washington | 4,962,5376–0 record |
| 90 | Philip A. HartD Michigan | 4,958,5503–0 record |
| 91 | Robert MenendezD New Jersey | 4,900,1773–0 record |
| 92 | Richard RichardsD California | 4,898,6550–2 record |
| 93 | Mary Mj HegarD Texas | 4,888,7640–1 record |
| 94 | Joseph F. GuffeyD Pennsylvania | 4,809,3282–1 record |
| 95 | Mitch McConnellR Kentucky | 4,766,6286–0 record |
| 96 | John G. TowerR Texas | 4,742,4073–1 record |
| 97 | Elizabeth EmkenR California | 4,713,8870–1 record |
| 98 | Loretta SanchezD California | 4,701,4170–1 record |
| 99 | David I. WalshD Massachusetts | 4,700,2505–2 record |
| 100 | Tammy BaldwinD Wisconsin | 4,692,7953–0 record |
How this ranking is measured
Popular votes summed across a candidate’s U.S. Senate general elections only (1914–present, the popular-vote era for the Senate). Statewide electorates differ enormously in size, so this rewards long service in populous states; it is a measure of votes drawn, not of influence. Senate special elections count. See the combined career list for every office at once.