Can a sitting senator run for the other seat?

[Sir Mohamed]

Just theoretically, can a sitting US senator run for the other seat of his state? If so and he or she wins, I assume said senator must resign the old seat before taking office for the other one. Would also be interesting how seniority would be treated in such a hypothetical scenario.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

I'm not certain about the constitutional/federal legality of this, but I don't see why someone wouldn't be allowed to (though I don't ever see it happening).  

I'm sure that the Senator's staff would squash the plan even before it gains any momentum.  

The first thing that came to mind with regards to seniority (even though it's not your scenario) was the 2018 Arizona Senate race with the unusual arrangement of Sinema winning the junior seat but McSally being appointed to the senior seat. 

[brucejoel99]

I'm not certain about the constitutional/federal legality of this, but I don't see why someone wouldn't be allowed to (though I don't ever see it happening).  

I'm sure that the Senator's staff would squash the plan even before it gains any momentum.  

The first thing that came to mind with regards to seniority (even though it's not your scenario) was the 2018 Arizona Senate race with the unusual arrangement of Sinema winning the junior seat but McSally being appointed to the senior seat. 

I think it's the other way around, IIRC Sinema is the senior Senator.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

I'm not certain about the constitutional/federal legality of this, but I don't see why someone wouldn't be allowed to (though I don't ever see it happening).  

I'm sure that the Senator's staff would squash the plan even before it gains any momentum.  

The first thing that came to mind with regards to seniority (even though it's not your scenario) was the 2018 Arizona Senate race with the unusual arrangement of Sinema winning the junior seat but McSally being appointed to the senior seat. 

I think it's the other way around, IIRC Sinema is the senior Senator.

If I recall correctly, they switched on account of Sinema being elected before McSally was appointed.  I remember there being some concern about McSally getting sworn-in first.

But I can barely remember my own names most mornings. 

[brucejoel99]

I'm not certain about the constitutional/federal legality of this, but I don't see why someone wouldn't be allowed to (though I don't ever see it happening).  

I'm sure that the Senator's staff would squash the plan even before it gains any momentum.  

The first thing that came to mind with regards to seniority (even though it's not your scenario) was the 2018 Arizona Senate race with the unusual arrangement of Sinema winning the junior seat but McSally being appointed to the senior seat. 

I think it's the other way around, IIRC Sinema is the senior Senator.

If I recall correctly, they switched on account of Sinema being elected before McSally was appointed.  I remember there being some concern about McSally getting sworn-in first.

But I can barely remember my own names most mornings. 

Yeah, I remember that concern, though it always seemed unfounded since they were being sworn in on the same day, which gave Sinema the edge since she'd served in the House for 6 years compared to McSally's 4.

[I’m not Stu]

Yes, but it be a very odd thing to do.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Kent Conrad decided not to run for reelection from his original Senate seat in 1992, changed his mind, ran in a conveniently-timed special election for North Dakota's other seat, and won, with no interruption in his service and I believe even retaining his seniority. He then held that seat until retiring in 2012.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Might be interesting to compile a list of people who've held both Senate seats from a state. In addition to McSally John Kyl also did. Any other examples aside from the aforementioned Kent Conrad?

[brucejoel99]

Might be interesting to compile a list of people who've held both Senate seats from a state. In addition to McSally John Kyl also did. Any other examples aside from the aforementioned Kent Conrad?

*McSally only ran for both of AZ's seats; she hasn't actually held both of them.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Might be interesting to compile a list of people who've held both Senate seats from a state. In addition to McSally John Kyl also did. Any other examples aside from the aforementioned Kent Conrad?

Barry Goldwater. He retired from Arizona's Class I seat after two terms for his presidential run in 1964, then four years later he was elected to the Class III seat to replace the retiring Carl Hayden and held it for three more terms.

David I. Walsh in the early twentieth century too. He lost reelection after one term in Massachusetts's Class II seat in 1924 only to win the Class I seat via special election two years later. He then held that seat for twenty more years before getting blanched in the 1946 midterms--by another former Class II seat Senator, Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., who'd resigned three years prior to fight in World War II.

I imagine this was also at least an occasional occurrence pre-Seventeenth Amendment when state governments could rotate Senators in and out more or less at will according to the state's domestic political contingencies.

[Boobs]

Slade Gorton R-WA not only served in both seats (1981-1987 in what is now Murray’s seat and 1989-2001 in Cantwell’s seat) but is also unique in that he is the last Republican to occupy either seat. And likely will be for the foreseeable future.

[Senator Incitatus]

America should embrace boulangisme and allow candidates to run for as many seats as they desire, regardless of geographic location. This is effectively what we have anyway given the centrality of the President in legislative elections.

[Blair]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

What about a sitting Senator deciding to run for other seat in another state? That, I believe, would require change of residency and perhaps losing a seat said Senator already occupied.

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Have we had this much hatred between two senators from the same state since Wayne Morse and Richard Neuberger?

[brucejoel99]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Tbh before Flake announced he was retiring, I considered there being a non-zero chance of this happening if/when McCain passed.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Have we had this much hatred between two senators from the same state since Wayne Morse and Richard Neuberger?

It wouldn't surprise me if Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin loathed each other. I don't know if they do, but if I read that they did, I'd be like "yeah, that checks out".

[Blair]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Have we had this much hatred between two senators from the same state since Wayne Morse and Richard Neuberger?

Yes! I forgot this almost happened in New Jersey; with Lautenberg and Torricelli-I know they hated each other (one threatened to cut the others balls off in a caucus meeting) and Lautenberg retired in 2000 & then ran in the '02 race after Torricelli dropped out after the primary.

I've actually found in both UK & US politics the strongest hatred tends to be within parties.

[brucejoel99]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Have we had this much hatred between two senators from the same state since Wayne Morse and Richard Neuberger?

It wouldn't surprise me if Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin loathed each other. I don't know if they do, but if I read that they did, I'd be like "yeah, that checks out".

On the flip side of that coin, IIRC Snowe & Collins downright hated each other too, which was a surprise given their shared "moderate" & "pragmatic" "centrism."

[An American Tail: Fubart Goes West]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

Have we had this much hatred between two senators from the same state since Wayne Morse and Richard Neuberger?

It wouldn't surprise me if Ron Johnson and Tammy Baldwin loathed each other. I don't know if they do, but if I read that they did, I'd be like "yeah, that checks out".

On the flip side of that coin, IIRC Snowe & Collins downright hated each other too, which was a surprise given their shared "moderate" & "pragmatic" "centrism."

That’s really what I was thinking of. Morse and Neuberger were both Democrats, as Snowe and Collins are both Republicans. That’s really interesting about the latter two though.

[SevenEleven]

fwiw I'm surpised it hasn't been done as a suicide/last ditch move; I'm sure there's a scenario where two sitting senators hate each other enough or hate the person getting the seat.

If you're planning on not running for re-election it might even make sense as losing would have no impact...

If Ensign had defeated Harry Reid in 1998, I could see Reid running and winning in 2000.

[TiltsAreUnderrated]

Markey might end up with a record in both seats if Warren is appointed to a Cabinet post and JPKIII wins their current primary.

[Mr. Matt]

Markey might end up with a record in both seats if Warren is appointed to a Cabinet post and JPKIII wins their current primary.

There may be a similar historical Senate pair hatred with Ohio starting with the 70s when Howard Metzenbaum was appointed to the class III seat, primaried by John Glenn, then won the class I seat. Wiki has an uncited statement about their strained working relationship.

[Fmr. Gov. NickG]

Slade Gorton R-WA not only served in both seats (1981-1987 in what is now Murray’s seat and 1989-2001 in Cantwell’s seat) but is also unique in that he is the last Republican to occupy either seat. And likely will be for the foreseeable future.

Gorton was also defeated for reelection in both seats.  I can’t think of a single other person for whom that’s true.

[𝕭𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖆 𝕸𝖎𝖓𝖔𝖑𝖆]

Slade Gorton R-WA not only served in both seats (1981-1987 in what is now Murray’s seat and 1989-2001 in Cantwell’s seat) but is also unique in that he is the last Republican to occupy either seat. And likely will be for the foreseeable future.

Gorton was also defeated for reelection in both seats.  I can’t think of a single other person for whom that’s true.

Well there's this guy called Matthew Neely (1874 - 1958) from West Virginia who wasn't properly defeated for reelection in both seats but did something even more epic:
he won the Class I seat in 1922, was defeated for reelection in 1928, ran for the Class II seat and won in 1930, resigned in 1941 to become governor, did one term, and after having rewon his Senate seat in 1948, he held it until he died. Ah, by the way he also had two different House tenures during this time frame, and he grew regretful of the governorship so quickly that he entertained the idea to resign after a year and run for his Senate seat in 1942. That's freaking crazy.