Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse (born October 20, 1955) is an American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States senator from Rhode Island, a seat he has held since 2007. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from 1993 to 1998, and as the 71st attorney general of Rhode Island from 1999 to 2003. He was elected to the Senate in 2006, defeating Republican incumbent Lincoln Chafee. He was reelected in 2012, 2018, and 2024. A political progressive and climate hawk, Whitehouse became chair of the United States Senate Committee on the Budget in 2023. He has given hundreds of Senate floor speeches about climate change and asserted that politically conservative "dark money" groups are conducting a campaign to take control of the U . government, specifically the U . Supreme Court, to prevent climate action, among other reasons.

Infobox

Preceded by

Lincoln Almond

Senate positions

Senate positions Ranking Member of the Senate Environment CommitteeIncumbentAssumed office January 3, 2025Preceded byShelley Moore CapitoChair of the Senate Budget CommitteeIn office January 3, 2023 – January 3, 2025Preceded byBernie SandersSucceeded byLindsey GrahamChair of the Senate Narcotics CaucusIn office February 3, 2021 – January 3, 2025Preceded byJohn CornynSucceeded byJohn Cornyn

Succeeded by

Margaret Curran

Governor

Lincoln Almond

President

Bill Clinton

Born

(1955-10-20) October 20, 1955 New York City, New York, U .

Party

Democratic

Spouse

Sandra Thornton (m. 1986)

Children

Parent(s)

Mary Rand Charles Whitehouse

Relatives

Rufus Rand (grandfather) Edwin Sheldon Whitehouse (grandfather) See the Crocker family

Education

Yale University (BA) University of Virginia (JD)

Website

Senate website Campaign website

Tables

Rhode Island gubernatorial Democratic primary results, 2002 · Electoral history

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

119,524

Candidate

100

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Myrth York	46,806	39
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse	45,880	38
	Democratic	Antonio J. Pires	26,838	22
Total votes			119,524	100

United States Senate Democratic primary results, 2006 · Electoral history

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

84,984

Candidate

100

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse	69,290	81
	Democratic	Christopher F. Young	8,939	10
	Democratic	Carl Sheeler	6,755	7
Total votes			84,984	100

United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2006 · Electoral history

Majority

Party

Majority

Party

27,093

Candidate

7 %

Votes

−8 %

Turnout

Party

Turnout

Party

384,993

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse	206,043	53 %	+12 %
	Republican	Lincoln Chafee (incumbent)	178,950	46 %	−10 %
Majority			27,093	7 %	−8 %
Turnout			384,993
	Democratic gain from Republican		Swing

United States Senate Democratic primary results, 2012 · Electoral history

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

60,223

Candidate

100

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse (incumbent)	60,223	100
Total votes			60,223	100

United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2012 · Electoral history

Total votes

Party

Total votes

Party

418,189

Candidate

100 %

Votes

N/A

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse (incumbent)	271,034	64 %	+11 %
	Republican	Barry Hinckley	146,222	34 %	−11 %
	n/a	Write-ins	933	0 %	N/A
Total votes			418,189	100 %	N/A
	Democratic hold

References

Politico
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/26/sheldon-whitehouse-budget-climate-00088574
Wall Street Journal
https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-scheme-review-yet-another-conspiracy-theory-11670281150
Business Insider
https://www.businessinsider.com/sheldon-whitehouse-fighting-to-end-dark-money-at-supreme-court-2021-11
Slate
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/09/sheldon-whitehouse-climate-change-legislation-democrats-biden-manchin-senate.html
whitehouse
https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/about/biography
American-Rails
https://www.american-rails.com/charles-crocker.html
UPI Archives
https://www.upi.com/Archives/1991/01/10/Closed-RI-credit-unions-face-ultimatum-from-state/6015663483600/
The Providence Journal
http://res.providencejournal.com/hercules/extra/2007/mob/archive_stories/19960202.html
Peter B. Lord, "3 companies found liable in lead-paint nuisance suit," The Providence Journal, February 23, 2006.
https://web.archive.org/web/20060303184724/http://www.projo.com/news/content/projo_20060223_lead23.180686c3.html
NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna25475315
"Off-duty Providence police officer shot and killed outside restaurant"
https://web.archive.org/web/20051110105449/http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/include.pl/news/young/archive/shot0128.htm
"| projo | the Providence Journal | Digital Extra | the shooting of SGT. Cornel Young Jr"
https://web.archive.org/web/20110628210056/http://www.projo.com/cgi-bin/include.pl/news/young/archive/cy0206a.htm
Mark Arsenault, "Grounded in law, Whitehouse builds his case on leadership," The Providence Journal, August 25, 2002.
http://www.projo.com/extra/election/content/projo_20020825_white25.4ac8.html
elections
https://elections.ri.gov/elections/results/2002/statewideprimary/
Former attorney general announces bid for Senate seat. Florida Today. April 5, 2005.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/florida-today-former-attorney-general-an/136827717/
Chafee trails his opponents in raising funds for Senate race. The Day. October 15, 2005.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-day-chafee-trails-his-opponents-in-r/136828247/
Klein, Rick (September 13, 2006). CHAFEE HOLDS EARLY LEAD. The Kansas City Star.
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-chafee-holds-early/136827612/
"Office of the Clerk, U . House of Representatives"
https://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/2006/2006Stat.htm#39
"2012 Election Results"
http://narragansett.patch.com/articles/2012-election-results
www
https://www.ri.gov/election/results/2018/general_election/