"Senator Shelby" redirects here. For the United States senator from Illinois, see Shelby Moore Cullom.
Richard Shelby
Official portrait, 2011
United States Senator from Alabama
In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 2023
Preceded by
Jeremiah Denton
Succeeded by
Katie Britt
Committee chairmanships
Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In office April 10, 2018 – February 3, 2021
Preceded by
Thad Cochran
Succeeded by
Patrick Leahy
Chair of the Senate Rules Committee
In office January 3, 2017 – April 10, 2018
Preceded by
Roy Blunt
Succeeded by
Roy Blunt
Chair of the Senate Banking Committee
In office January 3, 2015 – January 3, 2017
Preceded by
Tim Johnson
Succeeded by
Mike Crapo
In office January 3, 2003 – January 3, 2007
Preceded by
Paul Sarbanes
Succeeded by
Chris Dodd
Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee
In office January 20, 2001 – June 6, 2001
Preceded by
Bob Graham
Succeeded by
Bob Graham
In office January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2001
Preceded by
Arlen Specter
Succeeded by
Bob Graham
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alabama's 7th district
In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by
Walter Flowers
Succeeded by
Claude Harris Jr.
Member of the Alabama Senate from the 16th district
In office November 4, 1970 – November 8, 1978
Preceded by
Clint Reid
Succeeded by
Ryan deGraffenried Jr.
Personal details
Born
Richard Craig Shelby
(1934-05-06) May 6, 1934 (age 90) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Political party
Republican (after 1994)
Other political affiliations
Democratic (until 1994)
Spouse
Annette Nevin
(m. 1960)
Children
2
Education
University of Alabama (BA, LLB)
Signature
Richard Shelby's voice
Shelby, as chair of the Senate Banking Committee, introduces the Senate version of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act Recorded November 4, 2003
Richard Craig Shelby (born May 6, 1934) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Alabama from 1987 to 2023. First elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986 as a Democrat who later switched to the Republican Party in 1994, he chaired the Senate Appropriations Committee from 2018 to 2021. He previously chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Senate Banking Committee, and the Senate Rules Committee. He was the longest-serving U.S. senator from Alabama, surpassing John Sparkman's record in March 2019.[1]
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Shelby received his law degree from the Birmingham School of Law in 1961. He went on to serve as city prosecutor from 1963 to 1971. During this period he worked as a U.S. magistrate for the Northern District of Alabama (1966–1970) and Special Assistant Attorney General of Alabama (1969–1971). He won a seat in the Alabama Senate in 1970. In 1978, he was elected from the 7th district to the United States House of Representatives, where he was among a group of conservative Democrats known as the boll weevils.
In 1986, Shelby won a tight race as a Democrat for the U.S. Senate. In 1994, the day after the Republican Revolution in which the GOP gained the majority in Congress midway through President Bill Clinton's first term, Shelby switched parties and became a Republican. He was reelected by a large margin in 1998, facing no significant electoral opposition thereafter. Apart from his narrow win as a Democrat in 1986, Shelby always won his Senate seat with more than 60% of the vote.
In February 2021, Shelby announced that he would not seek reelection in 2022.[2] Katie Britt, his former chief of staff, won the election to succeed him.[3] At the time of his retirement, he was the dean of Alabama's congressional delegation. Due to his party switch, Shelby is the last Democrat to have held or won election to Alabama's Class 3 Senate seat.
^Thornton, William (March 3, 2019). "Richard Shelby now Alabama's longest-serving senator". AL.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
^Chandler, Kim (February 5, 2021). "AP Sources: Alabama Senator Has Indicated He Won't Run Again". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
^Cason, Mike (November 9, 2022). "Katie Britt makes history as Alabama's 1st woman elected to U.S. Senate". al.com. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
Richard Craig Shelby (born May 6, 1934) is an American lawyer and politician who served as a United States senator from Alabama from 1987 to 2023. First...
from 2019 to 2021, and was chief of staff for her Senate predecessor, RichardShelby, from 2016 to 2018. Britt was born Katie Elizabeth Boyd on February...
Mrs. Shelby, brother of Arthur, John, Ada and Finn Shelby, and father of Charles and Ruby Shelby. He was married to Grace and later to Lizzie Shelby. He...
and various state and local elections. Incumbent Republican Senator RichardShelby won re-election to a sixth term in office. The primaries were held on...
Shelby Oaks is an upcoming American supernatural horror mystery film written, directed, and produced by Chris Stuckmann in his feature film directorial...
January 3, 2023. Six-term Republican RichardShelby was re-elected in 2016 with 64% of the vote. On February 8, 2021, Shelby announced that he would not seek...
local elections. Incumbent Republican Senator RichardShelby won re-election to a fifth term. In 1986, Shelby won the Democratic nomination for the Senate...
Steve Arnold Ted McLaughlin RichardShelby, U.S. Representative from Tuscaloosa since 1979 Margaret Stewart, writer Shelby won a very narrow victory of...
Thomas Michael Shelby OBE DCM MM MP is a fictional character and the protagonist of the British period crime drama Peaky Blinders. He is played by Irish...
elections. Incumbent Senator RichardShelby won re-election to a second term in a landslide, winning every county except Shelby. This was the last time a...
Nine races had a margin of victory under 10%: Incumbent Republican RichardShelby won re-election to a sixth term in office. The primaries were held on...
Senator RichardShelby won re-election to a fourth term. RichardShelby, incumbent U.S. Senator since 1987 Wayne Sowell, perennial candidate Shelby, who...
Senate, receiving 49.7 percent of the vote against U.S. Congressman RichardShelby, a conservative Democrat who later became a Republican. In 2007, Denton's...
Marquess of Bath, English lieutenant and politician (d. 2020) 1934 – RichardShelby, American lawyer and politician 1937 – Rubin Carter, American-Canadian...
150–213. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1992. Munson, Richard. The Cardinals of Capitol Hill; The Men and Women Who Control Government...
Senate from Alabama since Reconstruction (given that his colleague RichardShelby, who won reelection as a Republican in 1998, had previously run as a...
Alabama RichardShelby was asked if there was any truth to the rumors that Obama was not a natural-born citizen. According to the Times report, Shelby said...
Intelligence Committee In office June 6, 2001 – January 3, 2003 Preceded by RichardShelby Succeeded by Pat Roberts 38th Governor of Florida In office January...
election. Tuberville became Alabama's senior senator in 2023 when Senator RichardShelby retired. From February to December 2023, Tuberville blocked all promotions...
margin of 10.0%. Incumbent Republican RichardShelby won re-election to a fifth term. On November 9, 1994, Shelby switched his party affiliation from Democratic...
States Senate to represent the State of Alabama. Incumbent senator RichardShelby was first elected in 1986 and re-elected in 1992 as a Democrat before...
Lankan Sinhala Cabinet Minister RichardShelby (born 1934), American politician, US Senator from Alabama (1987–present) Richard Stockton (U.S. senator) (1764–1828)...
Wisconsin House No 21.8* 30 Phil Roe Republican Tennessee House No 20.2* 31 RichardShelby Republican Alabama Senate No 19.1* 32 John Yarmuth Democratic Kentucky...
due to its secession from the Union during the American Civil War. RichardShelby is Alabama's longest serving senator (served 1987–2023). Alabama's current...
Speaks Out is a non-fiction book by retired detective RichardShelby. It chronicles RichardShelby's investigation of the Original Night Stalker as he remembers...
Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Senator RichardShelby won re-election to a third term. He was first elected in 1986 and re-elected...
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