Sheldon Whitehouse

Sheldon Whitehouse

Democratic Party

U.S. Senate Rhode Island

Tenure

2007 - Present

Term ends

2025

Years in position

15

Prior offices

Attorney General of Rhode Island

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Compensation

Base salary

$174,000

Net worth

(2012) $5,557,098.50

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 6, 2018

Education

Bachelor's

Yale University, 1978

Law

University of Virginia School of Law, 1982

Personal

Religion

Christian: Episcopalian

Contact

Official website

Official Facebook

Official Twitter

Official Instagram

Official YouTube

Campaign Facebook

Sheldon Whitehouse (Democratic Party) is a member of the U.S. Senate from Rhode Island. He assumed office on January 3, 2007. His current term ends on January 3, 2025.

Whitehouse (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the U.S. Senate to represent Rhode Island. He won in the general election on November 6, 2018.

Whitehouse previously served as the Rhode Island attorney general from 1999 to 2003. Before that, he was a United States attorney from 1994 to 1998. He was nominated to the position by President Bill Clinton (D).

Whitehouse was a superdelegate to the 2016 Democratic National Convention from Rhode Island. He cast his vote for Hillary Clinton.

Based on analysis of multiple outside rankings, Whitehouse is an average Democratic member of Congress, meaning he will vote with the Democratic Party on the majority of bills.

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Whitehouse's academic, professional, and political career:

• 2007-Present: U.S. Senator from Rhode Island
• 1999-2003: Served as Rhode Island State Attorney General
• 1994-1998: Served as United States Attorney
• 1992-1994: Served as director, Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation
• 1982: Received his J.D. from the University of Virginia
• 1978: Graduated from Yale University

Possible 2016 SCOTUS nominee

See also: Process to fill the vacated seat of Justice Antonin Scalia

Prior to President Barack Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland, Whitehouse was mentioned as a possible nominee to replace former United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who died on February 13, 2016.

Committee assignments

U.S. Senate

2021-2022

Whitehouse was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on the Judiciary
• Subcommittee on The Constitution
• Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
• Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, Chair
• Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law
• Senate Committee on Budget
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
• Clean Air, Climate, and Nuclear Safety
• Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife
• Transportation and Infrastructure
• Committee on Finance
• Health Care
• Energy, Natural Resources, and Infrastructure
• Taxation and IRS Oversight, Chair

2019-2020

Whitehouse was assigned to the following committees:^[Source]

• Committee on the Judiciary
• Senate Committee on Budget
• Committee on Finance
• Committee on Environment and Public Works

2017-2018

At the beginning of the 115th Congress, Whitehouse was assigned to the following committees:

• Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
• United States Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control
• Committee on Aging (Special)
• Committee on the Budget
• Committee on Environment and Public Works
• Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
• Committee on the Judiciary

2015-2016

Whitehouse served on the following committees:

• Special Committee on Aging
• Budget Committee
• Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
  • Subcommittee on Transportation and Infrastructure
  • Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, Ranking Member
• Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
  • Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
  • Subcommittee on Primary Health and Retirement Security
• Judiciary Committee
  • Subcommittee on The Constitution
  • Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, Ranking Member
  • Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action
  • Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law

2013-2014

Whitehouse served on the following committees:

• Budget Committee
• Environment and Public Works Committee
  • Subcommittee on Water and Wildlife
  • Subcommittee on Oversight
  • Subcommittee on Clean Air and Nuclear Safety
• Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
  • Subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging
  • Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety
• Judiciary Committee
  • Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism Chairman
  • Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology and the Law
  • Bankruptcy and the Courts subcommittee
• United States Special Committee on Aging

2011-2012

Whitehouse served on the following committees:

• Budget
• Environment and Public Works
• Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
• Judiciary
• Aging

Key votes

See also: Key votes

Ballotpedia monitors legislation that receives a vote and highlights the ones that we consider to be key to understanding where elected officials stand on the issues. To read more about how we identify key votes, click here.

Key votes: 116th Congress, 2019-2020

Key votes: Previous sessions of Congress

Key votes (click "show" to expand or "hide" to contract)

114th Congress The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Whitehouse's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections. Economic and fiscal Trade Act of 2015 See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015 On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Whitehouse voted with 30 other Democratic senators against the bill. Trade promotion authority On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Whitehouse was one of 31 Democrats to vote against the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015. 2016 Budget proposal On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government before funding runs out on October 1, 2015. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 44 Democrats, including Whitehouse, voted against the resolution. Defense spending authorization On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison. Whitehouse voted with 41 Democrats, 48 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill. On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015. On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Whitehouse voted with 21 Democrats, two Republicans and one Independent against the bill. The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015. President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015. 2015 budget On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017. Whitehouse voted with 43 Democrats, 18 Republicans and two independents in favor of the bill. It passed the House on October 28, 2015. President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015. Foreign Affairs Iran nuclear deal See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015 On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. All 43 Democratic senators who voted, including Whitehouse, approved the bill. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42. Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Whitehouse voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42. Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Whitehouse voted with 39 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the measure of disapproval. The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42. Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran." Whitehouse voted with 42 Democrats and two Independents against proceeding to the amendment. Domestic USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Whitehouse voted with 42 Democrats, 23 Republicans and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015. Cyber security On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21. The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Whitehouse voted with 29 Democrats, 43 Republicans and one independent in favor of the bill. Immigration On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement." Whitehouse voted with 41 Democrats, one Republican and two Independents against proceeding to the bill. 113th Congress The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session. The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Whitehouse's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections. National security John Brennan CIA nomination Whitehouse voted for the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination. Economy Farm bill On February 4, 2014, the Democratic controlled Senate approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. It passed the Senate with a vote of 68-32. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. However, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Whitehouse was one of nine Democratic senators who voted against the bill. 2014 Budget On January 16, 2014, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The Senate voted 72-26 for the 1,582 page bill, with 17 Republicans and 55 Democrats voting in favor of the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency and left the Affordable Care Act without any drastic cuts. Whitehouse voted with the Democratic Party in favor of the bill. Government shutdown See also: United States budget debate, 2013 During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Whitehouse voted with the Democratic Party for the bill. No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 Whitehouse voted for H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill. Immigration Mexico-U.S. border Whitehouse voted against Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines. Social issues Violence Against Women (2013) Whitehouse voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans. Previous congressional sessions Fiscal cliff Whitehouse voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003, while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.

Issues

2016 presidential endorsement

✓ Whitehouse endorsed Hillary Clinton for the Democratic primary in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

See also: Endorsements for Hillary Clinton

Elections

2018

See also: United States Senate election in Rhode Island, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. Senate Rhode Island

Incumbent Sheldon Whitehouse defeated Robert Flanders Jr. in the general election for U.S. Senate Rhode Island on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheldon Whitehouse (D)	61.4	231,477
		Robert Flanders Jr. (R)	38.3	144,421
		Other/Write-in votes	0.2	840

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 376,738
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Raymond McKay (Independent)

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Rhode Island

Incumbent Sheldon Whitehouse defeated Patricia Fontes in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate Rhode Island on September 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Sheldon Whitehouse	76.8	89,140
		Patricia Fontes	23.2	26,947

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 116,087
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate Rhode Island

Robert Flanders Jr. defeated Roque De La Fuente in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate Rhode Island on September 12, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Robert Flanders Jr.	87.7	26,543
		Roque De La Fuente	12.3	3,722

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 30,265
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

• Robert Nardolillo (R)

2012

See also: United States Senate elections in Rhode Island, 2012

Whitehouse won re-election in 2012. He defeated B. Barrett Hinckley, III (R) and various write-in challengers in the general election.

U.S. Senate, Rhode Island General Election, 2012
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Sheldon Whitehouse Incumbent	64.8%	271,034
	Republican	B. Barrett Hinckley, III	35%	146,222
	Write-in	N/A	0.2%	933
Total Votes				418,189
Source: Rhode Island Board of Elections "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

Polls

Democratic Primary for Congress
Poll	Sheldon Whitehouse	Barry Hinckley	Not sure	Refused	Margin of Error	Sample Size
"Campaign 2012 Exclusive Poll" February 20-23	50.1%	27.8%	19.6%	2.5%	+/-4.4	511
Note: A "0%" finding means the candidate was not a part of the poll. The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org

Full history

To view the full congressional electoral history for Sheldon Whitehouse, click [show] to expand the section.
2006 On November 7, 2006, Sheldon Whitehouse won election to the United States Senate. He defeated Lincoln Chafee (R) in the general election. U.S. Senate, Rhode Island General Election, 2006 Party Candidate Vote % Votes      Democratic Sheldon Whitehouse 53.5% 206,043      Republican Lincoln Chafee incumbent 46.5% 178,950 Total Votes 384,993

Campaign themes

2018

Campaign website

Whitehouse's campaign website stated the following:

“	Protecting Social Security & Medicare Republicans have indicated that they’d like to pay off the growing deficit they created giving tax cuts to billionaires by cutting Social Security and Medicare. This issue is so important to me that I co-founded a caucus solely focused on banding together to defend Social Security. Let me be clear: I will fight with every available tool any attempt to roll back or slim down the Social Security and Medicare benefits that seniors have earned and paid for over a lifetime of hard work. Lowering Health Care Costs In the wealthiest country in the world, there is no reason why every single Rhode Islander shouldn’t be able to get high-quality health care at a price they can afford. I’m laser-focused on bringing down health care costs – especially the prices of prescription drugs – and improving the quality of care. I will continue to defend the Affordable Care Act from Republicans’ attempts to take us back to the days when people could be denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition and insurers could limit the amount of care patients receive or charge women more for the same coverage. We need to defend women’s rights to make their own family planning decisions and build on the gains of the Affordable Care Act, whether through Medicare for All or the public health insurance option I originally sponsored almost a decade ago, to get every American the health care they need. Creating Good Jobs, Rebuilding Infrastructure, & Supporting Small Businesses Building an economy that works for the middle class and creating good, family-supporting jobs are among my top priorities. While corporations post record profits, too many Rhode Islanders are struggling to make ends meet and worry about whether their children will have the same opportunities they had. I’m fighting to restore fairness to the tax code, protect unions, and make sure women are paid fairly. I have advocated on behalf of the local manufacturing industry to ensure Rhode Island employers can continue to thrive and support good-paying jobs. I’ve helped bring millions of federal dollars back to Rhode Island to create construction jobs and invest our roads, bridges, and ports. I created a fund to help communities near the ocean meet the unique challenges facing coastal infrastructure. And I’m calling for bipartisan action on a $1 trillion investment in our national infrastructure to help American companies compete in the global economy. Preventing & Treating Addiction I’ve made it my mission in the Senate to help end the opioid addiction crisis that has afflicted far too many Rhode Island families from every walk of life. The bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act I wrote with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) is the most far-reaching and effective law ever passed to address addiction in America. We’re continuing the progress we’ve made with proposals to increase support for the babies born addicted to opioids, and to hold big pharmaceutical companies accountable for the harm they’ve caused. Standing Up to Special Interests We need to root out corporate special interest influence from our government and restore power to ordinary Americans. I’m leading the charge in the Senate for stronger campaign finance laws that would prevent the anonymous dark money spending enabled by the disastrous Citizens United decision from drowning out the voices of American voters. Protecting the Environment We see firsthand the effects of increasingly extreme storms and rising sea levels on our coastal economy and way of life in the Ocean State. I’m working to hasten America’s transition to a clean energy economy so we can leave this planet a better, safer place for our children and grandchildren. I founded the bipartisan Senate Oceans Caucus to protect natural resources like Narragansett Bay. I’ve authored legislation that would put a price on carbon pollution, reducing the emissions that drive climate change and returning all the money collected back to the American people. Democrats and Republicans who are serious about tackling climate change agree that a system like the one I’ve proposed is our best bet for curbing carbon pollution. Fixing Our Immigration System & Ensuring Justice Each wave of hardworking immigrants who settled in Rhode Island since Roger Williams has made our communities stronger and more prosperous. We need comprehensive immigration reform that brings undocumented workers out of the shadows so they can become law-abiding, tax-paying residents; strengthens border security in a way that is reasonable and humane; and allows businesses to grow and create jobs. We need to give Dreamers, who entered this country as children the stability to continue to thrive here. I helped craft the bipartisan immigration reform that the Senate passed in 2013, which Republican leadership in the House refused to consider. Congress needs to get back to work finding a bipartisan path forward. It is long past time for Congress to enact common sense gun safety measures like universal background checks and renewing a ban on military-style assault weapons. I’m going to keep fighting for those changes until we’ve eliminated the scourge of senseless gun violence in America. I’ve also been working with colleagues across the aisle to pass much-needed reforms to our criminal justice system. Creating Opportunity Through Education The American Dream rests on the promise that every child, regardless of the zip code where they were born, can get a first-rate education and work hard in a career of their choosing. That’s why I’ve been focused on improving our public schools, making higher education more affordable, and reducing the student debt burden on graduates who have dedicated their careers to serving others. I helped rewrite the law governing K-12 education to increase support for middle school students, promote school innovation, and expand after-school programs. Supporting Veterans We can never fully repay the debt of gratitude we owe to the servicemembers and military families who have sacrificed so much for our nation. I am working hard to ensure our troops have everything they need to come back safe, and that there’s a place to call home, a job, and excellent health care here for them when they return.	”
—Sheldon Whitehouse’s campaign website (2018)

(2012)

According to Whitehouse's website, his campaign themes included:

• Jobs: "...focused on creating Rhode Island's clean energy jobs of the future, and has introduced a bill to end corporate tax breaks companies receive when they ship jobs overseas."
• Seniors: "...a co-founder of the Defend Social Security Caucus, he will always fight against attempts to risk Social Security on Wall Street."
• Siding with Consumers and Homeowners: "...supporting legislation to give homeowners more leverage to renegotiate mortgages and standing up for consumers victimized when credit card companies raise interest rates through the roof."

Presidential preference

2020

See also: Presidential election in Rhode Island, 2020 and Democratic National Convention, 2020

Whitehouse endorsed Joe Biden (D) in the 2020 presidential election.

2016

See also: Presidential election in Rhode Island, 2016 and Democratic National Convention, 2016

Whitehouse endorsed Hillary Clinton (D) in the 2016 presidential election.

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor history

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Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

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Sheldon Whitehouse campaign contribution history
Year	Office	Result	Contributions
2006	U.S. Senate (Rhode Island)	✔	$6,579,757
Grand total raised			$6,579,757
Source: Follow the Money

To view the breakdown of campaign funding by type click [show] to expand the section.
Breakdown of the source of Whitehouse's campaign funds before the 2012 election.

2012

Whitehouse won election to the U.S. Senate in 2012. During that election cycle, Whithouse's campaign committee raised a total of $4,883,464 and spent $4,933,336. This was less than the average $10.2 million spent by Senate winners in 2012.

Cost per vote

Whitehouse spent $18.20 per vote received in 2012.

U.S. Senate, Rhode Island, 2012 - Sheldon Whitehouse Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$4,883,464
Total Spent	$4,933,336
Total Raised by Election Runner-up	$1,733,869
Total Spent by Election Runner-up	$1,667,195
Top contributors to Sheldon Whitehouse's campaign committee
Thorton & Naumes	$43,200
Technology Crossover Ventures	$37,600
Goldberg, Lindsay & Co	$34,200
Intellectual Ventures LLC	$33,000
Comcast Corp	$31,331
Top 5 industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$735,723
Securities & Investment	$363,791
Leadership PACs	$316,500
TV/Movies/Music	$262,294
Retired	$243,010

Personal Gain Index

See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

• Changes in Net Worth
• The Donation Concentration Metric

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Whitehouse's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $2,549,198 to $8,564,999. That averages to $5,557,098.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Democratic Senate members in 2012 of $13,566,333.90. Whitehouse ranked as the 26th most wealthy senator in 2012. Between 2006 and 2012, Whitehouse's calculated net worth decreased by an average of 7 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.

Sheldon Whitehouse Yearly Net Worth
Year	Average Net Worth
2006	$9,633,134
2012	$5,557,098
Growth from 2006 to 2012:	-42%
Average annual growth:	-7%
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). In the 113th Congress, Whitehouse was the chair of the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism. Whitehouse received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Lawyers/Law Firms industry.

From 2005-2014, 36 percent of Whitehouse's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.

Sheldon Whitehouse Campaign Contributions
Total Raised	$11,651,891
Total Spent	$11,747,744
Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Lawyers/Law Firms	$1,631,412
Securities & Investment	$973,565
Retired	$571,558
Leadership PACs	$532,262
Real Estate	$486,079
% total in top industry	14%
% total in top two industries	22.36%
% total in top five industries	36%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Whitehouse was a far-left Democrat as of September 2014. This was the same rating Whitehouse received in July 2013.

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.

Whitehouse most often votes with:

• Jack Reed
• Susan Collins

Whitehouse least often votes with:

• Joe Manchin
• James Risch

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Whitehouse paid his congressional staff a total of $2,201,382 in 2011. He ranked 6th on the list of the lowest paid Democratic senatorial staff salaries and ranked 22nd overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Rhode Island ranked 30th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.

Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, Whitehouse missed 27 of 2,774 roll call votes from January 2007 to September 2015. This amounts to 1 percent, which is better than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted in the previous year. Click the link above for the full ratings of all members of Congress.

2013

Whitehouse ranked 17th in the liberal rankings in 2013.

2012

Whitehouse ranked 20th in the liberal rankings in 2012.

2011

Whitehouse and fellow Democratic Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed both ranked 19th in the liberal rankings in 2011.

Voting with Party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Whitehouse voted with the Democratic Party 94.9 percent of the time, which ranked 28th among the 53 Senate Democratic members as of September 2014.

2013

Whitehouse voted with the Democratic Party 94.8 percent of the time, which ranked 31st among the 52 Senate Democratic members as of June 2013.

2011

Sheldon Whitehouse voted with the Democratic Party 98.0 percent of the time, which ranked 2nd among the 52 Senate Democratic members as of November 2011.

See also

• Rhode Island
• United States Senate
• U.S. Senate delegation from Rhode Island
• United States Senate elections, 2014

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U.S. Senate Rhode Island

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U.S. Senate Rhode Island

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Footnotes

Political offices
Preceded by -	U.S. Senate Rhode Island 2007-Present	Succeeded by -
Preceded by -	Attorney General of Rhode Island 1999-2003	Succeeded by -

[show]

Rhode Island's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Jack Reed (D)

Sheldon Whitehouse (D)

Representatives

District 1

David Cicilline (D)

District 2

Jim Langevin (D)

Democratic Party (4)