Arkansas became the 25th state to join the Union on June 15, 1836. Arkansas’ first two senators, William Fulton and Ambrose Sevier, took office on September 18, 1836. Arkansas’s longest-serving senators include John McClellan (1943-1977) and J. William Fulbright (1945-1974). Among those who rose to leadership positions are Ambrose Sevier and James P. Clarke, who served as the Senate’s president pro tempore, and Joseph Robinson, who became Democratic floor leader. On January 12, 1932, Hattie Caraway became the first woman elected to the Senate.