Listed here are the twenty individuals who have served the longest terms as of September 3, 2008.
|
Senator
| |
Dates of Service
| |
Length of Service
|
|
1.
Robert C. Byrd
(D-WV)
| |
January 3, 1959 to present
| |
49 years, 8 months
|
2.
Strom Thurmond
(R-SC)
| |
December 24, 1954 to April 4, 1956
and November 7, 1956 to January 3, 2003
| |
47 years, 5.2 months
|
3.
Edward M. Kennedy
(D-MA)
| |
November 7, 1962 to present
| |
45 years, 10 months
|
4.
Daniel K. Inouye
(D-HI)
| |
January 3, 1963-present
| |
45 years, 8 months
|
5.
Carl T. Hayden
(D-AZ)
| |
March 4, 1927 to January 3, 1969
| |
41 years, 10.1 months
|
6.
John C. Stennis
(D-MS)
| |
November 5, 1947 to January 3, 1989
| |
41 years, 2 months
|
7.
Theodore F. Stevens
(R-AK)
| |
December 24, 1968 to present
| |
39 years, 8 months
|
8.
Ernest F. Hollings
(D-SC)
| |
November 9, 1966 to January 3, 2005
| |
38 years, 1.8 months
|
9.
Richard B. Russell
(D-GA)
| |
January 12, 1933 to January 21, 1971
| |
38 years
|
10.
Russell B. Long
(D-LA)
| |
December 31, 1948 to January 3, 1987
| |
38 years
|
11.
Francis E. Warren
(R-WY)
| |
November 18, 1890 to March 3, 1893
and March 4, 1895 to November 24, 1929
| |
37 years
|
12.
James O. Eastland
(D-MS)
| |
June 30, 1941 to September 28, 1941
and January 3, 1943 to December 27, 1978
| |
36 years, 3 months
|
13.
Warren Magnuson
(D-WA)
| |
December 14, 1944 to January 2, 1981
| |
36 years
|
14.
Claiborne Pell
(D-RI)
| |
January 3, 1961 to January 3, 1997
| |
36 years
|
15.
Kenneth McKellar
(D-TN)
| |
March 4, 1917 to January 2, 1953
| |
35 years, 10 months
|
16.
Milton Young
(R-ND)
| |
March 12, 1945 to January 2, 1981
| |
35 years, 9 months
|
17.
Pete V. Domenici
(R-NM)
| |
January 3, 1973 to present
| |
35 years, 8 months
|
17.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
(D-DE)
| |
January 3, 1973 to present
| |
35 years, 8 months
|
18.
Ellison D. Smith
(D-SC)
| |
March 4, 1909 to November 17, 1944
| |
35 years, 8 months
|
19.
Allen J. Ellender
(D-LA)
| |
January 3, 1937 to July 27, 1972
| |
35 years, 7 months
|
20.
William B. Allison
(R-IA)
| |
March 4, 1873 to August 4, 1908
| |
35 years, 5 months
|