These 25 individuals have served the longest U.S. Senate terms as of January 21, 2009.
|
|
Senator
| |
Dates of Service
| |
Length of Service
| | |
|
1.
Robert C. Byrd
(D-WV)
| |
Jan 3, 1959 to present
| |
50 years, 19 days
| | |
2.
Strom Thurmond
(R-SC)
| |
Dec 24, 1954 to Apr 4, 1956
and Nov 7, 1956 to Jan 3, 2003
| |
47 years, 5 months, 17 days
| | |
3.
Edward M. Kennedy
(D-MA)
| |
Nov 7, 1962 to present
| |
46 years, 2 months, 14 days
| | |
4.
Daniel K. Inouye
(D-HI)
| |
Jan 3, 1963 to present
| |
46 years, 19 days
| | |
5.
Carl T. Hayden
(D-AZ)
| |
Mar 4, 1927 to Jan 3, 1969
| |
41 years, 9 months, 30 days
| | |
6.
John Stennis
(D-MS)
| |
Nov 5, 1947 to Jan 3, 1989
| |
41 years, 1 month, 29 days
| | |
7.
Ted Stevens
(R-AK)
| |
Dec 24, 1968 to Jan 3, 2009
| |
40 years, 10 days
| | |
8.
Ernest F. Hollings
(D-SC)
| |
Nov 9, 1966 to Jan 3, 2005
| |
38 years, 1 month, 25 days
| | |
9.
Richard B. Russell
(D-GA)
| |
Jan 12, 1933 to Jan 21, 1971
| |
38 years, 9 days
| | |
10.
Russell Long
(D-LA)
| |
Dec 31, 1948 to Jan 3, 1987
| |
38 years, 3 days
| | |
11.
Francis E. Warren
(R-WY)
| |
Nov 18, 1890 to Mar 3, 1893
and Mar 4, 1895 to Nov 24, 1929
| |
37 years
| | |
12.
James Eastland
(D-MS)
| |
Jun 30, 1941 to Sep 28, 1941
and Jan 3, 1943 to Dec 27, 1978
| |
36 years, 2 months, 24 days
| | |
13.
Warren Magnuson
(D-WA)
| |
Dec 14, 1944 to Jan 3, 1981
| |
36 years, 20 days
| | |
14.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
(D-DE)
| |
Jan 3, 1973 to Jan 15, 2009
| |
36 years, 13 days
| | |
15.
Pete V. Domenici
(R-NM)
| |
Jan 3, 1973 to Jan 3, 2009
| |
36 years
| | |
16.
Claiborne Pell
(D-RI)
| |
Jan 3, 1961 to Jan 3, 1997
| |
36 years
| | |
17.
Kenneth McKellar
(D-TN)
| |
Mar 4, 1917 to Jan 3, 1953
| |
35 years, 10 months
| | |
18.
Milton Young
(R-ND)
| |
Mar 12, 1945 to Jan 3, 1981
| |
35 years, 9 months, 22 days
| | |
19.
Ellison D. Smith
(D-SC)
| |
Mar 4, 1909 to Nov 17, 1944
| |
35 years, 8 months, 13 days
| | |
20.
Allen J. Ellender
(D-LA)
| |
Jan 3, 1937 to Jul 27, 1972
| |
35 years, 6 months, 24 days
| | |
21.
William B. Allison
(R-IA)
| |
Mar 4, 1873 to Aug 4, 1908
| |
35 years, 5 months
| | |
22.
John McClellan
(D-AR)
| |
Jan 3, 1943 to Nov 28, 1977
| |
34 years, 11 months
| | |
23.
Walter F. George
(D-GA)
| |
Nov 22, 1922 to Jan 3, 1957
| |
34 years, 1 month, 13 days
| | |
24.
Patrick J. Leahy
(D-VT)
| |
Jan 3, 1975 to present
| |
34 years, 19 days
| | |
25.
George Aiken
(R-VT)
| |
Jan 10, 1941 to Jan 3, 1975
| |
34 years
| | |
|