Question: Who Were the Longest Serving Senators?
According to the US Constitution, Senators serve for a six-year term before being required to run for reelection. Since there are no limits on the number of terms a Senator can serve, there have been many Senators who have served 24 years or more. Following is a list of the ten longest serving Senators in US Senate history.
Answer:
- Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) - 51 years, 5 months, 26 days (Jan 3, 1959 to Jun 28, 2010)
- Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) - 47 years, 5 months, 26 days and counting (Jan 3, 1963 to present)
- Strom Thurmond (R-SC) - 47 years, 5 months, 8 days (Dec 24, 1954 to Apr 4, 1956 and Nov 7, 1956 to Jan 3, 2003)
- Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) - 46 years, 9 months, 19 days (Nov 7, 1962 to Aug 25, 2009)
- Carl T. Hayden (D-AZ) - 41 years, 9 months, 30 days (Mar 4, 1927 to Jan 3, 1969)
- John Stennis (D-MS) - 41 years, 1 month, 29 days (Nov 5, 1947 to Jan 3, 1989)
- Ted Stevens (R-AK) - 40 years, 10 days (Dec 24, 1968 to Jan 3, 2009)
- Ernest F. Hollings (D-SC) - 38 years, 1 month, 25 days (Nov 9, 1966 to Jan 3, 2005)
- Richard B. Russell (D-GA) - 38 years, 9 days (Jan 3, 1933 to Jan 21, 1971)
- Russell Long (D-LA) - 38 years, 3 days (Dec 31, 1948 to Jan 3, 1987)
