Climbing the Ladder

When Iowa Republican Chuck Grassley won reelection for a sixth term in November 2010 he and his fellow Iowa U.S. Senator, Democratic Tom Harkin, were 11th on the all-time list for the longest-serving delegation members serving together to the nation’s upper legislative chamber. After the first 17+ months of the 112th Congress, they have already passed three pairs of senators and ascended into eighth place with 27 years, 5 months, and 18 days of service together through Wednesday. Presuming both senators continue serving until at least the end of Harkin’s current term in January 2015, the duo will pass five more pairs for #3 on the all-time list, behind only South Carolinians Strom Thurmond and Ernest Hollings (36 years, 1 month, 26 days) and Mississippi Democrats James Eastland and John Stennis (31 years, 1 month, 23 days). Next on the list in seventh place: North Carolina Democrats Furnifold Simmons and Lee Overman who served from 1903 to 1930 at 27 years, 9 months, and 9 days.