Harry Byrd’s Death Leaves 167 Living Ex-Senators

Minnesota has the most living former Senators with eight while six states have only one (Hawaii, Mississippi, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wyoming)

The death of former Virginia Democrat turned independent U.S. Senator Harry Byrd, Jr. today at the age of 98 years, 7 months, 11 days also marked the passing of the oldest living ex-Senator in the nation.

Byrd is the third Senator to die this year – along with sitting Democratic Senator Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey and former Democratic Senator William Hathaway of Maine – and leaves 167 ex-Senators still among the living.

Byrd was first elected as a Democrat in a special election in 1966 after the death of his father, Harry Byrd, and went on to capture two more decisive reelection victories as an independent in 1970 (by 22.4 points) and 1976 (by 18.9 points) before his retirement in January 1983.

Senator Byrd ultimately reached the #8 spot on the list of the longest living Senators of all-time, falling just seven days shy of tying four-term Rhode Island Democrat Theodore Green for seventh at 98 years, 7 months, 18 days.

Topping the list is one-term Republican Senator Cornelius Cole of California (1867-1873) who lived to the age of 102 years, 1 month, 18 days.

South Carolina’s Democrat turned Republican Strom Thurmond (1954-2003) is second at 100 years, 6 months, 22 days followed by Arkansas Democrat John Heiskell (1913) at 100 years, 1 month, 27 days, Oregon Democrat Hall Lusk (1960) at 99 years, 7 months, 25 days, Missouri Republican Daniel Jewett (1870-1871) at 99 years, 24 days, and Anti-Administration New Hampshire Senator Paine Wingate (1789-1793) at 98 years, 9 months, 22 days.

Byrd is one of just 13 U.S. Senators in history to have lived at least to the age of 98 years.

U.S. Senators Reaching the Age of 98

As of July 30, 2013. Table compiled by Smart Politics with information culled from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Byrd’s death leaves 167 living ex-U.S. Senators in history.

Along with the 100 men and women currently serving in the Senate, 13.7 percent of the 1,950 individuals to serve in the nation’s upper legislative chamber are still alive today.

The oldest current living Senator is now Republican Edward Brooke of Massachusetts (1967-1979) – the first black elected to the Senate after the passage of the 17th Amendment.

Brooke, who served two terms before losing to Paul Tsongas in 1978, was born on October 26, 1919 – some 93 years, 9 months, and 15 days ago.

In addition to Brooke, six other men and women who served in the U.S. Senate are still alive at 90+ years of age:

· John Glenn, Ohio Democrat (1974-1999): 92 years, 13 days
· Fritz Hollings, South Carolina Democrat (1966-2005): 91 years, 6 months, 30 days
· Jocelyn Burdick, North Dakota Democrat (1992): 91 years, 5 months, 25 days
· Paul Laxalt, Nevada Republican (1974-1987): 90 years, 11 months, 28 days
· James Buckley, New York Conservative (1971-1977): 90 years, 4 months, 22 days
· Bob Dole, Kansas Republican (1969-1996): 90 years, 9 days

Of the 267 living ex-and currently serving Senators, one was born in the 1910s, 35 were born in the 1920s, 69 in the 1930s, 78 in the 1940s, 54 in the 1950s, 23 in the 1960s, and seven in the 1970s.

Every state has at least one living ex-Senator as of the writing of this report.

Minnesota leads the way with the most living ex-Senators at eight: Democrats Walter Mondale, Wendell Anderson, and Mark Dayton, Republicans Rudy Boschwitz, Dave Durenberger, Rod Grams, and Norm Coleman, and the Independence Party’s Dean Barkley.

Colorado and Tennessee are next with seven each followed by Georgia and Illinois with six, and Arkansas, Florida, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, and Virginia with five.

Six states only have one living ex-Senator: Hawaii (Daniel Akaka), Mississippi (Trent Lott), Rhode Island (Lincoln Chafee), Vermont (Jim Jeffords), West Virginia (Carte Goodwin), and Wyoming (Alan Simpson).

Number of Living Ex-U.S. Senators by State

As of July 30, 2013. Table compiled by Smart Politics with information culled from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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