Kitzhaber Launches Bid to Become 2nd Longest-Serving Governor in History

If Oregon’s Democratic governor is reelected in 2014 and serves out the entirety of his fourth term, he will trail only Iowa’s Terry Branstad in all-time gubernatorial service since 1789

John Kitzhaber’s announcement on Monday that he would seek reelection in 2014 to a fourth nonconsecutive term sets in motion a gubernatorial contest next November that, to this point, has been largely off the radar.

Republican hopefuls for the seat are State Representative Dennis Richardson and rancher Jon Justesen, although neither candidate has inspired non-partisan pollsters to take Oregonians’ temperature of the race so far this year.

On the one hand, the race’s ho-hum status might be understandable: Oregon boasts the second longest Democratic gubernatorial victory streak in the nation at seven consecutive cycles – behind only neighboring Washington at eight.

However, Kitzhaber’s 1.5-point win over Chris Dudley in 2010 was the fifth narrowest victory margin out of the 37 gubernatorial races on the ballot that cycle and the closest race in the Beaver State since the Election of 1956 when Democrat Robert Holmes defeated incumbent Elmo Smith by one point.

But until the Democratic governor is revealed to have vulnerable job approval or horse race numbers, it appears the most interesting question might be whether Kitzhaber serves out the entirety of his would-be fourth term (the governor would be nearly 72 years old in January 2019).

If he does, Kitzhaber would trail only one governor in the history of the country for the most days served in office.

A Smart Politics tally of gubernatorial service since 1789 finds that if Oregon’s John Kitzhaber is reelected this cycle and serves the entirety of his term he will become the second longest-serving governor in U.S. history at 5,854 days.

Iowa Republican Terry Branstad owns the all-time mark for gubernatorial service during the U.S. Constitutional era at 6,907 days through Monday and will end his fifth term in January 2015 with 7,303 days in office.

Branstad is expected to run for a sixth nonconsecutive term next November and, should he win and serve until 2019, would sit at 8,766 days in office, or 33.2 percent longer than any other governor in U.S. history.

Governor Kitzhaber currently lands in 48th place for all-time gubernatorial service at 3,992 days through Monday, December 9th (10 years, 11 months, 6 days).

The Oregon governor is tied with Jerry Brown, but will hold a seven-day lead over the California Democrat at the end of their respective terms in January 2015 if neither governor is reelected with Kitzhaber at 4,391 days and Brown at 4,384 days.

At that point, Kitzhaber would be tied for 21st place in all time gubernatorial service alongside West Virginia Republican Arch Moore.

Brown would be tied for 24th place with Democrats Mario Cuomo of New York, Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts, and Soapy Williams of Michigan and Republicans John Engler of Michigan, Thomas Dewey and George Pataki of New York, and Arthur Langlie of Washington.

Both Kitzhaber and Brown, however, are expected to be favorites in their reelection bids.

If Kitzhaber wins next November and serves until January 2019, he will record 5,854 days in office – just edging out South Dakota Republican William Janklow for second place on the all-time list.

Janklow served 5,851 days as governor of the Mount Rushmore State during two stints: 1979-1987 and 1995-2003.

In the final days of Kitzhaber’s fourth term (he would be term-limited again in the 2018 cycle), the Oregon governor would also pass North Carolina Democrat Jim Hunt (5,840 days), Ohio Republican Jim Rhodes (5,840 days), and Alabama Democrat George Wallace (5,848 days).

A victorious Governor Brown next year would land him at #4 all-time with 5,849 days in office come January 2019.

Next up on the all-time list for Kitzhaber (and Brown) are Vermont Federalist Isaac Tichenor (1797-1807, 1808-1809) at 4,011 days and Massachusetts Federalist Caleb Strong (1800-1807, 1812-1816) at 4,012 days – both of whom will be passed by the end of this month.

Texas Republican Governor Rick Perry, who has already announced he will not run for reelection in 2014, will end his tenure in January 2015 at #10 on the all-time list at 5,144 days (14 years, 1 month) edging out Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson (5,142 days).

Perry is currently 18th with 4,737 days served.

Top 50 Longest-Serving Governors in U.S. History

* Denotes a governor still in office. Through December 9, 2013. Note: Excludes pre-U.S. Constitutional gubernatorial service as well as gubernatorial service in U.S. territories. Data compiled by Smart Politics.

Follow Smart Politics on Twitter.