Ageless Pressler Eyes Historical Rarity in South Dakota

If elected in 2014, the former U.S. Senator would lay claim to both the youngest and oldest candidate ever elected to the chamber from South Dakota

After more than a decade and a half out of office, South Dakota Republican Larry Pressler stunned political observers this week when he announced he was considering a run for the U.S. Senate in 2014 as an independent.

Pressler served 18 years in the nation’s upper legislative chamber from 1979 to 1997 before being defeated in his bid for a fourth term by Democrat Tim Johnson in 1996.

Johnson would also go on to win three terms, but in March of this year announced he would not run for a fourth in 2014.

And now, Pressler has unexpectedly inserted himself into a race previously expected to be won by GOP frontrunner Mike Rounds – who would face Democrat and former Tom Daschle staffer Rick Weiland provided Rounds emerges from the Republican primary against three candidates campaigning to the right of the former governor.

Libertarian Kurt Evans is also seeking ballot access in the increasingly buzzworthy race.

An October Public Policy Polling survey found Evans polling at 11 percent and seemingly cutting into Rounds’ advantage in a three-way matchup with Weiland.

Pressler stated that by campaigning as an independent he would not be burdened by the entrenched party positions that have created ‘deadlock’ on Capitol Hill in recent years.

Pressler said there was a 60/40 chance he would run and would make a decision by January.

Should Pressler run and pull off one of the most unlikeliest of returns to D.C. next November, he would hold a unique distinction in South Dakota political history – owning the titles of both the youngest and oldest candidate ever elected to the U.S. Senate from the Mount Rushmore State.

Pressler currently holds the record as the youngest U.S. Senator elected from South Dakota, when he won his first term 35 years ago in 1978.

On that day, Pressler was 36 years, 7 months, 9 days old – besting a record that had stood in the state for 88 years.

In 1890, Populist James Kyle was elected to the chamber for the first of his two terms at the age of 36 years, 8 months, 11 days, or one month and two days older than Pressler.

In only two other South Dakota U.S. Senate elections did candidates in their 30s launch victorious campaigns: Democrats George McGovern in 1962 (39 years, 11 months, 18 days) and Tom Daschle in 1986 (38 years, 10 months, 26 days).

And now Pressler is eying a mark on the other side of the spectrum.

If Pressler wins back his old Senate seat in 2014, he would be 72 years, 7 months, and 6 days old – nearly five years older than the state’s current record and nearly twice the age at which he was elected in 1978.

The oldest South Dakotan ever to be elected to the chamber was Democrat William Bulow in 1936 – winning his second of two terms at the age of 67 years, 9 months, 21 days.

(Democrat Herbert Hitchcock was appointed to the Senate in December 1936 at the age of 69 years, 4 months, 7 days).

Bulow was slightly older than Republican Thomas Sterling when the GOPer won his second term in 1918 at the age of 67 years, 8 months, 15 days.

Only one South Dakotan during the last 50 years has won a U.S. Senate seat above the age of 60: Tim Johnson in 2008 at 61 years, 10 months, 7 days.

Combining the pre- and post-direct election eras, South Dakota has elected U.S. Senatorial candidates:

· In their 30s four times: 1890, 1962, 1978, 1986

· In their 40s 18 times: 1889, 1894, 1896, 1900, 1902, 1924, 1938 (special), 1938, 1944, 1948, 1968, 1972, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2010

· In their 50s 13 times: 1889, 1906, 1908, 1914, 1920, 1926, 1950, 1954, 1956, 1974, 1980, 1998, 2002

· In their 60s nine times: 1912, 1918, 1930, 1932, 1936, 1942, 1960, 1966, 2008

Since statehood, the average age of the South Dakota candidates elected to the U.S. Senate is 51 years.

Pressler served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army including two tours of combat duty in Vietnam.

Prior to his first U.S. Senate victory he served two terms in the U.S. House from 1975 to 1979.

After his tenure in the chamber came to an end, Pressler has worked as an attorney, taught at various higher educational institutions, and served on several boards.

Oldest U.S. Senators Elected from South Dakota Since Statehood

Rank	Year	Senator	Party	Years	Months	Days
1	1936	William Bulow	Democrat	67	9	21
2	1918	Thomas Sterling	Republican	67	8	15
3	1966	Karl Mundt	Republican	66	5	5
4	1932	Peter Norbeck	Republican	62	2	12
5	2008	Tim Johnson	Democrat	61	10	7
6	1930	William Bulow	Democrat	61	9	22
7	1912	Thomas Sterling	Republican	61	8	15
8	1960	Karl Mundt	Republican	60	5	5
9	1942	Harlan Bushfield	Republican	60	2	28
10	1956	Francis Case	Republican	59	10	28
11	1980	James Abdnor	Republican	57	8	22
12	1914	Edwin Johnson	Democrat	57	8	8
13	1889	Gideon Moody	Republican	56	11	15
14	1926	Peter Norbeck	Republican	56	2	6
15	2002	Tim Johnson	Democrat	55	10	8
16	1906	Robert Gamble	Republican	55	8	30
17	1954	Karl Mundt	Republican	54	4	30
18	1950	Francis Case	Republican	53	10	29
19	1974	George McGovern	Democrat	51	11	17
20	1998	Tom Daschle	Democrat	50	10	25
21	1908	Coe Crawford	Republican	50	9	20
22	1920	Peter Norbeck	Republican	50	2	6
23	1996	Tim Johnson	Democrat	49	10	8
24	2010	John Thune	Republican	49	9	26
25	1900	Robert Gamble	Republican	49	8	30
26	1990	Larry Pressler	Republican	48	7	8
27	1944	Chan Gurney	Republican	48	5	17
28	1948	Karl Mundt	Republican	48	4	30
29	1938 (s)	Gladys Pyle	Republican	48	1	4
30	1924	William McMaster	Republican	47	5	25
31	1894	Richard Pettigrew	Silver Republican	46	3	14
32	1968	George McGovern	Democrat	45	11	17
33	1992	Tom Daschle	Democrat	44	10	25
34	2004	John Thune	Republican	43	9	26
35	1896	James Kyle	Populist	42	8	10
36	1984	Larry Pressler	Republican	42	7	8
37	1938	Chan Gurney	Republican	42	5	18
38	1972	James Abourezk	Democrat	41	8	14
39	1902	Alfred Kittredge	Republican	41	7	7
40	1889	Richard Pettigrew	Republican	41	2	8
41	1962	George McGovern	Democrat	39	11	18
42	1986	Tom Daschle	Democrat	38	10	26
43	1890	James Kyle	Populist	36	8	11
44	1978	Larry Pressler	Republican	36	7	9

Table compiled by Smart Politics.

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