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Specter’s Plan to Run at 80 More Evidence That Age is Less of a Barrier

By Greg Giroux and CQ Staff
Posted March 23, 2007 at 12:00am

Senators who have been re-elected at the age of 80 or older
– Strom Thurmond, Republican, South Carolina (1954-56, 1956-2003; won last re-election at age 93)
– Robert C. Byrd, Democrat, West Virginia (1959-present; won most recent election in 2006 at age 88)
– Theodore F. Green, Democrat, Rhode Island (1937-61; won last re-election at age 87)
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– Justin S. Morrill, Republican, Vermont (1867-98; won last re-election at age 86)
– Carl Hayden, Democrat, Arizona (1927-69; won last re-election at age 85)
– Carter Glass, Democrat, Virginia (1920-46; won last re-election at age 84)
– John T. Morgan, Democrat, Alabama (1877-1907; last re-elected at age 82)
– Edmund W. Pettus, Democrat, Alabama (1897-1907; last re-elected at age 82)
– William P. Whyte, Democrat, Maryland (1868-69, 1875-81; 1906-08; last re-elected at age 82)
– Daniel K. Akaka, Democrat, Hawaii (1990-present; last re-elected in 2006 at age 82)
– John Stennis, Democrat, Mississippi (1947-89; last re-elected at age 81)
– Quentin Burdick, Democrat, North Dakota (1960-92; last re-elected at age 80)
– Daniel K. Inouye, Democrat, Hawaii (1963-present; last re-elected in 2004 at age 80)
– Matthew M. Neely, Democrat, West Virginia (1923-29, 1931-41 and 1949-58; last re-elected at age 80)
– Isaac Stephenson, Republican, Wisconsin (1907-15; last re-elected at age 80)
– Francis E. Warren, Republican, Wyoming (1890-93, 1895-1929; last re-elected at age 80)

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