List of oldest living United States governors

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The following are lists of the politicians who were or are the longest living and oldest still-living governors of each U.S. state. The current oldest living U.S. state governor is Jimmy Carter, aged 100 years, 51 days, Governor of Georgia from 1971 to 1975. Albert Rosellini (1910–2011), the Governor of Washington from 1957 to 1965, lived the longest lifespan of any governor, having died at the age of 101 years, 262 days.

Territorial governors are included in italics.

Longest living U.S. governors

Start date End date Governor State Birth date Gubernatorial term(s) Party
October 28, 1786 March 29, 1789 Thomas Collins Delaware 1732 1786–1789 No party
March 29, 1789 April 17, 1790 Benjamin Franklin Pennsylvania January 17, 1706 1785–1788 No party
April 17, 1790 July 25, 1790 William Livingston New Jersey November 30, 1723 1776–1790 Federalist
July 25, 1790 May 19, 1795 Josiah Bartlett New Hampshire November 21, 1729 1790–1794 Democratic-Republican
May 19, 1795 October 2, 1803 Samuel Adams Massachusetts September 27, 1722 1794–1797 Democratic-Republican
October 2, 1803 February 3, 1813 Samuel Ashe North Carolina March 24, 1725 1795–1798 Democratic-Republican
February 3, 1813 August 17, 1816 Samuel Johnston North Carolina December 15, 1733 1787–1789 Federalist
August 17, 1816 June 24, 1817 Thomas McKean Pennsylvania March 19, 1734 1799–1808 Democratic-Republican
June 24, 1817 September 18, 1819 John Langdon New Hampshire June 26, 1741 1785–1786, 1788–1789, 1805–1809, 1810–1812, Democratic-Republican
September 18, 1819 March 19, 1829 John Tayler New York July 4, 1742 1817 Democratic-Republican
March 19, 1829 May 17, 1829 John Jay New York December 12, 1745 1795–1801 Federalist
May 17, 1829 June 10, 1832 Joseph Hiester Pennsylvania November 18, 1752 1820–1823 Democratic-Republican
June 10, 1832 September 24, 1834 Jonas Galusha Vermont February 11, 1753 1809–1813, 1815–1820 Democratic-Republican
September 24, 1834 December 11, 1838 Isaac Tichenor Vermont February 8, 1754 1797–1807, 1808–1809 Federalist
December 11, 1838 April 7, 1844 Morgan Lewis New York October 16, 1754 1804–1807 Democratic-Republican
April 7, 1844 December 22, 1850 William Plumer New Hampshire June 25, 1759 1812–1813, 1816–1819 Democratic-Republican
December 22, 1850 December 25, 1862 Joshua Hall Maine October 22, 1768 1830 Democratic
December 25, 1862 October 16, 1869 Joseph Ritner Pennsylvania March 25, 1780 1835–1839 Anti-Masonic
October 16, 1869 February 3, 1870 Allen Trimble Ohio November 24, 1783 1822, 1826–1830 National Republican
February 3, 1870 October 10, 1870 Mordecai Bartley Ohio December 16, 1783 1844–1846 Whig
October 10, 1870 November 1, 1874 Enos T. Throop New York August 21, 1784 1829–1832 Democratic
November 1, 1874 February 27, 1877 Joseph Johnson Virginia December 19, 1785 1852–1856 Democratic
February 27, 1877 December 18, 1885 Hiland Hall Vermont July 20, 1795 1858–1860 Republican
December 18, 1885 April 27, 1894 Nathaniel S. Berry New Hampshire September 1, 1796 1861–1863 Republican
April 27, 1894 June 13, 1896 Alpheus Felch Michigan September 28, 1804 1846–1847 Democratic
June 13, 1896 August 23, 1898 Moody Currier New Hampshire April 22, 1806 1885–1887 Republican
August 23, 1898 February 28, 1899 James Madison Wells Louisiana January 8, 1808 1865–1867 Republican
February 28, 1899 July 9, 1902 William Marvin Florida April 14, 1808 1865 Democratic
July 9, 1902 April 28, 1909 Frederick Holbrook Vermont February 15, 1813 1861–1863 Republican
April 28, 1909 February 3, 1912 Frederick Robie Maine August 12, 1822 1885–1887 Republican
February 3, 1912 June 4, 1912 Royal C. Taft Rhode Island February 14, 1823 1888–1889 Republican
June 4, 1912 January 8, 1914 Simon Bolivar Buckner Kentucky April 1, 1823 1887–1891 Democratic
January 8, 1914 May 16, 1920 Levi P. Morton New York May 16, 1824 1895–1896 Republican
May 16, 1920 April 4, 1923 Horace Boies Iowa December 7, 1827 1890–1894 Democratic
April 4, 1923 April 3, 1924 Ebenezer J. Ormsbee Vermont June 8, 1834 1886–1888 Republican
April 3, 1924 January 28, 1925 Augustus O. Bourn Rhode Island October 1, 1834 1883–1885 Republican
January 28, 1925 April 13, 1933 Adelbert Ames Mississippi October 31, 1835 1868–1870, 1874–1876 Republican
April 13, 1933 October 30, 1939 Roswell K. Colcord Nevada April 25, 1839 1891–1895 Republican
October 30, 1939 August 23, 1945 Martin Frederick Ansel South Carolina December 12, 1850 1907–1911 Democratic
August 23, 1945 September 5, 1946 John I. Cox Tennessee November 23, 1855 1905–1907 Democratic
September 5, 1946 April 11, 1949 Chase Osborn Michigan January 22, 1860 1911–1913 Republican
April 11, 1949 May 9, 1958 Fenimore Chatterton Wyoming July 21, 1860 1903–1905 Republican
May 9, 1958 August 12, 1958 Augustus Owsley Stanley Kentucky May 21, 1867 1915–1919 Democratic
August 12, 1958 May 19, 1966 Theodore F. Green Rhode Island October 2, 1867 1933–1937 Democratic
May 19, 1966 June 12, 1969 Percival P. Baxter Maine November 22, 1876 1921–1925 Republican
June 12, 1969 December 19, 1977 Nellie Tayloe Ross Wyoming November 29, 1876 1925–1927 Democratic
December 19, 1977 March 3, 1980 Forrest C. Donnell Missouri August 20, 1884 1941–1945 Republican
March 3, 1980 October 12, 1987 Alf Landon Kansas September 9, 1887 1933–1937 Republican
October 12, 1987 April 21, 1990 Frank Lausche Ohio November 14, 1895 1945–1947, 1949–1957 Democratic
April 21, 1990 June 11, 1993 Milward Simpson Wyoming November 12, 1897 1955–1959 Republican
June 11, 1993 October 20, 1996 J. Bracken Lee Utah January 7, 1899 1949–1957 Republican
October 20, 1996 November 5, 2000 Jimmie Davis Louisiana September 11, 1899 1944–1948, 1960–1964 Democratic
November 5, 2000 June 26, 2003 Strom Thurmond South Carolina December 5, 1902 1947–1951 Democratic
June 26, 2003 April 19, 2004 Frank B. Morrison Nebraska May 20, 1905 1961–1967 Democratic
April 19, 2004 November 15, 2004 Elmer L. Andersen Minnesota June 17, 1909 1961–1963 Republican
November 15, 2004 October 10, 2011 Albert Rosellini Washington January 21, 1910 1957–1965 Democratic
October 10, 2011 April 10, 2015 Raúl Héctor Castro Arizona June 12, 1916 1975–1977 Democratic
April 10, 2015 February 4, 2016 Edgar Whitcomb Indiana November 6, 1917 1969–1973 Republican
February 4, 2016 January 17, 2017 David P. Buckson Delaware July 25, 1920 1960–1961 Republican
January 17, 2017 June 4, 2021 John M. Patterson Alabama September 27, 1921 1959–1963 Democratic
June 4, 2021 August 18, 2023 Al Quie Minnesota September 18, 1923 1979–1983 Independent-Republican
August 18, 2023 Present Jimmy Carter Georgia October 1, 1924 1971–1975 Democratic

Oldest living U.S. governors

These are the 100 oldest living United States governors, current or former. Territorial governors are included but not ranked.

Key
Incumbent
Rank Governor Date of birth Gubernatorial term(s) State Party Age (years, days)
1 Jimmy Carter October 1, 1924 1971–1975 Georgia Democratic 100 years, 51 days
2 Daniel J. Evans October 16, 1925 1965–1977 Washington Republican 99 years, 36 days
3 George Ariyoshi March 12, 1926 1974–1986 Hawaii Democratic 98 years, 254 days
4 George Nigh June 9, 1927 1963, 1979–1987 Oklahoma Democratic 97 years, 165 days
5 Winfield Dunn July 1, 1927 1971–1975 Tennessee Republican 97 years, 143 days
6 Roy Romer October 31, 1928 1987–1999 Colorado Democratic 96 years, 21 days
7 Douglas Wilder January 17, 1931 1990–1994 Virginia Democratic 93 years, 309 days
8 Kenneth M. Curtis February 8, 1931 1967–1975 Maine Democratic 93 years, 287 days
9 Philip Noel June 6, 1931 1973–1977 Rhode Island Democratic 93 years, 168 days
10 Thomas P. Salmon August 19, 1932 1973–1977 Vermont Democratic 92 years, 94 days
11 Richard Riley January 2, 1933 1979–1987 South Carolina Democratic 91 years, 324 days
12 Buddy MacKay March 22, 1933 1998–1999 Florida Democratic 91 years, 244 days
13 Frank Murkowski March 28, 1933 2002–2006 Alaska Republican 91 years, 238 days
14 Pete Wilson August 23, 1933 1991–1999 California Republican 91 years, 90 days
15 Madeleine Kunin September 28, 1933 1985–1991 Vermont Democratic 91 years, 54 days
16 Michael Dukakis November 3, 1933 1975–1979, 1983–1991 Massachusetts Democratic 91 years, 18 days
17 George Ryan February 24, 1934 1999–2003 Illinois Republican 90 years, 271 days
18 Edward D. DiPrete July 8, 1934 1985–1991 Rhode Island Republican 90 years, 136 days
N/A Paul McDonald Calvo July 25, 1934 1979–1983 Guam Republican 90 years, 119 days
19 David Pryor August 29, 1934 1975–1979 Arkansas Democratic 90 years, 84 days
20 Fob James September 15, 1934 1979–1983, 1995–1999 Alabama Democratic/

Republican

90 years, 67 days
21 Arne Carlson September 24, 1934 1991–1999 Minnesota Independent-Republican/Republican 90 years, 58 days
22 Joseph E. Brennan November 2, 1934 1979–1987 Maine Democratic 90 years, 19 days
23 Bob Martinez December 25, 1934 1987–1991 Florida Republican 89 years, 332 days
24 Thomas Kean April 21, 1935 1982–1990 New Jersey Republican 89 years, 214 days
25 James G. Martin December 11, 1935 1985–1993 North Carolina Republican 88 years, 346 days
26 Joe Frank Harris February 16, 1936 1983–1991 Georgia Democratic 88 years, 279 days
27 Robert List September 1, 1936 1979–1983 Nevada Republican 88 years, 81 days
28 Bob Graham November 9, 1936 1979–1987 Florida Democratic 88 years, 12 days
29 Martha Layne Collins December 7, 1936 1983–1987 Kentucky Democratic 87 years, 350 days
30 Barbara Roberts December 21, 1936 1991–1995 Oregon Democratic 87 years, 336 days
N/A Carlos S. Camacho February 27, 1937 1978–1982 Northern Mariana Islands Democratic 87 years, 268 days
31 Jim Hunt May 16, 1937 1977–1985, 1993–2001 North Carolina Democratic 87 years, 189 days
32 Paul E. Patton May 26, 1937 1995–2003 Kentucky Democratic 87 years, 179 days
33 Jay Rockefeller June 18, 1937 1977–1985 West Virginia Democratic 87 years, 156 days
34 Richard Bryan July 16, 1937 1983–1989 Nevada Democratic 87 years, 128 days
35 Dick Celeste November 11, 1937 1983–1991 Ohio Democratic 87 years, 10 days
36 Jerry Brown April 7, 1938 1975–1983, 2011–2019 California Democratic 86 years, 228 days
37 Neil Abercrombie June 26, 1938 2010–2014 Hawaii Democratic 86 years, 148 days
38 Bruce Babbitt June 27, 1938 1978–1987 Arizona Democratic 86 years, 147 days
39 Steve Cowper August 21, 1938 1986–1990 Alaska Democratic 86 years, 92 days
40 Allen I. Olson November 5, 1938 1981–1985 North Dakota Republican 86 years, 16 days
41 Kay A. Orr January 2, 1939 1987–1991 Nebraska Republican 85 years, 324 days
42 Kit Bond March 6, 1939 1973–1977, 1981–1985 Missouri Republican 85 years, 260 days
43 Martin J. Schreiber April 8, 1939 1977–1979 Wisconsin Democratic 85 years, 227 days
44 Chuck Robb June 26, 1939 1982–1986 Virginia Democratic 85 years, 148 days
45 Mike Castle July 2, 1939 1985–1992 Delaware Republican 85 years, 142 days
John H. Sununu 1983–1989 New Hampshire Republican
47 Garrey Carruthers August 29, 1939 1987–1991 New Mexico Republican 85 years, 84 days
48 Mike Sullivan September 22, 1939 1987–1995 Wyoming Democratic 85 years, 60 days
49 Ben Cayetano November 14, 1939 1994–2002 Hawaii Democratic 85 years, 7 days
50 Gaston Caperton February 21, 1940 1989–1997 West Virginia Democratic 84 years, 274 days
51 Neil Goldschmidt June 16, 1940 1987–1991 Oregon Democratic 84 years, 158 days
52 Lamar Alexander July 3, 1940 1979–1987 Tennessee Republican 84 years, 141 days
53 John W. Carlin August 3, 1940 1979–1987 Kansas Democratic 84 years, 110 days
54 Ted Kulongoski November 5, 1940 2003–2011 Oregon Democratic 84 years, 16 days
55 David Boren April 21, 1941 1975–1979 Oklahoma Democratic 83 years, 214 days
56 Toney Anaya April 29, 1941 1983–1987 New Mexico Democratic 83 years, 206 days
57 Ben Nelson May 17, 1941 1991–1999 Nebraska Democratic 83 years, 188 days
58 Ted Strickland August 4, 1941 2007–2011 Ohio Democratic 83 years, 109 days
N/A Carl Gutierrez October 15, 1941 1995–2003 Guam Democratic 83 years, 37 days
59 Tommy Thompson November 19, 1941 1987–2001 Wisconsin Republican 83 years, 2 days
60 Bob Taft January 8, 1942 1999–2007 Ohio Republican 82 years, 317 days
61 Butch Otter May 3, 1942 2007–2019 Idaho Republican 82 years, 202 days
62 John Ashcroft May 9, 1942 1985–1993 Missouri Republican 82 years, 196 days
63 Parris Glendening June 11, 1942 1995–2003 Maryland Democratic 82 years, 163 days
64 James J. Blanchard August 8, 1942 1983–1991 Michigan Democratic 82 years, 105 days
65 Nathan Deal August 25, 1942 2011–2019 Georgia Republican 82 years, 88 days
N/A Sila María Calderón September 23, 1942 2001–2005 Puerto Rico Popular Democratic 82 years, 59 days
66 Donald Carcieri December 16, 1942 2003–2011 Rhode Island Republican 81 years, 341 days
67 Gray Davis December 26, 1942 1999–2003 California Democratic 81 years, 331 days
68 Tony Knowles January 1, 1943 1994–2002 Alaska Democratic 81 years, 325 days
69 Robert J. Bentley February 3, 1943 2011–2017 Alabama Republican 81 years, 292 days
70 Jim Risch May 3, 1943 2006–2007 Idaho Republican 81 years, 202 days
N/A Ralph D. Hough May 21, 1943 1993 New Hampshire Republican 81 years, 184 days
71 Jim Guy Tucker June 13, 1943 1992–1996 Arkansas Democratic 81 years, 161 days
72 Bob Kerrey August 27, 1943 1983–1987 Nebraska Democratic 81 years, 86 days
73 Phil Bredesen November 21, 1943 2003–2011 Tennessee Democratic 81 years, 0 days
N/A Joseph Franklin Ada December 3, 1943 1987–1995 Guam Republican 80 years, 354 days
74 Ed Rendell January 5, 1944 2003–2011 Pennsylvania Democratic 80 years, 321 days
75 Frank Keating February 10, 1944 1995–2003 Oklahoma Republican 80 years, 285 days
76 Mike Hayden March 16, 1944 1987–1991 Kansas Republican 80 years, 250 days
77 Angus King March 31, 1944 1995–2003 Maine Independent 80 years, 235 days
N/A Pedro Rosselló April 5, 1944 1993–2001 Puerto Rico New Progressive 80 years, 230 days
78 Jim Geringer April 24, 1944 1995–2003 Wyoming Republican 80 years, 211 days
79 Steve Beshear September 21, 1944 2007–2015 Kentucky Democratic 80 years, 61 days
80 Jan Brewer September 26, 1944 2009–2015 Arizona Republican 80 years, 56 days
81 Bob Riley October 3, 1944 2003–2011 Alabama Republican 80 years, 49 days
82 Kay Ivey October 15, 1944 2017–Present Alabama Republican 80 years, 37 days
83 Donald DiFrancesco November 20, 1944 2001–2002 New Jersey Republican 80 years, 1 day
84 Jim Gibbons December 16, 1944 2007–2011 Nevada Republican 79 years, 341 days
85 Bob Miller March 30, 1945 1989–1999 Nevada Democratic 79 years, 236 days
86 George Pataki June 24, 1945 1995–2006 New York Republican 79 years, 150 days
87 Bill Weld July 31, 1945 1991–1997 Massachusetts Republican 79 years, 113 days
88 Fife Symington August 12, 1945 1991–1997 Arizona Republican 79 years, 101 days
89 Tom Ridge August 26, 1945 1995–2001 Pennsylvania Republican 79 years, 87 days
90 Jim Doyle November 23, 1945 2003–2011 Wisconsin Democratic 78 years, 364 days
N/A Benigno Fitial November 27, 1945 2006–2013 Northern Mariana Islands Republican 78 years, 360 days
91 Don Siegelman February 24, 1946 1999–2003 Alabama Democratic 78 years, 271 days
92 John D. Waiheʻe III May 19, 1946 1986–1994 Hawaii Democratic 78 years, 186 days
93 Jodi Rell June 16, 1946 2004–2011 Connecticut Republican 78 years, 158 days
94 George W. Bush July 6, 1946 1995–2000 Texas Republican 78 years, 138 days
95 Jim Edgar July 22, 1946 1991–1999 Illinois Republican 78 years, 122 days
96 Ed Schafer August 8, 1946 1992–2000 North Dakota Republican 78 years, 105 days
97 Bill Clinton August 19, 1946 1979–1981, 1983–1992 Arkansas Democratic 78 years, 94 days
98 Christine Todd Whitman September 26, 1946 1994–2001 New Jersey Republican 78 years, 56 days
99 Terry Branstad November 17, 1946 1983–1999, 2011–2017 Iowa Republican 78 years, 4 days
100 Richard Codey November 27, 1946 2004–2006 New Jersey Democratic 77 years, 360 days