List of longest-living United States senators

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This article contains a list of the longest-living United States senators among those currently living (incumbent or former) and a list of the individuals who, at the time of their deaths, were the longest-living United States senators among those current or former senators then living. Of those living, the longest-living senator is James L. Buckley. The oldest sitting senator is Dianne Feinstein (born 1933). The longest-lived senator in history is Cornelius Cole, who died at 102.

Oldest senators (historic)

This is a list of the senators who were, while in office or after, the oldest living before they died.

Begin date End date Senator Birth date Term(s) State Party Age (years, days)
March 4, 1789 June 13, 1791 William Johnson October 7, 1727 1789–1791 Connecticut Pro-Administration 63 years, 249 days
June 13, 1791 July 23, 1793 Roger Sherman April 19, 1721 1791–1793 Connecticut Pro-Administration 72 years, 95 days
July 23, 1793 November 14, 1819 William Johnson October 7, 1727 1789–1791 Connecticut Pro-Administration 92 years, 38 days
November 14, 1819 June 1, 1832 Thomas Sumter August 14, 1734 1801–1810 South Carolina Democratic-Republican 97 years, 292 days
June 1, 1832 November 14, 1832 Charles Carroll September 19, 1737 1789–1792 Maryland Federalist 95 years, 56 days
November 14, 1832 March 7, 1838 Paine Wingate May 14, 1739 1789–1793 New Hampshire Federalist 98 years, 297 days
March 7, 1838 April 22, 1839 Samuel Smith July 27, 1752 1803–1815, 1822–1833 Maryland Democratic-Republican, Crawford Republican, Jacksonian 86 years, 269 days
April 22, 1839 February 13, 1843 Nathaniel Chipman November 15, 1752 1797–1803 Vermont Federalist 90 years, 90 days
February 13, 1843 February 25, 1845 Asher Robbins October 26, 1757 1825–1839 Rhode Island Anti-Jacksonian, Adams 87 years, 122 days
February 25, 1845 December 22, 1850 William Plumer June 25, 1759 1802–1807 New Hampshire Federalist 91 years, 180 days
December 22, 1850 April 12, 1851 David Daggett December 31, 1764 1813–1819 Connecticut Federalist 86 years, 102 days
April 12, 1851 October 14, 1853 Elisha Mathewson April 18, 1767 1807–1811 Rhode Island Democratic-Republican 86 years, 179 days
October 14, 1853 November 19, 1853 Samuel Crafts October 6, 1768 1842–1843 Vermont Whig 85 years, 44 days
November 19, 1853 July 24, 1854 Jonathan Roberts August 16, 1771 1814–1821 Pennsylvania Democratic-Republican 82 years, 342 days
July 24, 1854 April 20, 1857 Benjamin Tappan May 25, 1773 1839–1845 Ohio Democratic 83 years, 330 days
April 20, 1857 May 6, 1860 Littleton Tazewell December 17, 1774 1824–1832 Virginia Democratic-Republican, Jacksonian 85 years, 141 days
May 6, 1860 June 23, 1865 William Wilkins December 20, 1779 1831–1834 Pennsylvania Democratic 85 years, 185 days
June 23, 1865 June 19, 1867 Henry Dodge October 12, 1782 1848–1857 Wisconsin Democratic 84 years, 250 days
June 19, 1867 December 28, 1870 Wilson Lumpkin January 14, 1783 1837–1841 Georgia Democratic 87 years, 348 days
December 28, 1870 June 20, 1874 John Ruggles October 8, 1789 1835–1841 Maine Democratic 84 years, 255 days
June 20, 1874 July 3, 1878 Daniel Sturgeon October 27, 1789 1840–1851 Pennsylvania Democratic 88 years, 249 days
July 3, 1878 September 16, 1887 Joseph Cilley January 4, 1791 1846–1847 New Hampshire Liberty 96 years, 255 days
September 16, 1887 June 26, 1889 Simon Cameron March 8, 1799 1845–1849, 1857–1861, 1867–1877 Pennsylvania Democratic, Republican 90 years, 110 days
June 26, 1889 April 4, 1893 David Meriwether October 30, 1800 1852–1852 Kentucky Democratic 92 years, 156 days
April 4, 1893 January 6, 1901 James Bradbury June 10, 1802 1847–1853 Maine Democratic 98 years, 210 days
January 6, 1901 October 7, 1906 Daniel Jewett September 14, 1807 1870–1871 Missouri Republican 99 years, 23 days
October 7, 1906 July 27, 1907 Edmund Pettus July 6, 1821 1897–1907 Alabama Democratic 86 years, 21 days
July 27, 1907 January 10, 1909 John Conness September 22, 1821 1863–1869 California Republican 87 years, 110 days
January 10, 1909 November 3, 1924 Cornelius Cole September 17, 1822 1867–1873 California Republican 102 years, 47 days
November 3, 1924 April 5, 1928 Chauncey Depew April 23, 1834 1899–1911 New York Republican 93 years, 348 days
April 5, 1928 January 24, 1930 Rebecca Felton June 10, 1835 1922–1922 Georgia Democratic 94 years, 228 days
January 24, 1930 April 12, 1933 Adelbert Ames October 31, 1835 1870–1874 Mississippi Republican 97 years, 163 days
April 12, 1933 February 7, 1937 Elihu Root February 15, 1845 1909–1915 New York Republican 91 years, 358 days
February 7, 1937 January 26, 1938 Newell Sanders July 12, 1850 1912–1913 Tennessee Republican 87 years, 198 days
January 26, 1938 July 24, 1938 Obadiah Gardner September 13, 1852 1911–1913 Maine Democratic 85 years, 314 days
July 24, 1938 April 30, 1940 Furnifold Simmons January 20, 1854 1901–1931 North Carolina Democratic 86 years, 101 days
April 30, 1940 April 21, 1941 Fountain Thompson November 18, 1854 1909–1910 North Dakota Democratic 86 years, 154 days
April 21, 1941 June 26, 1941 Andrew Houston June 21, 1854 1941–1941 Texas Democratic 87 years, 5 days
June 26, 1941 February 4, 1942 Fountain Thompson November 18, 1854 1909–1910 North Dakota Democratic 87 years, 78 days
February 4, 1942 July 19, 1947 Robert Owen February 2, 1856 1907–1925 Oklahoma Democratic 91 years, 167 days
July 19, 1947 July 27, 1954 Joseph Ransdell October 7, 1858 1913–1931 Louisiana Democratic 95 years, 293 days
July 27, 1954 March 1, 1958 Lawrence Phipps August 30, 1862 1919–1931 Colorado Republican 95 years, 183 days
March 1, 1958 March 3, 1961 Joseph Grundy January 13, 1863 1929–1930 Pennsylvania Republican 98 years, 49 days
March 3, 1961 May 24, 1961 George Pepper March 16, 1867 1922–1927 Pennsylvania Republican 94 years, 69 days
May 24, 1961 May 19, 1966 Theodore Green October 2, 1867 1937–1961 Rhode Island Democratic 98 years, 229 days
May 19, 1966 December 28, 1972 John Heiskell November 2, 1872 1913–1913 Arkansas Democratic 100 years, 56 days
December 28, 1972 July 29, 1974 George Radcliffe August 22, 1877 1935–1947 Maryland Democratic 96 years, 341 days
July 29, 1974 April 14, 1977 John Milton January 21, 1881 1938–1938 New Jersey Democratic 96 years, 83 days
April 14, 1977 May 15, 1983 Hall Lusk September 21, 1883 1960–1960 Oregon Democratic 99 years, 236 days
May 15, 1983 December 1, 1984 Stephen Young May 4, 1889 1959–1971 Ohio Democratic 95 years, 211 days
December 1, 1984 March 20, 1988 Samuel Reynolds August 11, 1890 1954–1954 Nebraska Republican 97 years, 222 days
March 20, 1988 March 14, 1989 Gladys Pyle October 4, 1890 1938–1939 South Dakota Republican 98 years, 161 days
March 14, 1989 September 23, 1992 Frank Briggs February 25, 1894 1945–1947 Missouri Democratic 98 years, 211 days
September 23, 1992 June 10, 1993 Milward Simpson November 12, 1897 1962–1967 Wyoming Republican 95 years, 210 days
June 10, 1993 May 29, 1995 Margaret Smith December 14, 1897 1949–1973 Maine Republican 97 years, 166 days
May 29, 1995 May 8, 1998 Jennings Randolph March 8, 1902 1958–1985 West Virginia Democratic 96 years, 61 days
May 8, 1998 June 26, 2003 Strom Thurmond December 5, 1902 1954–1956, 1956–2003 South Carolina Democratic, Republican 100 years, 203 days
June 26, 2003 August 18, 2004 Hiram Fong October 15, 1906 1959–1977 Hawaii Republican 97 years, 308 days
August 18, 2004 October 20, 2009 Clifford Hansen October 16, 1912 1967–1978 Wyoming Republican 97 years, 4 days
October 20, 2009 July 30, 2013 Harry F. Byrd Jr. December 20, 1914 1965–1983 Virginia Democratic, Independent 98 years, 222 days
July 30, 2013 January 3, 2015 Edward Brooke October 26, 1919 1967–1979 Massachusetts Republican 95 years, 69 days
January 3, 2015 December 8, 2016 John Glenn July 18, 1921 1974–1999 Ohio Democratic 95 years, 143 days
December 8, 2016 April 6, 2019 Fritz Hollings January 1, 1922 1966–2005 South Carolina Democratic 97 years, 95 days
April 6, 2019 December 26, 2019 Jocelyn Burdick February 6, 1922 1992 North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League 97 years, 323 days
December 26, 2019 Present James L. Buckley March 9, 1923 1971–1977 New York Conservative, Republican 98 years, 199 days

Oldest senators currently living

This is a list of the 100 oldest senators, current or former, currently living.

Key
Currently serving
Rank Senator Date of birth Senate term State served Party Age (years, days)
1 James L. Buckley March 9, 1923 1971–1977 New York Conservative/Republican caucus (1971–1976)

Republican (1976–1977)

98 years, 199 days
2 Bob Dole July 22, 1923 1969–1996 Kansas Republican 98 years, 64 days
3 Daniel J. Evans October 16, 1925 1983–1989 Washington Republican 95 years, 343 days
4 Jim Broyhill August 19, 1927 1986 North Carolina Republican 94 years, 36 days
5 Lauch Faircloth January 14, 1928 1993–1999 North Carolina Republican 93 years, 253 days
6 Dick Clark September 14, 1928 1973–1979 Iowa Democratic 93 years, 10 days
7 Nicholas F. Brady April 11, 1930 1982 New Jersey Republican 91 years, 166 days
8 Rudy Boschwitz November 7, 1930 1978–1991 Minnesota Independent-Republican 90 years, 321 days
9 Fred R. Harris November 13, 1930 1964–1973 Oklahoma Democratic 90 years, 315 days
10 Mack Mattingly January 7, 1931 1981–1987 Georgia Republican 90 years, 260 days
11 James Abourezk February 24, 1931 1973–1979 South Dakota Democratic 90 years, 212 days
12 Lowell Weicker May 16, 1931 1971–1989 Connecticut Republican 90 years, 131 days
13 Alan K. Simpson September 2, 1931 1979–1997 Wyoming Republican 90 years, 22 days
14 J. Bennett Johnston June 10, 1932 1972–1997 Louisiana Democratic 89 years, 106 days
15 Nancy Kassebaum July 29, 1932 1978–1997 Kansas Republican 89 years, 57 days
16 Bob Packwood September 11, 1932 1969–1995 Oregon Republican 89 years, 13 days
17 Jake Garn October 12, 1932 1974–1993 Utah Republican 88 years, 347 days
18 Frank Murkowski March 28, 1933 1981–2002 Alaska Republican 88 years, 180 days
19 Ben Nighthorse Campbell April 13, 1933 1993–2005 Colorado Democratic (1993–1995)

Republican (1995–2005)

88 years, 164 days
20 Dianne Feinstein June 22, 1933 1992–present California Democratic 88 years, 94 days
21 George J. Mitchell August 20, 1933 1980–1995 Maine Democratic 88 years, 35 days
22 Pete Wilson August 23, 1933 1983–1991 California Republican 88 years, 32 days
23 Chuck Grassley September 17, 1933 1981–present Iowa Republican 88 years, 7 days
24 Jean Carnahan December 20, 1933 2001–2002 Missouri Democratic 87 years, 278 days
25 Orrin Hatch March 22, 1934 1977–2019 Utah Republican 87 years, 186 days
26 Richard Shelby May 6, 1934 1987–present Alabama Democratic (1987–1994)

Republican (1994–present)

87 years, 141 days
27 David Durenberger August 19, 1934 1978–1995 Minnesota Independent-Republican 87 years, 36 days
28 David Pryor August 29, 1934 1979–1997 Arkansas Democratic 87 years, 26 days
29 Jim Inhofe November 17, 1934 1994–present Oklahoma Republican 86 years, 311 days
30 Herb Kohl February 7, 1935 1989–2013 Wisconsin Democratic 86 years, 229 days
31 Harrison Schmitt July 3, 1935 1977–1983 New Mexico Republican 86 years, 83 days
32 Bob Krueger September 19, 1935 1993 Texas Democratic 86 years, 5 days
33 Pat Roberts April 20, 1936 1997–2021 Kansas Republican 85 years, 157 days
34 Barbara Mikulski July 20, 1936 1987–2017 Maryland Democratic 85 years, 66 days
35 Elizabeth Dole July 29, 1936 2003–2009 North Carolina Republican 85 years, 57 days
36 John Danforth September 5, 1936 1976–1995 Missouri Republican 85 years, 19 days
37 Jim Sasser September 30, 1936 1977–1995 Tennessee Democratic 84 years, 359 days
38 Bob Graham November 9, 1936 1987–2005 Florida Democratic 84 years, 319 days
39 Gary Hart November 28, 1936 1975–1987 Colorado Democratic 84 years, 300 days
40 Dennis DeConcini May 8, 1937 1977–1995 Arizona Democratic 84 years, 139 days
41 Jay Rockefeller June 18, 1937 1985–2015 West Virginia Democratic 84 years, 98 days
42 Richard Bryan July 16, 1937 1989–2001 Nevada Democratic 84 years, 70 days
43 Al D'Amato August 1, 1937 1981–1999 New York Republican 84 years, 54 days
44 Roland Burris August 3, 1937 2009–2010 Illinois Democratic 84 years, 52 days
45 John F. Seymour December 3, 1937 1991–1992 California Republican 83 years, 295 days
46 Paul G. Kirk January 18, 1938 2009–2010 Massachusetts Democratic 83 years, 249 days
47 Donald Riegle February 4, 1938 1976–1995 Michigan Democratic 83 years, 232 days
48 Steve Symms April 23, 1938 1981–1993 Idaho Republican 83 years, 154 days
49 Kaneaster Hodges Jr. August 20, 1938 1977–1979 Arkansas Democratic 83 years, 35 days
50 Sam Nunn September 8, 1938 1972–1997 Georgia Democratic 83 years, 16 days
51 Kit Bond March 6, 1939 1987–2011 Missouri Republican 82 years, 202 days
52 Ted Kaufman March 15, 1939 2009–2010 Delaware Democratic 82 years, 193 days
53 Chuck Robb June 26, 1939 1989–2001 Virginia Democratic 82 years, 90 days
54 Tim Wirth September 22, 1939 1987–1993 Colorado Democratic 82 years, 2 days
55 Tom Harkin November 19, 1939 1985–2015 Iowa Democratic 81 years, 309 days
56 Harry Reid December 2, 1939 1987–2017 Nevada Democratic 81 years, 296 days
57 Donald W. Stewart February 8, 1940 1978–1981 Alabama Democratic 81 years, 228 days
58 Hank Brown February 12, 1940 1991–1997 Colorado Republican 81 years, 224 days
59 Patrick Leahy March 31, 1940 1975–present Vermont Democratic 81 years, 177 days
60 Lamar Alexander July 3, 1940 2003–2021 Tennessee Republican 81 years, 83 days
61 William Cohen August 28, 1940 1979–1997 Maine Republican 81 years, 27 days
62 Wyche Fowler October 6, 1940 1987–1993 Georgia Democratic 80 years, 353 days
63 Gordon J. Humphrey October 9, 1940 1979–1990 New Hampshire Republican 80 years, 350 days
64 Connie Mack III October 29, 1940 1989–2001 Florida Republican 80 years, 330 days
65 Barbara Boxer November 11, 1940 1993–2017 California Democratic 80 years, 317 days
66 Robert C. Smith March 30, 1941 1990–2003 New Hampshire Republican 80 years, 178 days
67 David Boren April 21, 1941 1979–1994 Oklahoma Democratic 80 years, 156 days
68 Ben Nelson May 17, 1941 2001–2013 Nebraska Democratic 80 years, 130 days
69 Bernie Sanders September 8, 1941 2007–present Vermont Independent/Democratic caucus 80 years, 16 days
70 Trent Lott October 9, 1941 1989–2007 Mississippi Republican 79 years, 350 days
71 Max Baucus December 11, 1941 1978–2014 Montana Democratic 79 years, 287 days
72 Mitch McConnell February 20, 1942 1985–present Kentucky Republican 79 years, 216 days
73 Joe Lieberman February 24, 1942 1989–2013 Connecticut Democratic (1989–2006)

Independent/Democratic caucus (2006–2013)

79 years, 212 days
74 Larry Pressler March 29, 1942 1979–1997 South Dakota Republican 79 years, 179 days
75 Jon Kyl April 25, 1942 1995–2013, 2018 Arizona Republican 79 years, 152 days
76 John Ashcroft May 9, 1942 1995–2001 Missouri Republican 79 years, 138 days
77 Byron Dorgan May 14, 1942 1992–2011 North Dakota Democratic–Nonpartisan League 79 years, 133 days
78 Bob Kasten June 19, 1942 1981–1993 Wisconsin Republican 79 years, 97 days
79 Phil Gramm July 8, 1942 1985–2002 Texas Republican 79 years, 78 days
80 Bill Nelson September 29, 1942 2001–2019 Florida Democratic 78 years, 360 days
81 Joe Biden November 20, 1942 1973–2009 Delaware Democratic 78 years, 308 days
82 Jim Risch May 3, 1943 2009–present Idaho Republican 78 years, 144 days
83 Dan Coats May 16, 1943 1989–1999, 2011–2017 Indiana Republican 78 years, 131 days
84 Kay Bailey Hutchison July 22, 1943 1993–2013 Texas Republican 78 years, 64 days
85 Bill Bradley July 28, 1943 1979–1997 New Jersey Democratic 78 years, 58 days
86 Bob Kerrey August 27, 1943 1989–2001 Nebraska Democratic 78 years, 28 days
87 Jeff Bingaman October 3, 1943 1983–2013 New Mexico Democratic 77 years, 356 days
88 Ben Cardin October 5, 1943 2007–present Maryland Democratic 77 years, 354 days
89 Saxby Chambliss November 10, 1943 2003–2015 Georgia Republican 77 years, 318 days
90 Wayne Allard December 2, 1943 1997–2009 Colorado Republican 77 years, 296 days
91 John Kerry December 11, 1943 1985–2013 Massachusetts Democratic 77 years, 287 days
92 John Breaux March 1, 1944 1987–2005 Louisiana Democratic 77 years, 207 days
93 Angus King March 31, 1944 2013–present Maine Independent/Democratic caucus 77 years, 177 days
94 Chris Dodd May 27, 1944 1981–2011 Connecticut Democratic 77 years, 120 days
95 Dick Durbin November 21, 1944 1997–present Illinois Democratic 76 years, 307 days
96 Johnny Isakson December 28, 1944 2005–2019 Georgia Republican 76 years, 270 days
97 Sheila Frahm March 22, 1945 1996 Kansas Republican 76 years, 186 days
98 Larry Craig July 20, 1945 1991–2009 Idaho Republican 76 years, 66 days
99 Jim Webb February 9, 1946 2007–2013 Virginia Democratic 75 years, 227 days