That Rep. Ralph M. Hall (R-Tex.) has filed to run for re-election in 2010 shouldnt be much of a story. After all its more newsworthy if a member of Congress retires than if he or she runs for re-election. But Hall would make history if he is re-elected next year in the northeastern 4th district and then serves all of what would be his 16th two-year term in the House.
Thats because Hall at 86 the oldest member of the House would become its oldest member in history if he wins and completes that term.
By my calculations Hall (born May 3 1923) would set the record on Christmas Day 2012 a little more than four months shy of his 90th birthday (at the precise age of 32744 days). The new term Hall is seeking in the 2010 election would expire in early January 2013.
According to the House clerks office the oldest House member on record is Charles Stedman (D-N.C.) who died in office in 1930 at the age of 89 years and nearly eight months (32743 days).
Just behind Stedman on the oldest House members list is Sidney Yates (D-Ill.) who was born in August 1909 and retired from Congress at the beginning of 1999 at the age of 89 years and just over four months (or 32636 days). Yates died in October 2000.
According to the House historians office the other House members who were older than Halls current age of 86 years and seven-plus months (31634 days as of Dec. 11 2009) are Robert Doughton (D-N.C.) who served from 1911 until 1953 when he retired at the age of 89 years and nearly two months (32564 days); Claude Pepper (D-Fla.) who died in office in 1989 at the age of 88 years and nearly nine months (32406 days); and Joseph G. Cannon (R-Ill.) a former Speaker who retired in March 1923 after 46 years in the House and at the age of 86 years and almost 10 months (31710 days).
The oldest Representative first elected to the House probably was Isaac Bloom (N.Y.) who was born around 1716 entered the House in March 1803 and died less than two months later when he would have been 86 or 87 years old.
Hall just passed Adolph J. Sabath (D-Ill.) who served in the House from 1907 until his death in November 1952 at the age of 86 years and seven-plus months (31627 days).
First elected in 1980 as a conservative Democrat (he switched parties in January 2004) Hall has seldom faced a competitive race. In the 2008 Republican primary Hall defeated four opponents with 73 percent of the vote then beat Democrat Glenn Melancon in the general election with 69 percent of the vote -- the same vote percentage that John McCain received in the strongly conservative districts presidential balloting.
The 2010 primary will be held March 2. The candidate filing deadline is Jan. 4.
CQ Politics presently rates the Texas 4 race as Safe Republican.
That Rep. Ralph M. Hall (R-Tex.) has filed to run for re-election in 2010 shouldnt be much of a story. After all its more newsworthy if a member of Congress retires than if he or she runs for re-election. But Hall would make history if he is re-elected next year in the northeastern 4th district and then serves all of what would be his 16th two-year term in the House.
Thats because Hall at 86 the oldest member of the House would become its oldest member in history if he wins and completes that term.
By my calculations Hall (born May 3 1923) would set the record on Christmas Day 2012 a little more than four months shy of his 90th birthday (at the precise age of 32744 days). The new term Hall is seeking in the 2010 election would expire in early January 2013.
According to the House clerks office the oldest House member on record is Charles Stedman (D-N.C.) who died in office in 1930 at the age of 89 years and nearly eight months (32743 days).
Just behind Stedman on the oldest House members list is Sidney Yates (D-Ill.) who was born in August 1909 and retired from Congress at the beginning of 1999 at the age of 89 years and just over four months (or 32636 days). Yates died in October 2000.
According to the House historians office the other House members who were older than Halls current age of 86 years and seven-plus months (31634 days as of Dec. 11 2009) are Robert Doughton (D-N.C.) who served from 1911 until 1953 when he retired at the age of 89 years and nearly two months (32564 days); Claude Pepper (D-Fla.) who died in office in 1989 at the age of 88 years and nearly nine months (32406 days); and Joseph G. Cannon (R-Ill.) a former Speaker who retired in March 1923 after 46 years in the House and at the age of 86 years and almost 10 months (31710 days).
The oldest Representative first elected to the House probably was Isaac Bloom (N.Y.) who was born around 1716 entered the House in March 1803 and died less than two months later when he would have been 86 or 87 years old.
Hall just passed Adolph J. Sabath (D-Ill.) who served in the House from 1907 until his death in November 1952 at the age of 86 years and seven-plus months (31627 days).
First elected in 1980 as a conservative Democrat (he switched parties in January 2004) Hall has seldom faced a competitive race. In the 2008 Republican primary Hall defeated four opponents with 73 percent of the vote then beat Democrat Glenn Melancon in the general election with 69 percent of the vote -- the same vote percentage that John McCain received in the strongly conservative districts presidential balloting.
The 2010 primary will be held March 2. The candidate filing deadline is Jan. 4.
CQ Politics presently rates the Texas 4 race as Safe Republican.
