earliest serving united states senator 

Statements about this table:
senator dick clark be part of the democratic party
senator joseph tydings enter his seat on january 3 , 1965
the state of maryland have an entry time of 50years , 40days
congressman dick clark be neither a deomcrat nor a republican
congressman joseph tydings enter his seat for the republican before 1960
rank
senator
date of birth
entered senate
left senate
state served
party
time since entry
1
birch bayh
january 22 , 1928
january 3 , 1963
january 3 , 1981
indiana
democrat
51years , 29days
2
fred r harris
november 13 , 1930
november 4 , 1964
january 3 , 1973
oklahoma
democrat
49years , 89days
3
walter mondale
january 5 , 1928
december 30 , 1964
december 30 , 1976
minnesota
democrat
49years , 33days
4
joseph tydings
may 4 , 1928
january 3 , 1965
january 3 , 1971
maryland
democrat
49years , 29days
5
robert p griffin
november 6 , 1923
may 11 , 1966
january 2 , 1979
michigan
republican
47years , 266days
6
ernest hollings
january 1 , 1922
november 9 , 1966
january 3 , 2005
south carolina
democrat
47years , 84days
7
howard baker
november 15 , 1925
january 3 , 1967
january 3 , 1985
tennessee
republican
47years , 29days
7
edward brooke
october 26 , 1919
january 3 , 1967
january 3 , 1979
massachusetts
republican
47years , 29days
9
marlow cook
july 27 , 1926
december 17 , 1968
december 27 , 1974
kentucky
republican
45years , 46days
10
bob dole
july 22 , 1923
january 3 , 1969
june 1 , 1996
kansas
republican
45years , 29days
rank
senator
date of birth
entered senate
left senate
state served
party
time since entry
10
mike gravel
may 13 , 1930
january 3 , 1969
january 3 , 1981
alaska
democrat
45years , 29days
10
bob packwood
september 11 , 1932
january 3 , 1969
october 1 , 1995
oregon
republican
45years , 29days
10
richard schweiker
june 1 , 1926
january 3 , 1969
january 3 , 1981
pennsylvania
republican
45years , 29days
14
adlai stevenson iii
october 10 , 1930
november 17 , 1970
january 3 , 1981
illinois
democrat
43years , 76days
15
john v tunney
june 26 , 1934
january 2 , 1971
january 1 , 1977
california
democrat
43years , 30days
16
bill brock
november 23 , 1930
january 3 , 1971
january 3 , 1977
tennessee
republican
43years , 29days
16
james l buckley
march 9 , 1923
january 3 , 1971
january 3 , 1977
new york
conservative
43years , 29days
16
lowell p weicker , jr
may 16 , 1931
january 3 , 1971
january 3 , 1989
connecticut
republican
43years , 29days
19
david h gambrell
december 20 , 1929
february 1 , 1971
november 8 , 1972
georgia
democrat
43years , 0days
20
elaine s edwards
march 8 , 1929
august 1 , 1972
november 13 , 1972
louisiana
democrat
41years , 184days
rank
senator
date of birth
entered senate
left senate
state served
party
time since entry
21
sam nunn
september 8 , 1938
november 8 , 1972
january 3 , 1997
georgia
democrat
41years , 85days
22
bennett johnston jr
june 10 , 1932
november 13 , 1972
january 3 , 1997
louisiana
democrat
41years , 80days
23
james abourezk
february 24 , 1931
january 3 , 1973
january 3 , 1979
south dakota
democrat
41years , 29days
23
joe biden
november 20 , 1942
january 3 , 1973
january 15 , 2009
delaware
democrat
41years , 29days
23
dick clark
september 14 , 1928
january 3 , 1973
january 3 , 1979
iowa
democrat
41years , 29days
23
pete domenici
may 7 , 1932
january 3 , 1973
january 3 , 2009
new mexico
republican
41years , 29days
23
walter huddleston
april 15 , 1926
january 3 , 1973
january 3 , 1985
kentucky
democrat
41years , 29days
28
paul laxalt
august 2 , 1922
december 18 , 1974
january 3 , 1987
nevada
republican
39years , 45days
29
john glenn
july 18 , 1921
december 24 , 1974
january 3 , 1999
ohio
democrat
39years , 39days