Youngest U.S. senators ever elected
The youngest U.S. senators ever elected took office at 29: Joe Biden in 1972 and Rush Holt in 1934, each elected below the Constitution’s minimum age of 30. The oldest, Strom Thurmond, won a term at 93.
| # | Senator | Age at election | Elected | Seat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rush D. HoltD | 29 | 1934 | West Virginia |
| 2 | Joe BidenD | 29 | 1972 | Delaware |
| 3 | Edward M. KennedyD | 30 | 1962 | Massachusetts |
| 4 | Don NicklesR | 31 | 1980 | Oklahoma |
| 5 | Russell B. LongD | 32 | 1950 | Louisiana |
| 6 | Frank ChurchD | 32 | 1956 | Idaho |
| 7 | Gerald P. NyeR | 33 | 1926 | North Dakota |
| 8 | Fred R. HarrisD | 33 | 1964 | Oklahoma |
| 9 | Dan QuayleR | 33 | 1980 | Indiana |
| 10 | Henry Cabot Lodge Jr.R | 34 | 1936 | Massachusetts |
| 11 | Birch BayhD | 34 | 1962 | Indiana |
| 12 | Sam NunnD | 34 | 1972 | Georgia |
| 13 | Patrick J. LeahyD | 34 | 1974 | Vermont |
| 14 | Jon OssoffD | 34 | 2021 | Georgia |
| 15 | John F. KennedyD | 35 | 1952 | Massachusetts |
| 16 | Bill BradleyD | 35 | 1978 | New Jersey |
| 17 | Paul S. Trible Jr.R | 35 | 1982 | Virginia |
| 18 | Sam G. BrattonD | 36 | 1924 | New Mexico |
| 19 | Joseph D. TydingsD | 36 | 1964 | Maryland |
| 20 | Bob PackwoodR | 36 | 1968 | Oregon |
| 21 | John V TunneyD | 36 | 1970 | California |
| 22 | Max BaucusD | 36 | 1978 | Montana |
| 23 | Larry PresslerI | 36 | 1978 | South Dakota |
| 24 | Christopher J. DoddD | 36 | 1980 | Connecticut |
| 25 | Al GoreD | 36 | 1984 | Tennessee |
How this ranking is measured
U.S. senators ranked by their age on Election Day (the Tuesday after the first Monday in November) at the youngest election they won. The Constitution requires a senator to be 30 to take the seat, but a candidate can be elected younger and turn 30 before being sworn in, as Joe Biden (1972) and Rush Holt (1934) each did at 29. Limited to popularly elected senators (1914–present) with a known birth date. Those who first reached the Senate by appointment are counted only once they won an election.