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From Common Sense
Back in 2012, U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch pledged that, if elected, his current six-year term would be his last. On Election Day 2018, Hatch will be 84 years old — and have spent more than half his life in Washington.
Still, Utah’s senior senator just announced he intends to run for re-election for an eighth term.
Lifetime Judges or Lifetime Congressmen
By Alannah NicPhaidin
The longest serving Supreme Court Justice ever was William O. Douglas, who served from April 17th, 1939- November 12th, 1975. Total time served: 36 years and 209 days.
He would barely crack the top 80 longest serving members of Congress, and by the end of the year, he will be would have been knocked down to 84th.
“Lifetime” Tenure Judges Still Serve Less Than Politicians
By Paul Jacob
The longest serving justice in our history was William O. Douglas, who spent nearly 37 years on the High Court. But if Douglas had spent that epoch in Congress, he wouldn’t place first, but 80th.
In fact, three Judiciary Committee members — Senators Patrick Leahy, Chuck Grassley and Orrin Hatch — have already served longer than any High Court justice in American history.
