--- title: Meet 6 of the Longest-Serving Politicians in U.S. History description: On Dec. 14 Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad marks his 7,642nd day of service as governor canonical: https://time.com/4148069/longest-serving-politicians-history/ author: TIME Photo article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-12-14T20:38:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:00:45.584Z article:section: Politics og:title: Meet 6 of the Longest-Serving Politicians og:description: In U.S. history. og:url: https://time.com/4148069/longest-serving-politicians-history/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0250fa70dea6e9da/698875440a4a22264a9c77c4/longest-serving-politicians-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2100 og:image:height: 1181 og:image:alt: Terry Branstad og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Meet 6 of the Longest-Serving Politicians twitter:description: In U.S. history. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt0250fa70dea6e9da/698875440a4a22264a9c77c4/longest-serving-politicians-01.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Meet 6 of the Longest-Serving Politicians in U.S. History > Sponsored content. 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Brief is TIME's Washington newsletter, written by senior correspondent Philip Elliott. It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, three times a week. It reaches 85,000 subscribers with a 37.0% open rate as of August 2026. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Dec 14, 2015 8:38 PM UTC  Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad at a proclamation signing at Jordan Creek Elementary School, in West Des Moines, Iowa. On Dec. 14, the six-term Republican marks his 7,642nd day of service as governor, making him the longest-serving governor in American history. Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad at a proclamation signing at Jordan Creek Elementary School, in West Des Moines, Iowa. On Dec. 14, the six-term Republican marks his 7,642nd day of service as governor, making him the longest-serving governor in American history. Charlie Neibergall—AP by [TIME Photo](https://time.com/author/time-photo/) ## TIME Photo Dec 14, 2015 8:38 PM UTC  Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad at a proclamation signing at Jordan Creek Elementary School, in West Des Moines, Iowa. On Dec. 14, the six-term Republican marks his 7,642nd day of service as governor, making him the longest-serving governor in American history. Charlie Neibergall—AP  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt waves from a lectern just after he took his fourth Oath of Office in Washington in 1945\. With him are his Vice President Harry S. Truman and his son James Roosevelt. Roosevelt, the longest-serving president in American history, was the only one to serve more than two terms. Photoquest/Getty Images  Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn with his gavel. Rayburn served as Speaker for 17 years, the longest tenure in U.S. history. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection  Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., in his Rayburn office. Dingell served for more than 59 years—the longest Congressional tenure in U.S. history. Tom Williams—CQ-Roll Call/Getty Images  Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., on Capitol Hill in Washington. Byrd was the longest-serving U.S. Senator at the time of his death. Carolyn Kaster—AP  A bronze statue of Richmond Mayor Hilmar Moore, is displayed outside City Hall in Richmond, Texas. Moore, who was appointed as mayor in 1949 and then won 32 consecutive elections, was the longest serving mayor in the U.S. when he died after serving as mayor for 63 years. 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