Posted 6:13 am Tuesday, January 01, 2013
Send to Kindle
Ralph Hall oldest to serve in Congress
Staff and Wire Reports
U.S. Rep. Ralph Hall, 89, became the oldest serving congressman in history on Christmas Day.
Hall, elected in 1980 and represented portions of Smith County and East Texas, eclipsed North Carolina Rep. Charles Manly Stedman, who died in office in 1930 at age 89, seven months and 25 days.
The Rockwall con-gressman became the oldest House member to cast a vote this year. On May 3, Hall will turn 90.
Hall was elected to his 17th term in the House in November.
He graduated from Rockwall High School and joined the Navy during World War II. Hall has been active as a businessman and politician.
He served as Rockwall County Judge and later as a state senator before being elected to the U.S. House as a Democrat. Hall switched parties in 2004.
