Grassley, Harkin now 9th, 13th most senior senators

With the death of Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WV, June 28, Iowa's Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin are now the ninth and 13

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most senior members of the Senate, respectively.

For a complete seniority list, visit http://tinyurl.com/2c5jw6w.

Assuming Grassley and all other current senators are re-elected this fall, he will move up to eighth and Harkin likely will move up to 11th because of the retirement of Sen. Chris Dodd and the defeat of Sen. Arlen Specter in a primary race. Harkin joined the Senate in 1985, the same year as Sen. Johns Kerry, Mitch McConnell and Jay Rockefeller. In those cases, seniority is determined based on 11 tie-breaker criteria used, such as House service and state population. Kerry is 12

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in seniority, McConnell and Rockefeller are 14

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and 15

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.