Who is the earliest serving political figure that you have seen in person?

[retromike22]

Bob Dole, Senator from 1969, U.S. Representative from 1961.

I saw him in San Diego when he was running for President in 1996.

Edit: By earliest serving I mean out of all the politicians you have seen in person, who served in their position the earliest?

Example: If you saw Reagan, Clinton, and Obama in person, this person would be Reagan.

[SWE]

I met Bob Dole last year in Washington DC

[TDAS04]

George McGovern

[Miles]

Edwin Edwards.

[Flake]

Bill Clinton

[Türkisblau]

I saw Dingell at an event I went to when I was up visiting family in MI.

[MaxQue]

François Gendron, many things (former Speaker of the Quebec National Assembly, vice-Premier, interim PQ leader among other things), MNA since 1976.

[TNF]

Steve Beshear

[Indy Texas]

Poppy Bush

[Brewer]

Joe Biden, followed closely by former Minnesota Secretary of State Joan Growe.

[free my dawg]

Bill Clinton.

EDIT: Soon to be tied with Bob Walker.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I met Dingell once.

[LeBron]

Bill Clinton, though now that Mikulski's retiring, Congresswoman Kaptur (who I met) will be the longest serving woman in Congress.

[Hatman 🍁]

I saw our mayor's car in the mid 1990s, does that count? Not sure if she was in it, but my dad said it was her because the license plate was "OTTAWA".

I can't recall for certain who the first politician I saw was. But it might have been our regional councillor in 1997 (I was 11).

[Mister Mets]

I'm now convinced that I should attend a speech by Biden if given the opportunity.

[Adam Griffin]

I suppose Sam Nunn.

[Sumner 1868]

Brian Schweitzer.

[J-Mann]

Bob Dole, I believe. I saw him twice around Memorial Day last year -- once at a ceremony at the WWII memorial and once at Arlington.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Silvio O. Conte came to me in a dream (normal).

[ElectionsGuy]

Paul Ryan

[BaconBacon96]

Rod Welford was a State MP in Queensland from 1989 to 2009.

[Bacon King]

Ike Skelton

[Thunderbird is the word]

When I was in high school I got comped into a Democratic fundraiser and shook hands with Howard Dean, this was in 2004 but after he'd already dropped out of the race and was campaigning for Kerry. Really personable.

[The Mikado]

Jimmy Carter, followed by Newt Gingrich, followed by John McCain.

Surprised to not see more Carters on the list, the man's certainly made some rounds.

[The Dowager Mod]

Nixon.