Senator Robert Byrd, a Democrat from West Virginia (which sounds odd, come to think of it), has been hospitalized in serious condition.The 92-year-old was admitted to a Washington area hospital last week. His office lists him as "seriously ill". Initially it was believed he was suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Last year, Senator Byrd was hospitalized for 6 weeks due to a staph infection.
Last November, he became the longest-serving member of Congress at more than 57 years, surpassing the old record set by Arizona Democrat Carl T. Hayden. Byrd also is the only person elected to nine full terms in the Senate. Senator Byrd served 3 terms in the House of Representatives before becoming a Senator. He has never lost an election.
Always a controversial figure in politics, he has in the past been a member of the Ku Klux Klan and a pro-segregationist. Despite this, he remains a Democrat and has changed his position on a number of inflammatory topics.
He is a widower with two daughters, two sons-in-law, five living grandchildren (another deceased) and six great-grandchildren.
He was a good friend of the late Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy.
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