ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, April 9, 1996 TAG: 9604090102
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: AIKEN, S.C.
Strom Thurmond, at 93 the oldest person ever to serve in the Senate, began his bid for an eighth term Monday, saying he has ``unfinished business'' to complete.
``We cannot and I shall not give up on our mission to right the 40-year wrongs of liberalism,'' the Republican senator said at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. ``The people of South Carolina know that Strom Thurmond doesn't like unfinished business.''
If re-elected, Thurmond would become the longest-serving senator ever in May 1997, breaking the record set by Carl Hayden. Hayden, an Arizona Democrat, was in the Senate for 42 years before retiring in 1969 at age 91.
Thurmond may face his strongest re-election challenge in almost two decades from Democrat Elliott Close, a 42-year-old heir to the Springs Industries textile fortune. The senator faces token opposition in the GOP primary.
Recent polls have found that Thurmond's age and length of service - he took office in 1955 - could be issues in the fall.
Last month, Thurmond became the oldest person ever to serve in the Senate, surpassing Democrat Theodore Greene of Rhode Island, who retired in 1961 at the age of 93 years, 3 months and 1 day.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 34 lines KEYWORDS: POLITICS CONGRESSby CNB