List of longest-serving governors of U.S. states

This list contains the 50 governors of states in the United States who have served for the longest years, consecutively or otherwise. Pre-statehood territorial and colonial governors are not included.[1]

Terry Branstad governor of Iowa, tenure of 22 years, 4 months, and 13 days makes him the longest-serving governor in American history
By time in office
# Governor State Time in office Took office Left office Party
1 Terry Branstad[2] Iowa 8,169 days January 14, 1983 January 15, 1999 Republican
January 14, 2011 May 24, 2017
2 George Clinton New York 7,641 days July 30, 1777 June 30, 1795 Democratic-Republican
July 1, 1801 June 30, 1804
3 George Wallace Alabama 5,848 days January 14, 1963 January 16, 1967 Democratic
January 18, 1971 January 15, 1979
January 17, 1983 January 19, 1987
4 Jerry Brown California 5,847 days January 6, 1975 January 3, 1983 Democratic
January 3, 2011 January 7, 2019
Bill Janklow South Dakota 5,847 days January 1, 1979 January 6, 1987 Republican
January 7, 1995 January 3, 2003
6 Jim Rhodes Ohio 5,840 days January 14, 1963 January 11, 1971 Republican
January 13, 1975 January 10, 1983
Jim Hunt North Carolina 5,840 days January 8, 1977 January 5, 1985 Democratic
January 9, 1993 January 6, 2001
8 Edwin Edwards Louisiana 5,784 days May 9, 1972 March 10, 1980 Democratic
March 12, 1984 March 14, 1988
January 13, 1992 January 8, 1996
9 Arthur Fenner Rhode Island 5,642 days May 5, 1790 October 15, 1805 Country
10 Albert Ritchie Maryland 5,475 days January 14, 1920 January 9, 1935 Democratic
11 Nelson Rockefeller New York 5,466 days January 1, 1959 December 18, 1973 Republican
12 Rick Perry Texas 5,144 days December 21, 2000 January 20, 2015 Republican
13 Tommy Thompson Wisconsin 5,142 days January 5, 1987 February 1, 2001 Republican
14 Cecil Andrus Idaho 5,132 days January 4, 1971 January 23, 1977 Democratic
January 5, 1987 January 2, 1995
15 John Taylor Gilman New Hampshire 5,119 days June 5, 1794 June 6, 1805 Federalist
June 3, 1813 June 6, 1816
16 Jim Thompson Illinois 5,118 days January 10, 1977 January 14, 1991 Republican
17 Robert D. Ray Iowa 5,112 days January 16, 1969 January 14, 1983 Republican
18 William Milliken Michigan 5,093 days January 22, 1969 January 1, 1983 Republican
19 George W. P. Hunt Arizona 5,090 days February 14, 1912 January 1, 1917 Democratic
December 25, 1917 January 6, 1919
January 1, 1923 January 7, 1929
January 5, 1931 January 2, 1933
20 William Livingston New Jersey 5,077 days August 31, 1776 July 25, 1790 Federalist
21 James Fenner Rhode Island 4,749 days May 6, 1807 May 1, 1811 Democratic-Republican,
Law and Order
May 5, 1824 May 4, 1831
May 2, 1843 May 6, 1845
22 Isaac Halstead Williamson New Jersey 4,650 days February 6, 1817 October 30, 1829 Democratic-Republican
23 John Kitzhaber Oregon 4,428 days January 9, 1995 January 13, 2003 Democratic
January 10, 2011 February 18, 2015
24 William Carroll Tennessee 4,395 days October 1, 1821 October 1, 1827 Democratic-Republican,
Democratic
October 1, 1829 October 12, 1835
25 Arch A. Moore Jr. West Virginia 4,391 days January 13, 1969 January 17, 1977 Republican
January 14, 1985 January 16, 1989
26 Butch Otter Idaho 4,390 days January 1, 2007 January 7, 2019 Republican
27 Bruce King New Mexico 4,386 days January 1, 1971 January 1, 1975 Democratic
January 1, 1979 January 1, 1983
January 1, 1991 January 1, 1995
28 Arthur B. Langlie Washington 4,384 days January 15, 1941 January 10, 1945 Republican
January 12, 1949 January 16, 1957
G. Mennen Williams Michigan 4,384 days January 1, 1949 January 1, 1961 Democratic
Michael Dukakis Massachusetts 4,384 days January 2, 1975 January 4, 1979 Democratic
January 6, 1983 January 3, 1991
John Engler Michigan 4,384 days January 1, 1991 January 1, 2003 Republican
32 Thomas E. Dewey New York 4,383 days January 1, 1943 December 31, 1954 Republican
Robert E. Smylie Idaho 4,383 days January 3, 1955 January 2, 1967 Republican
Orval Faubus Arkansas 4,383 days January 11, 1955 January 10, 1967 Democratic
John A. Burns Hawaii 4,383 days December 3, 1962 December 2, 1974 Democratic
Cal Rampton Utah 4,383 days January 4, 1965 January 3, 1977 Democratic
Daniel J. Evans Washington 4,383 days January 13, 1965 January 12, 1977 Republican
George Ariyoshi Hawaii 4,383 days December 2, 1974 December 1, 1986 Democratic
Edgar Herschler Wyoming 4,383 days January 6, 1975 January 5, 1987 Democratic
Richard Lamm Colorado 4,383 days January 14, 1975 January 13, 1987 Democratic
Mario Cuomo New York 4,383 days January 1, 1983 December 31, 1994 Democratic
Roy Romer Colorado 4,383 days January 13, 1987 January 12, 1999 Democratic
George Pataki New York 4,383 days January 1, 1995 December 31, 2006 Republican
44 William L. Guy North Dakota 4,382 days January 4, 1961 January 2, 1973 Democratic–Nonpartisan League
45 Bill Clinton Arkansas 4,366 days January 9, 1979 January 19, 1981 Democratic
January 11, 1983 December 12, 1992
46 Jay Inslee Washington 4,360 days January 16, 2013 incumbent Democratic
47 William A. Egan Alaska 4,351 days January 3, 1959 December 5, 1966 Democratic
December 7, 1970 December 2, 1974
49 John Marshall Stone Mississippi 4,305 days March 29, 1876 January 2, 1882 Democratic
January 13, 1890 January 20, 1896
49 Jonathan Trumbull Jr. Connecticut 4,267 days December 1, 1797 August 7, 1809 Federalist
50 John Sevier Tennessee 4,193 days March 30, 1796 September 23, 1801 Democratic-Republican
September 23, 1803 September 20, 1809

References

edit
  1. ^ "The Top 50 Longest Serving Governors in US History (Updated)". 29 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Terry Branstad Is Now The Longest-Serving Governor In American History". The Huffington Post (archived). Associated Press. December 14, 2015. Archived from the original on January 2, 2016. Retrieved December 15, 2015.