West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd's death this morning at age 92 marks the end of a Senate career that began in January, 1959, and one that ran the gamut from opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights bill to opposition to the Iraq War. As chairman of the Appropriations Committee for many years, Byrd steered billions of dollars to West Virginia over his 51 year career.
If the current assumptions concerning West Virginia law hold, Dem Gov. Joe Manchin will be responsible for appointing someone to fill the remaining two and a half years of Byrd's term, so there should be no change in the balance of seats in the Senate. After that point, it's assumed that Manchin (who won't appoint himself to the interim job) will run for the seat in 2012.
(photo: Associated Press; Byrd at Sen. Ted Kennedy's funeral service)
