Don Young | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Official portrait, c. 2020 | |||||||||||||||||||||
45th Dean of the United States House of Representatives | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office December 5, 2017 – March 18, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | John Conyers | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Hal Rogers | ||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Alaska's at-large district | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office March 6, 1973 – March 18, 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Nick Begich | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Mary Peltola | ||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the Alaska Senate from the I district | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 11, 1971 – March 6, 1973 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Paul Haggland | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | George Silides | ||||||||||||||||||||
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 16th district | |||||||||||||||||||||
In office January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1971 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Preceded by | Multi-member district | ||||||||||||||||||||
Succeeded by | Multi-member district | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Donald Edwin Young June 9, 1933 Meridian, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Died | March 18, 2022 SeaTac, Washington, U.S. | (aged 88)||||||||||||||||||||
Political party | Republican | ||||||||||||||||||||
Spouses | Lu Fredson
(m. 1963; died 2009)Anne Garland Walton (m. 2015) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Children | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Education | Yuba College California State University, Chico (BA) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Military service | |||||||||||||||||||||
Allegiance | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||
Branch/service | ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||
Years of service | 1955–1957 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Unit | 41st Tank Battalion | ||||||||||||||||||||
Donald Edwin Young (June 9, 1933 – March 18, 2022) was an American politician in Alaska. He was the longest-serving Republican in House history, having been the U.S. representative for Alaska's at-large congressional district for 49 years, from 1973 until his death in 2022.
Born and raised in California, Young moved to Alaska in 1959 after a stint in the U.S. Army. He worked various careers, including sailing and teaching, in the small city of Fort Yukon, where he was elected mayor in 1964. He entered state politics two years later, when he won a seat in the Alaska House of Representatives, and advanced to the Alaska Senate in 1970. In 1972, he ran for a seat in the House of Representatives against incumbent Democrat Nick Begich. Weeks before the election, Begich disappeared and was presumed dead in a plane crash, though he still (likely posthumously) won the vote. Young ran in a special election to fill the vacant post the following year, defeating Democrat Emil Notti. He was re-elected to the seat 24 times.
In Congress, Young chaired the House Resources Committee from 1995 to 2001 and the House Transportation Committee from 2001 to 2007. The Associated Press said that he was known for his "brusque" and "off-color" demeanor, and The New York Times described him as having "cultivated the image of a rugged frontiersman"; his prominent personality, long tenure, and position as his state's sole House member led to him occasionally being dubbed "Alaska's third senator".[1][2]
Young became the 45th dean of the United States House of Representatives in December 2017, after John Conyers resigned. He was the first Republican in that office in more than 84 years. The last was Gilbert N. Haugen (R-Iowa), who was defeated for re-election in 1932, during the Great Depression, when many Democrats were elected on the coattails of presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt.