Let’s say that Walter Mondale replaces Senator Wellstone…
Does his cumulative seniority from his prior term as a senator apply, or does he just become the most junior member of the senate?
That’s up to the other Senate Democrats to decide. Last night on CNN, one of the talking heads was speculating that the party would offer Mondale his previous seniority, plus a committee chairmanship, as an inducement to enter the race.
However, Mondale would become the junior senator from Minnesota for purposes of referring to him that way.
While seniority in the Senate is important, it doesn’t hold as much sway as it did in the past.
A Senator Walter Mondale would likely receive some good committee assignment because he is a former Vice President.
And the last former VP to join the Senate: another Minnesotan, Hubert Humphrey.