Ernest Frederick "Fritz" Hollings (January 1, 1922 – April 6, 2019) was an American politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1949 to 1954, the 77th lieutenant governor of South Carolina from 1955 to 1959, the 106th governor of South Carolina from 1959 to 1963, and a member of the United States Senate from South Carolina from 1966 to 2005. He served alongside Democrat-turned-Republican Senator Strom Thurmond for 36 years, making them the longest-serving duo in U.S. Senate history. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former U.S. senator and the second-oldest living former American governor. As of 2025, he is the last Democrat to hold or win a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina.
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Biography
Ernest Frederick "Fritz" Hollings (January 1, 1922 – April 6, 2019) was an American politician from the U.S. state of South Carolina. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1949 to 1954, the 77th lieutenant governor of South Carolina from 1955 to 1959, the 106th governor of South Carolina from 1959 to 1963, and a member of the United States Senate from South Carolina from 1966 to 2005. He served alongside Democrat-turned-Republican Senator Strom Thurmond for 36 years, making them the longest-serving duo in U.S. Senate history. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former U.S. senator and the second-oldest living former American governor. As of 2025, he is the last Democrat to hold or win a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina.
