Thurmond’s Wife Is Insistent: No Service in Senate for Her. The deteriorating health of Strom Thurmond, at 98 the oldest member of the Senate, is a matter of intense political focus and expectancy because the Democratic governor of South Carolina would probably appoint a Democrat as his replacement, giving the Democrats a 51-49 majority. Thurmond, who is probably too enfeebled to do his job already but hangs in there, reportedly secretly offered the Governor his resignation if his wife would be appointed to complete his term, but she has just indicated her unwillingness to do so. New York Times