Seniority clearly has its advantages. Nowhere is that truism more poignant than in politics.
Take the case of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, who has represented the Mahoning Valley and its neighbors for 10 two-year terms. That’s several years longer than even the Valley’s legendary congressman James A. Traficant Jr. who preceded Ryan.
It’s no surprise then that over those two decades of service on Capitol Hill, Ryan consistently has built clout and influence. The most recent stop on that power-building trek came last month, when the 47-year-old accepted his appointment as vice chairman of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee.