ROCKWALL (AP/CBSDFW) - Representative Ralph Hall is set to become the oldest member of the U.S. House ever, a few months shy of his 90th birthday.

The Republican is on pace this week to pass North Carolina Rep. Charles Manly Stedman, who died in office in 1930 at 89 years, 7 months and 25 days old. Hall earlier this month had already become the oldest member ever to cast a vote.

Representative Ralph Hall, (R) Rockwall

Hall, who switched from Democrat to Republican in 2004, recently won re-election to his 17th term from his North Texas district which now encorporates Rockwall County, much of Collin County and everything from Sherman to Texarkana.

Hall was originally elected to the House of Representatives in 1980, and has claimed victory in his district ever since.

It’s more common for senators to stay longer in office, in part because senators run for re-election every six years instead of every two.

Hall describes himself as “just an old guy” who has “lived pretty clean.”

Copyright The Associated Press