36-Year-Old Will Succeed Robert Byrd

The US Senate seat occupied by Robert Byrd, who died last month, will be temporarily filled by a former aide to West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin, USA Today reports. Carte Goodwin, 36, will occupy the seat until a special election for a successor to serve out Byrd's term, which ends in 2012. Goodwin will be youngest person in the current Senate; Byrd, 92, was the oldest.

After Goodwin is seated, Democrats will once again have 60 votes in the Senate, a total expected to relieve the logjam over extending unemployment benefits.