Is age a political issue? U.S. Senators who are 70 or older

Sen. Orrin Hatch and his Democratic challenger Scott Howell battled over age in the Senate after Howell sent out a fundraising email saying, "Look, Orrin Hatch is not a bad guy. But he's an old guy. . . . We cannot risk the possibility of an 80-year-old man taking office, only to retire or die before his term is through."

At 78, Hatch has served in the Senate for 36 years. He is the seventh oldest in the U.S. Senate, where the median age is 63. Here's a look at the 27 U.S. Senators who are 70 or older.

Read more: Scott Howell, Sen. Orrin Hatch in war of words over age