High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Edward William Brooke, III (born October 26, 1919) is an American politician and was elected to the United States Senate as a Republican from Massachusetts in 1966, defeating his Democratic opponent, Endicott Peabody, 60.7%–38.7%. He was also the first African American elected to the Senate since the 19th century, when selection came from state legislatures, and would remain the only person of African heritage sent to the Senate in the 20th century until Democrat Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois in 1993, and was the last Republican Senator elected from Massachusetts until the 2010 election of Scott Brown. He is also the only African American reelected to the Senate. Since the death of Charles H. Percy on September 17, 2011, Brooke is the second-oldest living and oldest living Republican Senator.