Dem
47
GOP
53
The Democratic base is demanding blood—young blood—but many elderly Democrats in the House have no intention of riding off into the sunset. Republicans are not demanding that the oldsters move on (because that would imply the Oldster-in-Chief was past his best-by date), so they are certainly not leaving. The 75+ set is ready for another election, especially in very blue or very red districts where reelection is easy. They have long forgotten what happened to Dianne Feinstein.
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is 87. She said: "No matter what age you are, if you're in good shape and you can do what it takes in order to be involved in this kind of effort, then you should do it." Many people would strongly disagree. She was born before World War II started and has a different worldview from people born in the 1980s or later. She's running. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is 86. He feels a "strong passion" for the job. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC) is 85. He said his children are his motivation for staying in Congress. They are 56 and 63. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) is 82. She loves being a congresswoman and has no plans to stop. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) is 80. She is "fighting this injustice, fighting the cruelest administration I've ever seen, and trying to stand up for and protect as many rights of people that I can." Does she believe no 40-year-old could fight injustice? Rep. Lois Frankel (D-FL) is 77. She said: "People are so scared and so upset, and they want someone who knows what's going on. They want someone who's going to fight, and they trust me." She somehow assumes that people in their 30s, 40s, or 50s don't have a clue what is going on?
There are 50 members of Congress 75 or older who are up in 2026. Nearly 70% are running and 70% of those are Democrats, so the Democrats have a bigger geriatric problem than the Republicans. In fact, three House Democrats have died in office in 2025 so far: Sylvester Turner (70), Gerry Connolly (75), and Raúl Grijalva (77). Dying in the saddle seems to be a Democratic goal.
When then-DNC Vice Chairman David Hogg set up a PAC to primary older Democrats with younger Democrats, the DNC went bonkers. DNC Chair Ken Martin gave him an ultimatum: Kill your plans to primary old Democrats or give up your position here. Hogg chose the latter. Martin clearly doesn't see eye-to-eye with the base. The beat goes on. And on. And on. And on. And on. (V)