Forget Retirement: Older Lawmakers Want to Stay in Congress

[Celerity]

Why are so many lawmakers ages 75 and older running for reelection?

https://www.notus.org/congress/older-lawmakers-running-for-reelection



Since January, there have been five all-night sessions in the Senate and multiple all-nighters in the House. Voters are dissatisfied. Partisanship is high. But the oldest lawmakers of the 119th Congress aren’t sprinting for the doors to retire. In fact, the vast majority are running for reelection. “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,” Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, 87, told NOTUS.

There are 50 members of Congress ages 75 and older who are up for reelection next year. Of those, nearly 70% say they have plans to run again, according to interviews, public comments and official statements. Just over 70% of the lawmakers in this group are Democrats. Lawmakers are not just staying on the Hill well past the conventional retirement age for the sheer enjoyment of running the country. Republicans feel pressure from President Donald Trump, leadership and campaign committees to stay in their seats and retain their majorities in the House and Senate.



Democrats feel pressure to stay and win back the majority — and fight against the Trump administration in the meantime. “People are so scared and so upset, and they want someone who knows what’s going on,” Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel, 77, said. “They want someone who’s going to fight, and they trust me.” “It’s hard to turn your back when all this is going on,” Frankel added. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, 80, who has plans to run again, told NOTUS that what keeps her going 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.”

The debate over age has raged primarily in the Democratic Party. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in office at 90 years old in 2023, had an extended absence due to illness and was heavily aided by staff toward the end of her life. Former President Joe Biden, now 82, was pressured to step aside as the party’s nominee in 2024 due to questions over his mental agility and ability to govern. And in the eight months Congress has been in session, three House Democrats have died in office: Reps. Sylvester Turner, 70; Raúl Grijalva, 77; and Gerry Connolly, 75.

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[flvegan]

1. Securities ain't gonna insider trade themselves. n/t

[Omnipresent]

2. It's a sweet job!

They’re old, powerful and still relevant! Most retirees can’t have those last two things.
So we can only expect them to retire to the graveyard.

[genxlib]

3. Power is a serious drug

I think I could find a better way to spend my waning years. But that is just me.

[LaRaven]

4. Retirement for these elder statespersons...

doesn’t mean they have to be irrelevant.

How about supporting & coaching the new members either from their district or in general of Congress? They have wisdom and experience to share with the up and comers.

[BeyondGeography]

5. Perhaps they lack generosity of spirit

[leftstreet]

6. Welll, Dukes and Duchesses don't retire!

These people think they're American royalty.

[mitch96]

7. As other have said, it's a sweet gig if you can get it and keep it..Ask rubio..he left and came back.

I guess he could not make it in the "real" world...putz..
Term limits come to mind..
m

[msongs]

8. who needs experience and knowledge when u can have photogenic younguns nt