Retirements
They’re now calling it the “Biden Effect”—the reason so many Democrats in the U.S. Senate are opting out of running for re-election next year.
The latest is 80-year-old Dick Durbin of Illinois, who made his announcement this week. Three other incumbent Democrats above age 65—Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Tina Smith of Minnesota, and Gary Peters of Michigan—already stepped aside for next year.
And this is in the wake of a quartet of Democrats—Benjamin Cardin of Maryland, Tom Carper of Delaware, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Joe Manchin of West Virginia—taking themselves out of the fight before last November’s election.
That’s a big shift in demographics for Democrats. And before Republicans think they’ll pick up all these open seats, remember that the ones leaving have been in office for decades, and generationally younger Democrats will line up for their chance to hold those seats.
But one Rutgers political scientist is calling it the “Biden Effect”—the now-former President’s public failings at a certain age “contaminating” older Democrats, in this analyst’s view.
Keep in mind, the oldest member of Congress is our own Sen. Charles Grassley, at age 91…now third in line of succession to the presidency….and I’d challenge anyone listening, at any age, to keep the kind of schedule he keeps.
And not all those who aligns with the Democrats are looking for the door…Bernie Sanders of Vermont is making noise about running for re-election in 2030—he’ll only be 89 then and has already formed a “Friends of Bernie Sanders” election group.
After all, it’s a good gig, so long as you can keep it.
