Capitol Hill has long been called a “retirement home,” as well over 100 House members and half the Senate are over the age of 65. That reputation doesn’t look due to change anytime soon — there are currently more than 10 members seeking reelection who are at least 80 years old.
Nearly a year and a half into the 119th Congress, five House members and one senator have died while in office, raising concerns on both sides of the aisle about generational change. Members of both parties have faced primary challengers who have made age the centerpiece of their campaigns, and a number of House Democrats lost primaries earlier this year to younger opponents. The Democratic Party, especially, has faced a reckoning over the age of its candidates, particularly in the wake of former President Joe Biden dropping out of the 2024 presidential race over concerns about his mental acuity.
