Maxine Waters becomes latest Democrat to face generations-younger primary challenger

Published February 10, 2026 11:16am ET



Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) is the latest Democrat to face a reckoning over her age, after a generations-younger primary challenger entered the race.

Waters, 87, is facing a challenge from nonprofit executive Myla Rahman, 53, after 35 years in Congress and 50 years as an elected official. A star of the resistance during President Donald Trump’s first term, known for her inflammatory rhetoric against the president and his administration, Waters has largely taken a back seat from the limelight in Trump’s second term. Part of the reason is a wave of dissatisfaction with the advanced age of members of Congress, something Rahman is looking to exploit.

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