this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2026

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398

Out with the old? Young Democrats are trying to convince voters to send a new generation to Congress (apnews.com)

submitted 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/politics@lemmy.world

132 comments fedilink hide all child comments

In Trump’s first term, grassroots Democrats focused their ire on the Republican president. But now, after President Joe Biden’s reluctance to step aside in 2024 at age 81 helped pave the way for Trump’s return to the White House, many see their party’s own veterans as part of the problem.

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[–] dhork@lemmy.world 47 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (5 children)

I am convinced that the #1 problem in this country right now is the notion that having a primary challenger is somehow a sign of weakness. Yes, even more important than the creeping fascism, because it directly enables it. Even the opposition may be inclined to keep the creeping fascism creeping along if it guarantees they can keep their job.

The House, in particular, is meant to be the body that is most responsive to the people, because they are theoretically accountable to them every two years. But if you are in a heavily gerrymandered district, and can ensure that you never see a Primary challenge, then it is essentially a lifetime appointment.

I don't particularly mind if there folks keep their jobs into their 70's, as long as they really are the best person for that district. But if they never get any meaningful primary challenge how would we know?

[–] AbidanYre@lemmy.world 13 points 2 months ago (10 children)

Part of the problem is that everything is seniority based. So even if some new upstart may better represent the will of their district, they won't be able to accomplish anything when compared to the person who's been in Congress for 30+ years.

[–] Zephorah@discuss.online 13 points 2 months ago (1 children)

AOC did it.

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[–] cmbabul@lemmy.world 5 points 2 months ago

That is correct coupled with how everything is gamified and that it’s statistically more like for an incumbent to win. Game theory, while a valid field of study, has really fucked us over

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[–] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I am convinced that the #1 problem in this country right now is the notion that having a primary challenger is somehow a sign of weakness.

I mean, it's absolutely a sign of weakness - which is to say, it's a sign that the incumbent isn't popular. The institutional response to an incumbent's unpopularity is to mask it by forcing rivals out of the primary process (as with Biden going uncontested in '24).

The House, in particular, is meant to be the body that is most responsive to the people, because they are theoretically accountable to them every two years.

In 1803, a single House Rep had a district of about 34,000 people. In 1903, a district held 193,167 people. In 1953, 334,587 people. In 2023, 761,169 people. These seats weren't great at representing large-ish constituencies 220 years ago. They're absolutely dogshit at it now. Members exist to represent the party on behalf of local party members not the people of the district. In many cases, a Rep is explicitly antagonistic towards minority members of their district in an attempt to curry favor with the majority.

The two year window is not about direct accountability to the district nearly so much as it is direct accountability towards the donor class that sponsors their campaigns. And the near-continuous need to fundraise in order to cover the cost of advertising and self-promotion within the district has turned House Reps into patronage positions of the most servile sort.

The problem with primaries, in the modern political equation, is that they drive up the cost for donors to hold any single seat. And for parties to control a House majority (as non-incumbents are more vulnerable to a seat flip).

So suppressing primaries, suppressing voter turnout, and suppressing opposition parties through gerrymandering are - at the end of the day - cost control measures for national parties and corporate interests.

I don’t particularly mind if there folks keep their jobs into their 70’s, as long as they really are the best person for that district.

They're the best because at that age they've proven themselves to be unfailingly loyal. This is, again, an issue of cost control and risk mitigation. Nobody who has been in the Senate for 50 years is going to pitch any curveballs. Nobody who has climbed to the top of the ladder in their House Committee is going to deviate far from their proven ideology.

Unlike with freshmen who can waffle erratically from their original campaign pledges (see: Fetterman and Sinema, for instance) the 70 year old multi-election incumbent - a la Chuck Schumer or Diane Feinstein - is very predictable.

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[–] arrow74@lemmy.zip 27 points 2 months ago (4 children)

Love how 40s to 50s is what we consider a young politician theee days. It's a start, but sad

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[–] BigTuffAl@lemmy.zip 19 points 2 months ago (93 children)

🙄 does the neo-lib political caste have to be this in-your-face about how irrelevant they are?

[–] crusa187@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 months ago

Until we force them out of office, unironically yes. One of the things those with power get off on is exploiting the vulnerable and powerless as a flex. It’s the same reason so many of them hung out on Trump-Epstein island back in the day. They enjoy rubbing our faces in the fact that they consistently do nothing to help us, and routinely sell out our best interests to the donor class.

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[–] RBWells@lemmy.world 15 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I say this as a person with plenty of years. When the president is so ancient he is shitting himself at meetings, and congresspeople are dying in office - of old age- this has become a gerontocracy of the worst sort. One would hope that as people get older they have more experience, more perspective.

At this point I would very strongly prefer that people younger than me be in office and I'm not even 60 yet. We need people with more stake in the future. 40-60 then out, retire for the sake of the country. Write a book or something.

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[–] doingthestuff@lemy.lol 11 points 2 months ago (1 children)

When wa the last time the Democrats had a really broad field of choices in the primary? I remember the Republican primaries leading up to the '16 election, the field was huge. And Trump crushed them all. I feel like Democrats haven't had much choice in way too long.

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[–] SnarkoPolo@lemmy.world 11 points 2 months ago (2 children)

It's going to be a tough sell. The DNC is convinced the way to avoid bleeding seats is to move to the right and keep the same old white people.

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 6 points 2 months ago

But the sell is to people who show up to primaries.

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[–] tiredofsametab@fedia.io 8 points 2 months ago (2 children)

If someone progressive would run in my extremely-gerrymandered rural midwest district's primary, that would be fantastic

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[–] blueworld@piefed.world 6 points 2 months ago (3 children)

Mai Vang, a Sacramento council member running for California's 7th Congressional District, has her campaign website at maiforus.com

Evan Turnage, an antitrust lawyer challenging Mississippi's 2nd District incumbent, has his campaign website at evanturnage.com

Justin Pearson, a Tennessee state representative running for the 9th Congressional District, has his campaign website at votejustinj.com

Luke Bronin, former Hartford mayor challenging Connecticut's 1st District incumbent, has his campaign website at broninforcongress.com

Kore beyond the article:

Deja Foxx, a Gen Z candidate running for Arizona's 7th Congressional District (special election), has her campaign website at dejafoxx.com

Jake Rakov, a 37-year-old political strategist challenging 15-term incumbent Brad Sherman in California's 32nd Congressional District, has his campaign website at jakeforcongress.com

George Hornedo, a 34-year-old former Obama administration and Buttigieg campaign staffer running in Indiana's 7th Congressional District, has his campaign website at georgehornedo.com

Sara Innamorato, a first-time candidate is running against Dom Costa in Pennsylvania’s House District 21.

On the Senate side:

Graham Platner (Maine), a 42-year-old Marine and Army veteran challenging 74-year-old incumbent Susan Collins. His campaign website is grahampforusenate.com

Nathan Sage (Iowa), a Marine veteran and mechanic challenging 56-year-old incumbent Joni Ernst. His campaign website is sageforsenate.com

Mallory McMorrow (Michigan), a state senator running for the open seat previously held by 68-year-old Gary Peters. Her campaign website is mcmorrowformichigan.com

Zach Wahls (Iowa), a state senator challenging for the U.S. Senate seat, has his campaign website at wahlsforsenate.com

Good to see some candidates taking a crack at the gerontocracy

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[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

Le sigh. It's not like younger people are not susceptible to the problems of being captured by the donor class.

JFC, focusing on age is one of the dumbest fucking takes going. I get it if people take issue with certain individuals that happen to be older, but drawing some arbitrary line at number of times around the sun and saying "boomer bad" is just idiotic.

I cannot help but think that this is some kind of psyop.

[–] TheFogan@programming.dev 7 points 2 months ago

I mean I'm not going to disagree that a blanket all old must go all young must stay approach. Obviously trading Bernie Sanders for Rick Santorum would not be a good move.

That being said what does need to be dealt with is incumbancy bias as a whole. IE no matter how shitty they've been, the effect is over and over again keep the same guy regardless of how good or bad he is until he chooses to retire or drops dead.

The approach should be "replace the people who haven't been looking out for their people".

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[–] Puddinghelmet@lemmy.world 6 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Kristi Burke, a 20 something year old, is running for congress in DEEP RED Tennessee
https://www.votekristiburke.com/
Her website (she also sells anti-ICE merch!! )
ig

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 6 points 2 months ago

I'm an old guy, and I'm all for kicking out the weak old cowardly Democrats, and replacing them with strong, angry young people. They are pissed about past generations losing Democracy, and they are stepping up to take it back. They have my full support.

I will always primary vote for a young person like AOC or Max Frost, before I'll vote for smug old incumbent. Time to term limit a LOT of these losers.

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