Democrats’ Gerontocracy Problem Gives GOP Wins, NY’s Torres Says

The fallout from aging Democratic lawmakers clinging to office too long was exemplified by the House GOP’s razor-thin wins on spending and tax bills, 37-year-old Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) said.

“Were it not for the fact that three of our colleagues died, we would have derailed the reconciliation bill, and we would have derailed the rescissions package,” Torres said at an exclusive Bloomberg Government round table. “If that is not an indictment of the gerontocracy, I’m not sure what would be.”

The House passed a rescissions measure yesterday to claw back funding for public radio, television, and foreign aid by a vote of 214-212. The chamber earlier passed its sweeping tax and policy package by the narrowest margin of 215-214.

In the first few months of the Congress, Democratic Reps. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), Sylvester Turner (Texas), and Gerry Connolly (Va.) died. All were in their 70s and had preexisting health issues.

Turner had been elected as a freshman two months before his death, and Connolly had recently locked down the Oversight Committee ranking membership in a contested internal election.

The difficult conversation over lawmakers’ age comes a year after then-President Joe Biden had to withdraw from the 2024 election over concerns about his mental decline. Many Democrats in Congress see their aging caucus as a deeper problem, enabled by their longstanding deference to seniority when choosing leaders and a lack of term limits for chairs and ranking members.

“If you become a shell of your former self, you have a responsibility to exit gracefully,” Torres said. “And there are members who cling on to public office for too long at the expense of their constituents. And we know who those members are. We whisper about them.”

Torres’ assessment is blunter than most House Democrats are willing to make out loud, but age concerns have been swirling through the chamber this year.

Age will be one factor lawmakers consider when they choose a new Oversight leader to succeed Connolly later this month. In the running are 70-year-old Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), the most senior candidate; 76-year-old Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.); 47-year-old Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.); and 44-year-old Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas).

Leaders of the Congressional Black Caucus have historically been the most vocal backers of House Democrats’ seniority system for choosing leaders. But Torres is one of multiple newer CBC members, including Crockett and 28-year-old Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), who make up a growing wave of Black lawmakers skeptical of weighing experience over new blood.

“The new guard is disproportionately Black and Brown,” Torres said of House Democrats’ rising stars. “And a system of seniority disproportionately disadvantages the new guard.”