Aging Of US Senate

Tremendous Turnover Of Membership Coming In Future 120th Congress (2027-2029)

It is already evident that at least one out of every eight members of Congress will not be returning in 2027, as either they are retiring; have lost renomination; or are running for another office other than the one they now hold.

Eleven US Senators and 59 House members are definitely leaving, with 7 Republicans and 4 Democrats leaving the Senate, and 38 Republicans and 21 Democrats leaving the House of Representatives.

So a total of 45 Republicans and 25 Democrats are leaving Congress.

This does not include those members of Congress who have died or resigned during this two year term.

The aging of Congress is a factor, but also those who desire to move on to another political goal, or are facing the reality of primaries and also the reapportionment of seats by gerrymandering that will eliminate others who had planned to run for reelection.

So the future 120th Congress (2027-2029) will have record turnover, and it is certain, there will be more “new” members of both houses of Congress, than just the present number of 70 members leaving.

50-50 US Senate Massive Crisis If One Democrat Is Sick Or Were To Pass Away!

The news that New Mexico freshman Senator Ben Ray Lujan, age 49, one of the 12 youngest Senators, has suffered a stroke and will need to recover, is a shock to the reality of the massive crisis that exists if a Democrat is sick as he is, or were to pass away.

The Senate has become an older body in recent years, and with seven Senators over 80 and 30 Senators in their 70s, it is a very delicate situation if any Senator of either party is indisposed or was to die.

It means, for now, that action on even the Supreme Court nominee will likely have to be delayed as Lujan recovers, with all good wishes from everyone, but the thought that one of the older Senators in the Democratic Party could suddenly die, could lead to Mitch McConnell and the Republicans taking over the Senate before the election results of 2022 are in!

The average age of Senators is about 63 and 58 for the House of Representatives.

And the top three leaders in the House–Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and James Clyburn–are all in their early 80s, as is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is 80 this month of February.

And of course, Joe Biden is 79, and so many other key figures in American national government are in their 70s and 80s!

So the aging of American government is a major threat to stability!