Forget Retirement: Older Lawmakers Want to Stay in Congress

Why are so many lawmakers ages 75 and older running for reelection?

Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) is seen at the U.S. Capitol.
Rep. Maxine Waters said she plans to run for reelection next year. Francis Chung/POLITICO/AP

Since January, there have been five all-night sessions in the Senate and multiple all-nighters in the House. Voters are dissatisfied. Partisanship is high.

But the oldest lawmakers of the 119th Congress aren’t sprinting for the doors to retire. In fact, the vast majority are running for reelection.

“No matter what age you are, if you’re in good shape and you can do what it takes in order to be involved in this kind of effort, then you should do it,” Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters, 87, told NOTUS.