What is the reason behind the high number of older politicians elected in the United States?

Concern for his vitality mounted within the Democratic Party, leading President Joe Biden, age 81, to end his 2024 reelection bid. Former Senator Bob Kerry, D-Neb., said in a July interview with CNBC, "There are cognitive issues."

The average age of lawmakers in the U.S. during the 118th Congress was 64 in the Senate and 57 in the House of Representatives, according to FiscalNote researchers. Christian Fong, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Michigan, stated that voters prefer politicians with successful backgrounds in different fields before they come to Washington.

According to a 2022 Stanford University study, national lawmakers in the U.S. are among the oldest in the world. Additionally, the median age of the U.S. population, which was 38.9 in 2022, is older than it has ever been, according to the Population Reference Bureau. Furthermore, the age of the typical registered voter was 50 in 2019, up from 44 in 1996, according to a Pew Research study.

On average, Republican Party legislators are slightly younger than their Democratic counterparts, despite the fact that older voters tend to favor Republicans while younger generations typically prefer Democrats.

According to Charles Hunt, an assistant professor of political science at Boise State University, it doesn't have to be generational warfare, but it is crucial for representation in terms of the quality of legislation that will be produced by Congress.

The endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris by President Biden led to a surge in Democratic Party donations. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance as his running mate signaled the emergence of a new generation of leaders in Washington. Watch the video above to learn how older politicians hold onto power in Washington.