Longtime Democratic leaders are retiring from their positions or leaving public office altogether at a significant rate as conversations about the age and physical fitness of the country’s leaders move to the center of voters’ attention.
President Joe Biden is the one major Democratic figure to buck this trend, refusing to give up his position as head of the party despite growing concerns about his abilities highlighted by a damning special counsel report released last week.
He appears to be an outlier in the Democratic Party as other elder statesmen step down or retire.
Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC)
Clyburn, 83, announced on Wednesday he would be stepping down from his position as House assistant Democratic leader. Though he didn’t give a reason, he made clear that he was only stepping down from his leadership role and not Congress in general.
“I will run for reelection for the Sixth Congressional District,” his statement read. “Events of the last several years have made it clear that the greatness of America is at peril, and the threats to our continued pursuit of ‘a more perfect Union’ are real.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
Pelosi, 83, was one of the most prominent figures in Democratic politics for roughly three decades, serving as leader of the House Democratic Caucus for 20 years. After serving as House speaker from 2019 to 2023, Pelosi decided to step down from all leadership positions upon Republicans retaking the majority.
As with Clyburn, Pelosi has opted to stay in Congress. She is running for reelection in 2024.
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Hoyer, 84, served as the second most prominent Democrat in the House behind Pelosi from 2003 to 2023. Alongside Pelosi, Hoyer announced in November 2022 that he would be stepping down from his leadership position, though, like Pelosi, he would remain in Congress.
Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR)
Blumenauer, 75, has played a sizable role in Democratic politics since taking office in 1996. Last year, he announced he would be retiring from Congress, depriving the Democrats of a stable figure.
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“For fifty years, I have served in elected office at every level — as a State Legislator, Multnomah County Commissioner, Portland City Council member, and for 27 years as a member of Congress,” he said in a statement. “It is a difficult decision. Particularly after the amazing success of the last several years. But simply said, it is time to continue my life’s mission without the burden of day-to-day politics.”
Scrutiny over the advanced age of those in political leadership has become a renewed topic in the past few years, centered largely on concerns about Biden; former Democratic California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who died in office at age 90; and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), 81, who has had several medical emergencies over the past few years.
