Are Our Elderly U.S. Politicians Getting Too Old for Re-election?

On September 8, 2023, Nancy Pelosi confirmed her intention to seek reelection to her seat in the House of Representatives. Should she? Nancy Pelosi is 83 years old, and many would argue that her age should be a prohibitive factor in her seeking reelection, for many reasons. While I’m an ally for the rights of all people to seek public service, I cannot ignore the argument that the advanced age of many politicians can be a stumbling block to retaining a vibrant and peer-lead governing body. The arguments against elderly politicians continuing to serve are numerous. Specifically, let’s discuss matters of stamina, term limits, and representation, and their effects on successful governing. <img alt="" src="https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:875/1*ou8Hc9MoeMwali3yMxOo1g.jpeg" style="height:467px; width:700px" /> Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@joshua_chehov?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Joshua Chehov</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/beXUIzvxW-Q?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Unsplash</a> <h1>Stamina</h1> There is no doubt that age is a factor in determining the effectiveness of a person’s ability to do one’s job. Running for office in a demanding political position can be physically and mentally taxing for even young, spry candidates. The natural loss of muscle mass and strength, paired with declining cardiovascular tone and the decline of energy production at the cellular level are well-documented challenges in the elderly. <a href="https://medium.com/@smp19671/are-our-elderly-u-s-politicians-getting-too-old-for-re-election-cc36c1d33eac">Learn More</a>