The Power Block

The numbers don’t lie. The average age of a U.S. House member is around 58; in the Senate, it’s 65 — the oldest in history. Within the Democratic caucus, leadership has long been dominated by lawmakers in their 70s and 80s. At a time when politics is moving at lightning speed, this kind of entrenchment means fewer opportunities for fresh voices to shape the direction of the party. It’s not healthy. It’s not sustainable. And it’s certainly not democratic.

The Millennial Squeeze

Meanwhile, millennials — the largest voting bloc in the country — remain nearly invisible in federal leadership. Most millennials today only vote the way their parents did. Too many don’t know their own congressperson’s name, let alone what legislation they’ve passed or sponsored. And the ones who do know often can’t explain what that representative is actively doing to address issues like housing affordability, student debt, or healthcare costs.

This gap in civic literacy is dangerous. If young people remain uninformed, they’ll remain vulnerable to policies crafted for everyone but them. And the longer older lawmakers refuse to hand off the torch, the less time millennials and Gen Z will have to build the skills, experience, and networks needed to lead effectively.

Generations Used to Pass the Torch

It wasn’t always like this. If you go back a few decades, younger generations were moving into federal office much earlier. Joe Biden entered the Senate at age 30. John Lewis was leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee in his early 20s. Dozens of lawmakers from the Boomer, Silent, and early Gen-X generations got their start in their 20s and 30s because the leaders before them stepped aside. They understood that the health of democracy depended on giving the next generation a chance to learn while leading.

That cycle is broken today.

The Lobbyist Lifestyle

Why? Because power in Washington has become too lucrative to let go of. The salaries, the networks, the speaking engagements, the access to donors and lobbyists — it all adds up to a lifestyle that many lawmakers simply refuse to give up. They aren’t clinging to power for the sake of the people. They’re clinging to it for the comfort, status, and perks that come with it.

And in doing so, they’re stifling the very people who should be preparing to lead the nation through the next era.

Why It Matters

This isn’t just about party dynamics — it’s about survival. Millennials and Gen Z are the ones who will bear the brunt of climate change, housing crises, rising healthcare costs, and a fractured economy. Yet, the policies that will shape their lives are still being written by lawmakers who may not be alive to see their impact. That’s not just a generational disconnect — it’s malpractice.

The irony is bitter: the very people who claim to be defending democracy are smothering its renewal.

The Urgency of Transition

The Democratic Party doesn’t need to erase its elders, but it does need to let go of its obsession with them. The party must elevate millennial and Gen Z candidates — not just as symbolic faces of diversity or energy, but as leaders with real legislative power and responsibility.

At the same time, voters have to do their part. It’s not enough to blindly vote blue because our parents did. We need to know who represents us, what they stand for, and what they’re doing — or failing to do — in office. If we can’t answer those questions, then we’re complicit in the stagnation we claim to despise.

If the torch isn’t passed soon, it won’t be because the next generation wasn’t ready. It will be because the older one never let go.