Copyright Baltimore News
At 85 years old, Representative Nancy Pelosi has announced that she will retire in 2027, marking the end of her 20th term in Congress. Her decision comes amid growing national conversations about the age of America’s political leaders, and whether Congress should impose term limits. The Graying of Congress Pelosi’s retirement puts a spotlight on a broader demographic trend inside the Capitol. According to data from {a href="https://bioguide.congress.gov/search?index=%22bioguideprofiles%22&size=12&matches=[]&filters={%22jobPositions.congressAffiliation.congress.name%22:[%22The%20119th%20United%20States%20Congress%22],%22jobPositions.job.name%22:[%22Representative%22,%22Senator%22]{>}{>}&sort=[{%22field%22:%22birthDate%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22},{%22field%22:%22unaccentedFamilyName%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22},{%22field%22:%22unaccentedGivenName%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22},{%22field%22:%22unaccentedMiddleName%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22}]&view=%22Table%22" target="_blank" title="https://bioguide.congress.gov/search?index=%22bioguideprofiles%22&size=12&matches=[]&filters={%22jobPositions.congressAffiliation.congress.name%22:[%22The%20119th%20United%20States%20Congress%22],%22jobPositions.job.name%22:[%22Representative%22,%22Senator%22]}&sort=[{%22field%22:%22birthDate%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22},{%22field%22:%22unaccentedFamilyName%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22},{%22field%22:%22unaccentedGivenName%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22},{%22field%22:%22unaccentedMiddleName%22,%22order%22:%22asc%22}]&view=%22Table%22"}Pew Research Center analysis from January 2025 found that the average age in the Senate is 63.8, while the average age in the House is 57.5. That’s down slightly from recent years but still among the oldest in modern history. Even outside of Congress, the age debate extends to the executive branch, with both President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden standing as the oldest U.S. presidents in history. Bipartisan Push for Term Limits Gains Momentum As questions over aging leadership continue, a bipartisan coalition is renewing efforts to set term limits for members of Congress. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Maryland Congressman David Trone recently teamed up as co-chairs for the national campaign to enact term limits, a rare point of agreement between Republicans and Democrats. One proposal, introduced jointly by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC), would amend the Constitution to limit U.S. senators to two six-year terms and House members to three two-year terms. The amendment would limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms after its enactment. The proposed amendment wouldn’t apply retroactively, so current lawmakers wouldn’t see the clock start until the measure becomes law. Even if Congress approves it, the amendment would still need to be ratified by three-fourths of U.S. states before becoming part of the Constitution. Staying Power in Washington Over time, congressional turnover has declined sharply. Data from the Congressional Research Service shows that in the nation’s early years, around 40% of House members chose not to run for reelection. Today, that number has dropped to just 11%. As the average age of lawmakers climbs and calls for reform grow louder, Pelosi’s retirement could mark more than just the end of an era, it may help accelerate a generational shift in American politics.
