Long-standing criticism of public officials for refusing to step down and pass the torch to a younger generation resurfaced this weekend after it was revealed that 81-year-old Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas., has been residing for months at an assisted living facility and struggling with dementia, despite still holding office.
On Friday, conservative news outlet The Dallas Express published a speculative report about the congresswoman’s whereabouts, noting that she had not voted on the floor since last July. Granger’s son later told The Dallas Morning News that his mother has been struggling with “dementia issues” and living at Tradition Senior Living in Fort Worth, Texas.
“There’s nothing wrong with someone wanting to live in a community with other folks their age,” the son said.
The lawmaker has served as the U.S. representative for Texas’ 12th district since 1997. Last year, she made history as the first woman to chair the Appropriations Committee, though she stepped down in March and announced she would not seek re-election.
Granger’s living situation has sparked criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike, reviving a heated conversation about age in American politics that arose this summer after President Joe Biden’s apparent cognitive decline was visible at his June debate with President-elect Donald Trump, eventually leading to his withdrawal from the 2024 race.
“Kay Granger’s long absence reveals the problem with a Congress that rewards seniority & relationships more than merit & ideas. We have a sclerotic gerontocracy,” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., wrote on X. “We need term limits. We need to get big money out of politics so a new generation of Americans can run and serve.”
According to an analysis published by The Conversation, nearly 20% of House and Senate members are over 70 years old, compared to just 6% who are under 40. The average age of a House member is up 10% since 1960, from 52 to 58; in the Senate, the average age is 63, up from 57.
While House members must be at least 25 year and Senate members must be at least 30, there is no maximum age limit for either branch of Congress. At 91 years old, Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, is the oldest member of Congress and has served almost 45 years.
Much of the criticism surrounding aging politicians has come from the right, despite President-elect Donald Trump being the oldest person to ever be elected president.
“Congress should do its job, and if you can’t do your job, maybe you shouldn’t be there,” Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, said in an interview on CBS.
“I’m more concerned about the congressmen who have dementia and are still voting,” Rep. Thomas Massie , R-Ky., wrote on X.
A number of top party members have struggled with the ailments of old age in the last year, publicly displaying the lack of transparency when it comes to the health and well being of aging Congress members. In February, 82-year-old Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announced he would step down after freezing mid-sentence in a public speech. More recently, 84-year-old former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fell earlier this month at an event in Luxembourg, which eventually led to hip replacement surgery — at the same time she was organizing to stop the 35-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., from serving as the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.
“The public is entitled to far greater transparency about the health of the elected officials who represent them,” Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., told Politico. “The incapacitation of an elected official is a material fact that should be disclosed to the public, rather than concealed by staff. Transparency, not cover-ups, should be the norm.”
Despite the widespread criticism, few serious solutions have been proposed to tackle the country’s gerontocracy. In June, North Dakota set an age limit that prevents anyone from running for Congress if they will be over the age of 81 during their term, but it will likely be challenged in court.
In 2025, Congress will include 10 senators and 24 House members over 77.5 years, which is the average American life expectancy, Politico reported.
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