The race for the White House is shaping up as a battle between senior citizens. But out of the spotlight, in the campaigns for the Senate’s No. 3 spots in both parties, a younger class of leaders is on the rise.
Two Gen X Republicans are already running for the third-ranked post: Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa, 53, and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, 46. Similar intrigue is building on the Democratic side, where a retirement will open up the parallel leadership job next year: Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, 63, and Cory Booker of New Jersey, 54, are being discussed as contenders while several others eye a move up, according to interviews with five Democrats familiar with internal dynamics.
Both parties see the coming rise of fresher faces as a welcome development for the stodgy Senate. While the No. 3 leader has less sway than the successor to Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell when he steps down as leader at the end of the year — not to mention Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, 73, who isn’t going anywhere — the chamber will feel the ramifications of the upcoming mid-range leadership elections for years to come.
“I’d like to see more young voices in Congress, in both chambers, in both parties, and in positions of leadership in both committees and the caucuses,” said Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who is the youngest sitting senator at 37. “It’s important to have a breadth of perspective and experiences represented in governing bodies.”
The Ernst-Cotton race and competition on the Democratic side are happening thanks to a rare shuffle in Senate leadership ranks often dominated by septuagenarians. And both carry outsize weight: The winners of each would have the inside track to be future party leaders. Proposals to term-limit the Senate GOP leader — be it John Cornyn (R-Texas), 72, John Thune (R-S.D.), 63, or somebody else — could speed up that timeline.
So while McConnell’s departure from leadership will already usher in a new generation, there’s a larger insurgency of youth afoot.
The concept of the “next generation” in the Senate is relative, given that the average age in the chamber
Continue reading...Two Gen X Republicans are already running for the third-ranked post: Sens. Joni Ernst of Iowa, 53, and Tom Cotton of Arkansas, 46. Similar intrigue is building on the Democratic side, where a retirement will open up the parallel leadership job next year: Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, 63, and Cory Booker of New Jersey, 54, are being discussed as contenders while several others eye a move up, according to interviews with five Democrats familiar with internal dynamics.
Both parties see the coming rise of fresher faces as a welcome development for the stodgy Senate. While the No. 3 leader has less sway than the successor to Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell when he steps down as leader at the end of the year — not to mention Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, 73, who isn’t going anywhere — the chamber will feel the ramifications of the upcoming mid-range leadership elections for years to come.
“I’d like to see more young voices in Congress, in both chambers, in both parties, and in positions of leadership in both committees and the caucuses,” said Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), who is the youngest sitting senator at 37. “It’s important to have a breadth of perspective and experiences represented in governing bodies.”
The Ernst-Cotton race and competition on the Democratic side are happening thanks to a rare shuffle in Senate leadership ranks often dominated by septuagenarians. And both carry outsize weight: The winners of each would have the inside track to be future party leaders. Proposals to term-limit the Senate GOP leader — be it John Cornyn (R-Texas), 72, John Thune (R-S.D.), 63, or somebody else — could speed up that timeline.
So while McConnell’s departure from leadership will already usher in a new generation, there’s a larger insurgency of youth afoot.
The concept of the “next generation” in the Senate is relative, given that the average age in the chamber