Thursday, October 1, 2026
As the midsummer mark came and went, the nation was dealing with two types of heat waves. One has scorched communities throughout the country with conditions that were never anticipated by any weather forecaster. The other is occurring in Washington, D.C., and around the country, in the form of political scandals and party upheavals whose results will play out in November.
It’s difficult to choose one event as the most dramatic, but it’s worth recounting them one by one. The Michigan Democratic primary produced an unexpected victory by progressive candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed. President Trump won the state of Michigan in three elections, but with his popularity at an all-time low, a far-left candidate who won on the issue of affordability shouldn’t be counted out. And New York City residents shouldn’t be surprised by the Michigan result, considering that there’s a socialist mayor in City Hall.
Republicans of every color of the political spectrum are jumping for joy over the Michigan results, but the socialist-aligned El-Sayed could well upset the apple cart thanks to a very unpopular president, who is losing support nationally from independents and some Republicans. A Trump-endorsed candidate might not be as popular in November as party officials think.
Back in the nation’s capital, Republicans are facing numerous headwinds. Two members of Congress have been accused of conduct that is disqualifying in the current climate. Rep. Chuck Edwards, of North Carolina, dropped his re-election bid after the House Ethics Committee released a report finding that he engaged in inappropriate conduct with congressional staff members. And as of this writing, Rep. Max Miller, of Ohio, was vowing to continue campaigning for re-election despite growing calls for him to drop out amid reports of alleged spousal abuse.
Ordinarily, the missteps of two House members would be of no consequence, but House Republicans have a very small majority, and the potential loss of two seats is a big deal in what promises to be a difficult election year. On top of that, Republicans are dealing with the problem of rapidly aging Senate members, who are no longer reliable votes when they’re needed. Former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, of Kentucky, has been hospitalized for weeks, and his potential to return to work is questionable.
Like the House, the Senate is a big headache for Republicans. There the average age is 64, compared with the average age of 57 for the House. Sen. Charles Grassley, of Iowa, is 92, and he has many old-timers to keep him company on the Senate floor. While Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, is 84, and Angus King, the independent from Maine, is 82, the Democrats aren’t in trouble if either of them is sidelined. Contrast these old guys with Senators Jon Ossoff, of Georgia, and Andy Kim, of New Jersey, who are 39 and 44, respectively.
Not everyone is sitting still when it comes to the large number of aging elected officials. Nick Tomboulides, the head of U.S. Term Limits, a nonpartisan group, is seeking to limit the number of terms that federal officials can serve in office to three terms, or six years, in the House and two terms, or 12 years, in the Senate. Tomboulides says that “incumbency is the problem for elected officials who can easily be re-elected and view their positions as a lifetime job.”
What compels public officials to stay in office long after their shelf life seems to have expired? Some simply love the job and enjoy the prestige that comes with it. They have no problem getting restaurant reservations, and love being catered to by the airlines. Others actually focus on getting things done, and their experience is of great value when it comes to government problem-solving. But today there are many much younger people who are ready, willing and able to take on the challenge of public life.
To date, Congress has been largely unwilling to discipline its members when they engage in unprofessional conduct. Many members know about colleagues who break the rules but are afraid to blow the whistle on them. And as for the aging senators, it’s up to the voters to give them a hard look, and not just vote for the most familiar faces.
Jerry Kremer was a state assemblyman for 23 years, and chaired the Assembly’s Ways and Means Committee for 12 years. He currently chairs the Capitol Insight Group, a government relations firm. Comments? jkremer@liherald.com.
