The Senate continues to get older for one big reason: The average age of new senators continues to rise.
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional older senator. Age diversity is good in elected office, and that includes some folks on the upper edge of the range as long as their skills and energy are intact. But if new senators are already in their 50s, 60s or beyond, the result isn’t age diversity; it’s just an old, old Senate.
So with the 2022 primaries underway, it’s a good time to look at the age of those likely to constitute the next class of first-term senators. Quick answer: There’s some bad news, but at least a bit of a reason for hope.
