Massachusetts Voters Say Warren and Markey Are Too Old
Not since Ronald Reagan berated a much younger Democrat challenger Walter Mondale in the 1984 presidential election for making age an issue has a candidate's age been the focus of so much attention as it has this year.
Current President Joe Biden was bumped from re-election consideration because of his advanced age, 81, and obvious cognitive struggles that emerged as issues for him.
Biden's Democrat Party replaced him with a much younger candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris – who just turned 60 years old this past Sunday – to face the now "old man" Republican challenger, 78-year-old Donald Trump.
Because the Democrats fiercely defended Biden's ability to perform his duties at 81, little has been made about Trump being only three years younger than Biden.
However, all of a sudden age is an issue in politics again.
A recent UMass Amherst/WCVB poll found a widespread belief that Massachusetts' two United States Senators, Democrats Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, are "too old" to serve.
"Seventy-two percent of those who participated in the latest UMass Amherst/WCVB poll said they somewhat or strongly supported the idea of an age limit for the U.S. Senate, and the average suggested maximum age was 66," WCVB reported.
Sen. Edward John Markey was born in Malden, Massachusetts, in 1946. That makes Markey 78 years old. Markey's current term expires on January 3, 2027.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren was born in 1949 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Warren is 75. Her term expires in January, though polls indicate she could easily fend off a challenge from Republican John Deaton and win another six-year term in the U.S. Senate.
Counties with the highest unemployment in Massachusetts
Gallery Credit: Stacker
LOOK: The top burger restaurant chains in America
Gallery Credit: Stacker