Photo Illustration by Thomas Levinson/The Daily Beast/Reuters
We live in a paradoxical time. On the one hand, we are chided that our youth-oriented modern society does not revere its wise elders as do traditional cultures. On the other hand, we currently live in a veritable gerontocracy.
Even with Nancy Pelosi stepping down from her leadership role, age is still a problem in American politics. And it’s still a fact that the most likely 2024 matchup will be between Joe Biden (80) and Donald Trump (76). People, it seems, are finally starting to get fed up with this narrow playing field. Yes, ageism is bad. But a political leader’s age, it strikes me, is also a legitimate factor for voters to consider.
And they are. A new Morning Consult/Politico poll shows that 69 percent of Republicans want a 2024 presidential nominee who is under the age of 70. This is a big shift for Republicans who, when given the chance to nominate a 45-year-old Hispanic named Marco Rubio in 2016, chose Trump, instead.