How old is too old to serve in political office?
BOSTON - After a recent health scare involving Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, voters are asking how old is too old to serve in office.
McConnell, 81, was back at work Thursday after he appeared to freeze up during a news conference the day before. In another incident, 90-year-old California Senator Dianne Feinstein appeared confused during a hearing and had to get help from a colleague.
Both senators are now at the center of a debate about age and politics.
"It's definitely something that I'm pretty passionate about, whether that be term limits or just broader age limits," said Rachael Fields, a rising junior at Boston College. She said this is less about pushing older voices out and more about bringing new ideas in. She said it's one topic she's found agreement on from people on all sides of the political aisle.
"As technology is changing so rapidly with the introduction of AI and newer systems, I think the issues we are going to be seeing in the future are ones we need people on the ground and not 20 years out from being in the ground," she told WBZ-TV.
Data backs that up. A recent study found 72 percent supported a retirement age and 80 percent supported term limits.
Nina Gulbransen, a Democrat and Boston University student, said our current election system favors incumbents and can be hard to break into. She also brought up President Biden's age, 80, as a complaint, asking whether it's a good idea to elect someone for president at that age.
"I think the experience matters," said Gulbransen. "But to a certain degree, it is about where you come from and what experiences you have had. We see with younger candidates, they're more inspiring, they're more active, at least on my end, I feel that."
