After Sen. Dick Durbin announced his retirement, the idea of the “Biden effect” came back into focus.
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Theso-called“Bideneffect”appearstobeafactorincongressionallongevityafterSenateMinorityWhipDickDurbinannouncedhewouldnotseekre-electionafternearlyfourdecadesinCongress.
In2024,PresidentJoeBidenwaspoliticallypushedoutafteradisastrousdebateperformanceagainstPresidentDonaldTrumpinfavorofhisdecades-youngerdeputy,KamalaHarris.
Sincethen,severalsenators–mostlyDemocrats–andmanyaboveprivate-sectorretirementage,haveannouncedtheirretirement.
“Thisisfalloutfromthe‘BidenEffect,'”saidRutgersUniversitypoliticalscientistRossBaker.“ItcontaminatedoldDemocrats.”
Durbin,80,Sens.JeanneShaheen,D-N.H.,78,TinaSmith,D-Wis.,67,GaryPeters,D-Mich.,66,aswellasMitchMcConnell,R-Ky.,83,allannouncedtheirexitin2025.
PriortoBiden’sinfamousdebate,several2024-cycleDemocrats–now-formerSens.BenjaminCardinofMaryland,81,TomCarperofDelaware,78,DebbieStabenowofMichigan,74,
