Eleanor Holmes Norton, 88, says she will run for reelection, stressing her seniority despite concerns about her age and fitness.
Eleanor Holmes Norton, the oldest member of Congress at 88, has dismissed concerns about her age, declaring she will “of course” run for reelection.
“I say that my seniority is what is very important, and I am not going to step aside,” the Democrat, who represents Washington, D.C. as a non-voting delegate, told Axios.
Norton, born in 1937 and serving in the House since 1991, has faced growing scrutiny after reports of mental decline, according to the New York Times.
Her refusal to retire comes as Democrats grapple with questions of generational change. Representative Jerry Nadler, 78, announced this week he would not seek another term, citing the need for renewal within the party. However, other senior Democrats such as Rep. David Scott, 80, and Rep. John Larson, 77, have vowed to run again.
Norton, a longtime advocate of D.C. home rule, insists her decades of experience outweigh age concerns as her party debates leadership transition.