ADVERTISEMENT

Republican Lawmakers Younger on Average Than Democrats

GOP no longer the party of old white men

Wikimedia Commons
May 14, 2015

Republican lawmakers in Congress are now significantly younger on average than their Democratic counterparts, according to statistics that contradict the perception of the GOP as the party of old white men.

A post on Opportunity Lives notes that the GOP has helped elect a diverse group of candidates in recent years, including Reps. Mia Love (R., Utah) and Elise Stefanik (R., N.Y.):

Republicans believe they have the solutions to empower individuals, families and businesses to reach new heights. And the folks who are delivering this message are becoming more and more diverse, with younger, fresher faces taking center stage.

Newly elected Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is the youngest female to ever serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. The New York Republican is only 30 years old. In comparison, the oldest Member of Congress, 85-year-old Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, is a Democrat.

In fact, on average, Congressional Democrats are significantly older than their Republican counterparts.

An infographic provided by Opportunity Lives notes that while House Democrats have a median age of 62, the median age of House Republicans is 55. In the Senate, Democrats have a median age of 64, compared to 55 for Senate Republicans.

 

Republicans also have more members of Congress who are under the ages of 40 and 50.