Jerry Nadler to Retire From Congress: ‘Watching the Biden Thing’ Made Me Think ‘About the Necessity for Generational Change’

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Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) announced on Monday that he would not seek re-election to Congress after nearly 33 years in office.

In an interview with the New York Times, the 78-year-old congressman said he was motivated not to seek re-election next year after watching 82-year-old former President Joe Biden’s ill-fated 2024 presidential campaign and concerns in the Democratic Party about a growing gerontocracy.

“Watching the Biden thing really said something about the necessity for generational change in the party, and I think I want to respect that,” said Nadler, who acknowledged that a younger member of Congress could “maybe do better” and “help us more.”

According to the Times, while Nadler “declined to name specific colleagues he believed should retire,” he did suggest during the interview that other “aging Democrats” should also consider retiring from office to allow a new generation to take over.

“I’m not saying we should change over the entire party,” he told the newspaper. “But I think a certain amount of change is very helpful, especially when we face the challenge of Trump and his incipient fascism.”

Nadler – who stood down as a ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee in January – was set to face a Democratic primary challenger in New York’s 12th congressional district next year. 26-year-old Liam Elkind launched his primary challenge against Nadler in July by highlighting the Democratic Party’s “geriatric problem” and “respectfully asking” his district’s incumbent to resign.

“The Democratic Party is dying. We’re losing votes, losing elections, losing our democracy, and the leaders who got us here are refusing to retire with devastating consequences,” said Elkind. “In the last five months, three House Democrats passed away, allowing Trump’s billionaire bill gutting healthcare and food stamps for millions of people to go through by one vote.”

He continued, “Today, I’m respectfully asking my congressman Jerry Nadler to consider retiring. I appreciate his 50 years in office, I grew up voting for him, but we need new leaders to meet this moment.”