The AP reported that Florida Democratic Party Representative Joe Casello died in office following a heart attack. He was 73. He started out in the Florida House in 2018 (only seven years ago, so already in his 60s). Under Florida law, governor Ron DeSantis is required to call a special primary election when a vacancy occurs for a legislative seat because of a death, but the only real timing rule I can find so far states that the special election primary must be held sixty days before the special election, and rules for qualifying timelines before the primary. This sets up a really frustrating reality - if the governor (like Ron DeSantis) is especially partisan/supportive of the current administration, (Ron DeSantis, anyone?), delaying that election as long as politically possible benefits the party he supports by further diluting the opposing party.
I am definitely NOT ageist. If I were healthy, I would be running, and I know that I would be a real, dedicated, and ethical representative for my constituents. I am 57. Most people my age are still pretty healthy. I have had severe health issues for quite some time now, and sometimes they get in my way. It makes me believe I am NOT a good choice. If I had the health of a few of my friends my age, though, I believe my values and ethics would make me an excellent choice for representative. I am investigating getting healthier, honest.
But when someone is in their mid-60s or later, why aren’t they themselves looking out for and mentoring future candidates? For that matter, why aren’t local and state party leaders looking for these younger candidates? David Hogg suggesting that we primary against all older incumbents was only threatening if you’re afraid of offending the donor class and tradition. It is absolutely what is needed in a country where about a third of the electorate has dropped out entirely because politics has become “business as usual” with no interest in the needs or obstacles that are faced by the average person anymore.
On May 21, 2025, Business Insider reported that since 2022, the last eight members to die in Congress were all Democrats. Depending on the rules of the state they came from, and the politics of the person in charge of the special election rules, this ends up being a gift to the GOP, diluting the opposition to their legislative agenda. In the Congress of yesteryear, when crossing the aisle was celebrated, and GOP weren’t absolutely strangled by a loyalty oath which meant voting against anything proposed by Trump meant your career was over, it wasn’t so bad, but in today’s politics, it is an absolute dereliction of duty.
I realize it is human nature to believe you probably will live until something makes you pretty sure you are going to die, and that sometimes death can’t be predicted, but really - we need to start running candidates that are younger and healthier, for the general welfare of all of us, and we, the voters, need to step up and insist on it.
If all of what has been going on in our country has you interested in making a difference, check out Run For Something, which is recruiting young progressives and has news and information about current campaigns, etc.
And no matter what, thank you for all you’re doing out there, and please don’t lose hope. This might be a marathon, but in this race, we aren’t defeated unless we give up.