She’s refusing to leave.
As Washington insiders quietly step aside, a growing number of career politicians in their late 80s are digging in — and few are more defiant than Maxine Waters.
Despite mounting concerns about age, accountability, and leadership turnover in Congress, Waters is signaling she has no intention of leaving Washington anytime soon — even as President Trump presses forward with his second-term agenda.
A recent NBC News review found that 13 of the 24 Silent Generation lawmakers currently serving in Congress plan to seek re-election in 2026, keeping some of the oldest politicians in modern U.S. history firmly in power. The outlet even included Washington, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton among those planning to stay.
According to the report, the current 119th Congress is now the third-oldest Congress in American history, raising renewed questions about whether Washington is truly willing to make room for the next generation of leadership.
Several senior lawmakers have yet to reveal their plans. South Carolina Democrat James Clyburn has indicated he will decide in the coming weeks whether to run again, keeping voters guessing.
Republican Sen. Jim Risch, who turns 83 later this year, brushed off criticism about age, joking that he didn’t realize the Silent Generation was supposed to stay quiet. He added that as long as lawmakers remain healthy and capable, there’s little incentive to walk away. If re-elected, Risch would be nearly 90 by the end of another Senate term.
Still, it is Waters who continues to draw the most attention. The California Democrat will turn 88 before Election Day, yet openly insists her time in Congress is far from over.
“My work is not finished,” Waters told reporters — a statement that has sparked frustration among voters who believe Washington has become dominated by career politicians unwilling to step aside.
Republican Rep. Hal Rogers, also 88, echoed a similar view, saying he plans to remain in office as long as he believes he can still serve his constituents.
Not everyone, however, is clinging to power. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has already announced she will not seek re-election, signaling that even longtime Democratic leaders are beginning to recognize the changing political landscape.
As President Trump continues reshaping Washington and pushing back against entrenched political figures, the debate over age, leadership, and accountability is only intensifying — with Maxine Waters once again positioning herself as a vocal obstacle to the Trump agenda.
