Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, and former Democratic Representative David Trone from Maryland have advocated for term limits on members of Congress.
In a joint statement, they expressed concern that both the House and Senate are dominated by “career politicians.” This comes as the government shutdown enters its 22nd day. They mentioned that some members of Congress seem more focused on retaining power than on genuinely serving the public.
“As the shutdown continues, many Americans feel frustrated with the partisanship in Washington,” DeSantis and Trone noted. They pointed out that the ongoing deadlock reflects a greater issue: these chambers are run by seasoned politicians who often prioritize their re-election, with over 90 percent seeming more interested in holding onto power than in public service.
To address this, they have announced plans to co-chair a national campaign with an organization called US Term Limits, which aims to restore accountability and competition in Congress.
US Term Limits is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization focused on implementing term limits for all elected officials, particularly in the U.S. Congress.
Trone, who represented Maryland’s 6th District from 2019 until January 2025 and had an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 2024, and DeSantis, who served Florida’s 6th District from 2013 to 2018, highlighted that Congress tends to be an insular “club of self-interested political insiders.”
They wrote that the majority of Congress members are essentially career politicians, which makes the institution often self-serving and less effective in delivering ideas that genuinely benefit the American populace.
While some advocate for redistricting reforms as a solution to Washington’s issues, DeSantis and Trone argue that these changes have minimal impact on the incumbent advantages present in safe districts or the seniority system that often stifles innovation.
They also warned that the concentration of power in the hands of career politicians fosters partisanship and public skepticism towards the government, further empowering lobbyists.
“We are the greatest nation on earth, and we deserve a Congress that reflects that,” they concluded.
Currently, the median age of voters in the House is 57.5 years, while it’s 64.7 years in the Senate. The median age for House Democrats is 57.6, while for Republicans, it’s 57.5.
Recent news has brought attention to concerns about the ability of some older Congress members to effectively serve. Yet, despite scrutiny, some Democrats have maintained that they have no plans to retire before the 2026 midterm elections.
A significant majority of American adults, around 87%, support the introduction of term limits for Congress, according to a September 2023 Pew Research Center report.
