Congresswoman Maxine Waters speaks at an event as a man stands beside her.
'I Am Auntie Maxine': At 87, Maxine Waters Brushes Off Age Concerns for Powerful House Comeback
While 79-year-old Donald Trump's health has remained a matter of concern for many Americans, Maxine Waters is planning her return at 87. The veteran Democrat from California is preparing for a major political comeback in case her party wins control of the House of Representatives in November.
Waters is expected to become the chair of the powerful House Financial Services Committee once again. If that happens, she would become the oldest leader in the committee’s history. In fact, she's already known as “Auntie Maxine” among young progressives.
Despite Her Age, Waters Is Confident and Committed to Work
The post talks about Maxine Waters‘ election record and service as a congresswoman.
While Waters remains a popular figure online and within the Democratic Party, there have been serious concerns in Washington about older politicians holding top positions. Yet, Waters faces almost no serious challenge for the role.
Although some Democrats have quietly said that the party needs younger leadership and others have raised concerns about her management skills, very few lawmakers have openly opposed her. This makes Waters almost undefeatable, according to many experts.
In addition, her colleagues continue to support her and even Waters herself has dismissed any doubts over her age or energy. Speaking with Politico, she confidently said she is still active and fully committed to her work. “If you take a look at my energy and what I do — I am Auntie Maxine,” Waters said.
“I’m the one who popularized ‘reclaiming my time.’ … I don’t know who’s got more energy, more concern. And so, Maxine Waters seems to be doing alright,” she said. Meanwhile, several Democrats have backed her publicly.
Waters’ Work and Lack of Opponents Serve Her an Upper Hand
From Representative Sean Casten, who has asserted that the issue should not be about age but about mental sharpness, to Greg Meeks and Brad Sherman – several other representatives have backed Waters, despite her age.
“I am a firm believer that when people are visibly past their time, it’s time to sort of have some hard conversations. That’s a mental issue, not an age issue. And I don’t have any concern that she’s mentally up for the job,” Casten said.
Even lawmakers who sometimes disagree with her, like Josh Gottheimer, acknowledged that she is “still hitting her three-pointer.” Still, some criticism remains, as a few Democrats complain that Waters keeps too much control over the committee’s work and does not always give others a chance to lead.
However, Waters responded by saying she works hard to find common ground, even with Republicans, to help pass laws. Further, the 87-year-old also addressed the broader debate about generational change in politics, claiming that she believes in equal opportunity.
“I believe that everybody that wants to run should have an opportunity to run. And depending on how good you are, how much you know, how much you convince the people — if you happen to win, that’s the way the Constitution works,” Waters stated.