Janet Mills, former Democratic governor of Maine, is running for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.
Many have described this as a “coup,” specifically for Sen. Chuck Schumer, who wants to regain the majority in the senate, and has been trying to get Mills to run this cycle, seeing her as the best possible nominee for the Democrats. Some have called her some kind of dream candidate, one with the best chance of winning the seat for the Democrats due to her popularity and proven ability to win state-wide in Maine.
She’s also 77 years old.
Now, I’ve been on the record (probably not here) that I’m pretty icked out by ageism in contemporary American politics, but there are some extenuating circumstances here that need to be laid out.
First of all, and while not the most important thing, is still important, and that is the term for a U.S. senator is six years. That’s a pretty long term! So she’s signing up for a job that will last until her mid-80s, and we’re supposed to accept that nothing will change for her in those six years. That she won’t get sick, that her mind will remain sound, and she will otherwise be able to continue the work. Work that includes significant energy, travel, and public availability. Work that requires her to remain alive. Of all the people in the U.S., a senator is probably the most likely to be able to maintain that (they do have incredible health care), but it’s still an open question.
But also, and more importantly, the senate, as a body, is based totally on seniority. A junior, first-term senator has basically no power absent their vote. As they accrue years and terms in the senate, that power increases. Seniority in committees followed and accompanied by seniority in leadership. That’s where the true power in the senate lays.
If I or you were a Mainer, you would absolutely want to send the youngest possible candidate to the senate. Not for now (it’s just a vote), but for the future. Having a senator in office for several six-year terms guarantees your state has a louder, more powerful voice in the senate, and really, the federal government. You absolutely want a senator who has been in Washington for 36 years. Those senators chair the important committees, have voices in the leadership discussions, and are key parts of any negotiations that happen.
Now, you would say, “well, the vote is important now, and nobody else is competitive,” and maybe you would be right. Things are shit, and part of that is the senate is controlled by the Republican party. But, there are other Democratic candidates who, while unproven, are certainly viable. There’s a oyster farmer who is picking up national attention and endorsements, and there’s a business owner who is likewise capable of running a competitive campaign. I’m not saying either would be better, from each other or from Mills, but they both would have a better chance picking up multiple terms and amassing power for Mainers than what I can only assume is a one-term-and-out senator.
Mills running isn’t a “coup;” it’s a potential mistake.
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