Steny Hoyer, 85, draws primary challenger who is making age an issue
Democratic Congressman Steny hoyer, the longest-serving House Democrat at 85 years old, faces a primary challenge from Harry Jarin, a 35-year-old small business owner and volunteer firefighter. Jarin is emphasizing HoyerS age as a crucial issue in his campaign for the 2026 midterm elections.Hoyer has represented his Maryland district since 1981, accumulating meaningful leadership experience, but has not indicated whether he will seek re-election. This challenge comes amid a broader movement among younger Democrats seeking to reform the party and push for generational change in Congress, following the recent deaths of several Democratic members that have tightened the party’s already slim majority. The political landscape is evolving, with increasing calls for younger candidates and a more dynamic leadership structure within the Democratic Party.
Steny Hoyer, 85, gets primary challenge from millennial making age an issue
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), the longest-serving House Democrat, has garnered a primary challenger from a 35-year-old small business owner who is making age a key issue ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Harry Jarin, also a volunteer firefighter, launched his campaign on Thursday. The challenge from Jarin comes after multiple efforts from young Democrats to reform the party in the aftermath of the 2024 elections.
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“Steny Hoyer is the longest-serving Democrat in Congress,” Jarin’s campaign website says. “He’s held this seat since 1981. He’s been in Congress for over 44 years — and he’ll be 89 years old at the end of the next term.”
Hoyer has held many leadership positions since entering Congress, such as serving as the second, third, and fourth highest-ranking Democrat when he served as the party’s majority leader, whip, and Chairman of the Democratic Caucus. The congressman became the longest-serving member of the House from Maryland in 2007. The longtime Maryland Democrat has not announced whether he will run for reelection in 2026.
“Hoyer and the old guard in Washington had decades to fix the problems we’re now drowning in,” Jarin said.
Since being sworn into office in January of this year, three Democratic members of the House have died, widening the razor-thin majority that Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has. Since these deaths have occurred, many contingent votes have passed by only a two or three-seat margin.
Democratic National Committee Vice Chairman David Hogg’s initiative to primary older incumbents has split the party leadership. Chairman Ken Martin, along with others on the board, has strongly urged him to drop the issue. Hogg unveiled a plan earlier this year to back primary challenges on longtime incumbents in an effort to get younger people in office. The DNC denounced the plan, claiming it hurts its ability to push back against President Donald Trump.
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A handful of young Democrats have announced primary races against incumbents as part of young Democrats’ latest efforts to change Washington. Influencer and former progressive watchdog group staffer Kat Abughazaleh announced her candidacy against incumbent Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) before the representative announced her retirement. Jake Rakov launched a primary against his former boss, Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA).
Elijah Manley, a 26-year-old Florida substitute history teacher, launched a primary against incumbent Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL). Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is facing a primary from Saikat Chakrabarti, a former chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Ocasio-Cortez has been previously known to back campaigns to primary fellow Democrats.
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