In federal politics, seniority is power. The top committees and most coveted positions aren’t assigned via merit, but longevity. If you want to be a bigshot in congress, all you’ve gotta do is keep on getting reelected and avoid the Grim Reaper.
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The first hurdle is easy to cross: in 2024, 97% of congressional incumbents who ran for reelection were winners. With all the perks of incumbency, it’s practically a slam-dunk.
The second hurdle? Not so much.
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Three days ago, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) died of cancer at age 75. He was the third congressman to die in office since Jan. 2025.
All three were Democrats.
Since April of 2024, six congressmen have died in office. All six were Democrats. In fact, if you go all
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