An Incumbent’s Age Eventually Makes a Seat ‘Competitive’

By Bill Cavala
A veteran of over 30 years in Sacramento

In the Spring of 1972 a Contra Costa County banker moved into Alameda County and filed for the Democratic nomination for Congress against Representative George P. Miller.

Miller, at the time, was the only Committee Chair west of the Rocky Mountains. He had served for 26 years – with honesty, if not distinction.

But he was 80 years old.

Miller’s carpetbagging opponent was then 45 year old Fortney Peter Stark.
Stark’s campaign team bought a photo of the 80 year old Miller looking like death warmed over and mailed it, occasionally, to the Democratic voters of the district.

Miller, unchallenged for a decade, refused to be ruffled. Like many long term incumbents he was sure he had a rapport with voters that could not be upset.

And Miller was swamped. Voters believed that 26 years in office was enough and that 80 was too old.

Fast forward to 2008, and lo. Fortney “Pete” Stark has been in Congress 36 years, and will celebrate birthday number 80.

Where in previous years potential successors would bide their time, restrained by the support they share with the elder Stark, the effects of term limits eliminate their waiting places and make them as impatient as Stark himself was 35 years ago.

Should youthful energy and enthusiasm replace age and experience? It’s not a new question. In John Ford’s funny movie, “The Last Hurrah”, an old politician (Spencer Tracy) is ousted by a younger man clearly his inferior in all but age (he ‘rents’ a dog).
But the voters prefer a younger man.

Our electorate is getting older too – in two ways. First, people under 40, even if registered to vote, are participating less. Second, the ‘boom’ cohort is moving into their 60’s, aging the total vote as they do so. And the one thing you can’t fool older voters about is the effects of age. Older voters, other things equal, prefer younger politicians.

Albert Payson Terhune, the great naturalist writer of the early 20th century used to say that there is no such thing as a quiet death in the wild – animals starve or are eaten alive when they slow down.

And so too in public life.

Bill Cavala was Deputy Director of the Assembly Speaker’s Office of Member Services where he worked for over 30 years.

Mr. Cavala manages election campaigns for Democratic candidates.

Comments

Posted by: Frank D. Russo at October 5, 2007 03:11 PM

Posted by: william cavala at October 6, 2007 10:13 AM

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