Poll: Most Support a ‘Maximum Age’ to Be President, Serve in Congress

Most U.S. adults believe there should be a “maximum age” to be president or serve in Congress, a recent survey from the Economist/YouGov found.

The survey asked respondents if there should be a maximum age for officials in elected positions, such as president.

Over three-quarters, 76 percent, said, “Yes,” there should be a maximum age to be president. Only 14 percent said there should not be, and 11 percent said they are “not sure.”

There is a consensus across party lines as well, as 70 percent of Democrats, 78 percent of independents, and 79 percent of Republicans agree there should be a maximum age to be president. However, the survey did not ask respondents to identify a specific age that should be the maximum.

The survey asked the same question regarding senators and representatives and found most, 73 percent and 72 percent, respectively, agreed there should be a maximum age to serve in those capacities. Once again, there is a consensus across party lines.

The survey was taken September 2 to 5, 2023, among 1,500 U.S. adult citizens.

It comes as the age and mental abilities of politicians — both Republicans and Democrats — become a topic of interest as both Democrat President Joe Biden, 80, and Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 81, have had public mishaps — from Biden tripping to McConnell freezing up at press conferences.

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Most recently, the 81-year-old senator told reporters that he has no plans to step down following a second press conference freeze-up, which occurred roughly a month after his first one.

WATCH — Mitch McConnell Freezes Mid-Speech, Led Away from Podium

“I’m going to finish my term as leader, and I’m going to finish my Senate term,” he said when asked about any retirement plans.

“I thought it was sad,” former President Donald Trump said of McConnell’s health episode during an exclusive interview with Breitbart News in July.

“At the same time, I think it’s a shame he went so far out to give Green New Deal money to Biden and Democrats. He got ten people to vote because they needed ten people, and he got ten people to vote on numerous occasions for trillions of dollars. I think that’s a shame. But that was too bad. That was a sad thing to see,” Trump continued. “He had a bad fall, I guess, and probably an after-effect of that. But it was also sad that he gave trillions and trillions and trillions of dollars to the Democrats to waste on the Green New Deal, destroying our oceans and destroying our great, beautiful vistas and plains all over our country with windmills that are very expensive energy. So that’s a very sad thing also.”

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The survey’s results also coincide with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) announcing her reelection bid. The news renewed widespread concerns about aging politicians, as “she’s 83” trended on social media following her announcement.