The party of the future

It's long been an article of faith that the Democrats are the party of the future. That may be, but the current leadership of the party doesn't give off a particularly youthful glow.

When you look at potential presidential candidates for 2016, you have Hillary Clinton, who just turned 67; Elizabeth Warren, a spry 65; and Joe Biden, who is 72. Can you think of a credible Democratic candidate for 2016 who isn't at retirement age?

It's no different in Minnesota, as Bill Glahn noticed:

 After Republican wave elections in 2010 and 2014, Democrats nationwide have been left with a thin bench to replace aging leaders.  Here in Minnesota, we see something of the same phenomenon at work.

Democrat Governor Mark Dayton is entering his final term as governor at age 67.  His Lt. Gov., Tina Smith, is 55.  Sen. Al Franken is 63.  Sen. Amy Klobuchar is 54.

The much-touted “youthful” former mayor of Minneapolis, R.T. Rybak, is turning 59 this week.  The only prominent state-level Democrats in their 40’s are incoming House Minority Leader Paul Thissen (47) and Attorney General Lori Swanson (47).

Are the Republicans younger? Yes. Among the likely aspirants for the presidency in 2016, the oldest is Rand Paul, who is 51. Scott Walker, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Paul Ryan are all in their 40s.

Is youth better than experience? Your mileage may vary. Does it matter? There's a good chance it will.