We Need Term Limits in Congress
Katelyn Sheets (PPS ‘25)
Dianne Feinstein and Mitch McConnell couldn’t be more different. Feinstein is a Democrat from a very blue California while McConnell is a Republican from a very red Kentucky. The two rarely, if ever, agree on any policy issues. When seen together, it’s rare that neither of them have a scowl plastered upon their face. But they do have at least two things in common: they’ve both been in Congress for over 30 years, and neither of them should be there anymore.
Since the late 19th century, the average length of prior service for incoming Senators has more than doubled. In the House of Representatives, this number has nearly tripled. Some of the longest-serving Congresspeople, like Senator McConnell, have spent nearly half their lives holding their current office — that is, nearly 40 years. Other than having to see the same faces on our TV screens and Twitter feeds for what feels like centuries, how does this impact us as young voters?
Most importantly, our current lack of term limits prevents the introduction of new ideas into our federal government. When you have bureaucrats who have held their office for decades making decisions that set the tone for their political parties, it’s difficult to make substantial changes to party platforms. Talking points and ideas get stale, and Americans become increasingly frustrated with the monotony of it all, encouraging apathy among voters. Term limits would facilitate the introduction of new ideas into Congress, allowing our federal government to evolve with the times.
The need for new voices and ideas on the Hill is an issue that young voters care about. Younger generations are increasingly opposed to candidates who are “lifelong politicians,” and are more likely to support younger, fresher candidates. However, incumbent candidates have incredibly high odds of winning their elections — 93% for incumbent Senators and 82% for incumbent Representatives. Given the clear advantage of previously elected Congresspeople, the lack of term limits makes it unreasonably difficult for new, passionate first-time politicians to make their way into Congress.
Moreover, the issue of term limits is not partisan. There is widespread public support for Congressional term limits across both parties. Majorities of Republicans, Independents, and Democrats are in favor, as well as large majorities of every voter age group. Overall, 3 in 4 American voters are in support of Congressional term limits. Given today’s extreme political polarization, this level of public support for term limits is a rare and valuable opportunity to achieve popular bipartisan reform.
Some believe that the increased turnover caused by implementing term limits would create instability and slow down the political process. I would argue the opposite. Our current system is already frustratingly slow, to the dismay of virtually everyone. Implementing term limits would introduce new politicians who are energized and eager to make change. This energy, compared to the complacency of so many Congressional long-timers, will encourage more bipartisan cooperation and meaningful policy reform.
In our current system of unlimited terms, a primary motivation for Congresspeople is staying in power for as long as possible. Implementing term limits will reframe this goal. Instead of focusing on re-election, Congresspeople will be encouraged to pass as many influential policies as possible while allowed in office. This will create a positive sense of urgency to address the issues most critical to voters.
In February, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) announced she would not run for re-election in 2024, an announcement which was long overdue. Now in her fifth term, her decision to step back creates an opportunity for a younger powerhouse like Representative Katie Porter (D-CA) to run in her place. Unfortunately, Senator Mitch McConnell and many other multi-term congresspeople have not made similar announcements.
As evidenced by McConnell and his long-serving peers who have yet to relinquish their power, we cannot rely on career politicians to make responsible decisions about passing the baton to a new generation of leaders. We need congressional term limits to stimulate creativity and new ideas, usher in a new wave of elected officials, and most importantly amplify the voices of the vast majority of American voters.
Katelyn Sheets (PPS ‘25) is from Holly Springs, North Carolina and is a Public Policy Undergraduate at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. This piece was submitted as an op-ed in the Spring ’23 PUBPOL 301 course. This content does not represent the official or unofficial views of the Sanford School, Polis, Duke University, or any entity or individual other than the author.
