# Where are the young Democrats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 20, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275 "2015-10-20T20:46:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/1 "2015-10-20T20:46:17Z")
Bernie Sanders: 74 Hillary Clinton: 67 Joe Biden: 72 Elizabeth Warren: 66 It seems odd for a party that I associate with young voters and youthful progressive vigor, that they don’t have anyone with name recognition who is below Medicare age. Where did the next gen go? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/2 "2015-10-20T21:01:53Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Where did the next gen go? Gone to the White House, yar, yar, yar. (Apologies to Grover Cleveland opponents.) Some of those guys were waiting after Obama got in ahead of them. And Martin O’Malley is only 52. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/3 "2015-10-20T21:59:24Z")
Loretta Lynch is 56. Thomas Perez is 54 (but looks about double that). Julian Castro is 41 (as is Joaquin, obviously). Kirstin Gillibrand is 50. Andrew Cuomo is 58. Cory Booker is, like, 27. Actually he’s 47 but who the hell would know? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/4 "2015-10-20T22:19:07Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Loretta Lynch is 56. Thomas Perez is 54 (but looks about double that). Julian Castro is 41 (as is Joaquin, obviously). Kirstin Gillibrand is 50. Andrew Cuomo is 58. > > Cory Booker is, like, 27. Actually he’s 47 but who the hell would know? Not a bad list, although the Cabinet (Lynch, Perez, Castro) isn’t generally a springboard to national office. Now, if they go from there to governor/senator jobs, we might be onto something. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/5 "2015-10-20T22:35:10Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Not a bad list, although the Cabinet (Lynch, Perez, Castro) isn’t generally a springboard to national office. Now, if they go from there to governor/senator jobs, we might be onto something. It can be – Julian Castro might get a VP nod (he was mayor of a large city, after all), and VPs are certainly possible springboards to running for President. Booker and Gillibrand are also likely future Presidential candidates, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/6 "2015-10-20T23:07:59Z")
I’ll give you my star of the future, [Gavin Newsom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_Newsom) of California. His gun control initiative will be the model for the nation if it passes. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/7 "2015-10-20T23:11:41Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I’ll give you my star of the future, [Gavin Newsom](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gavin_Newsom) of California. His gun control initiative will be the model for the nation if it passes. I could never vote for a guy who wears that much hair product :). At any rate, a little to liberal to ever make the presidency IMHO ( barring a sea-change in national political demographics ). ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/8 "2015-10-21T01:24:28Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Bernie Sanders: 74 > Hillary Clinton: 67 > Joe Biden: 72 > Elizabeth Warren: 66 > > It seems odd for a party that I associate with young voters and youthful progressive vigor, that they don’t have anyone with name recognition who is below Medicare age. Where did the next gen go? A lot of young Democratic office-holders got beaten by Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/9 "2015-10-21T02:34:00Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > I could never vote for a guy who wears that much hair product :). > > At any rate, a little to liberal to ever make the presidency IMHO ( barring a sea-change in national political demographics ). Newsome’s a typical Third Wayer Clintonite except he was the first to cash in on homosexual marriage thus apparently making him the most revolutionary left-winger since Lenin. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/10 "2015-10-21T02:52:34Z")
Kamala Harris is 51. Tammy Duckworth is 47. Chris Murphy is 42 Brian Schatz is 43 Martin Heinrich is 44 Kirsten Gillibrand is 48 Patrick Murphy is 32 Joe Kennedy III is 35 Ben Lujan is 43 Gina Raimondo is 44 Steve Bullock is 49 Kevin Johnson is 49, though he’s currently having problems. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/11 "2015-10-21T05:18:15Z")
> [@ITR\_champion](#): > > A lot of young Democratic office-holders got beaten by Republicans. The last time a Republican Presidential candidate got more votes than a younger Democratic opponent was 1988. So it doesn’t seem like a major trend. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/12 "2015-10-21T07:52:05Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > Bernie Sanders: 74 > Hillary Clinton: 67 > Joe Biden: 72 > Elizabeth Warren: 66 8 years ago Hillary made a deep run in the primaries. She picked up a big boost for a future run by becoming Secretary of State. She was a household name and everyone expected her to run this time. She was already raking in campaign funds and endorsements hand over fist when first timers would be making decisions about getting in to the race. Campaign experience that goes somewhere can be a boost later. Getting pile driven by a juggernaut can be a disadvantage later. This certainly had all the hints that there was a high likelihood of the latter. I can’t blame a lot of the young Democrats for choosing to bide their time. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/13 "2015-10-21T09:47:57Z")
There are young Democrats, but none with a national profile. That’s easy enough to fix, just have someone like Castro or Booker give the keynote speech at the 2016 convention and have them kill it like Obama did. There’s also SOTU responses, or drawing attention to yourself with floor fights as Rand Paul did. But as of right now, all Democrats with a national profile are ancient. ---
**Author:** ![davida03801](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5e925/32.png) [@davida03801](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davida03801)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/14 "2015-10-21T11:41:06Z")
Gone to socialists every one. When will they ever learn. When will they ever learn. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/15 "2015-10-21T12:42:21Z")
What on earth are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/16 "2015-10-21T12:45:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > There are young Democrats, but none with a national profile. That’s easy enough to fix, just have someone like Castro or Booker give the keynote speech at the 2016 convention and have them kill it like Obama did. There’s also SOTU responses, or drawing attention to yourself with floor fights as Rand Paul did. > > But as of right now, all Democrats with a national profile are ancient. A Democrat will never again give the SOTU response in our lifetime. > [@](#): > > What on earth are you talking about? I believe it’s a riff on Where Have All The Flowers Gone? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/17 "2015-10-21T13:12:23Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > A Democrat will never again give the SOTU response in our lifetime. Dude, saying stuff like that is just _asking_ for karma to put a Republican in the White House. Not to mention that I plan to live another 40 years at a minimum. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/18 "2015-10-21T15:21:51Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > A Democrat will never again give the SOTU response in our lifetime… Care to make it interesting? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/19 "2015-10-21T15:25:53Z")
You’d both have to be dead to know the answer, but go ahead. 😉 (I think \*\*Bob \*\*meant _Republican_) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2015, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275/20 "2015-10-21T15:30:58Z")
Eh? No, he’s predicting that Democrats will hold the White House for a very long time, meaning Republicans will be giving every SOTU response. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-the-young-democrats/735275.md?page=2)