Ex-aides win primaries to replace retiring Democratic House members

Two influential Democratic leaders in Congress, U.S. Representatives Steny Hoyer and Jerrold Nadler, are retiring at the end of their terms in January. However, their influence on Washington will continue as former aides they backed have won the Democratic primaries to replace them in their respective House seats.

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It was a plus.

Given the overwhelmingly Democratic nature of both districts, these primary victories virtually guarantee the former aides will win in the November general election and be sworn into office. This marks the latest instance of lawmakers successfully grooming successors after decades in Congress.

At least five out of 68 members of Congress not seeking reelection this year have endorsed former staffers to take their place. More than a dozen others have actively worked to support their preferred replacements. This practice, while sometimes controversial, especially when incumbents strategically time their retirements to benefit insiders, often resonates with voters.

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It did help him to have a white man endorsing a Black candidate and saying he's got our backs.

In Maryland's 5th Congressional District, which Hoyer has represented since 1981, Natasha Greensword, 45, supported Adrian Boafo partly due to Hoyer's endorsement. She noted the positive racial dynamic, stating, "It did help him to have a white man endorsing a Black candidate and saying he's got our backs." However, not all voters felt the same. Norma James, 64, deliberately skipped Boafo because of Hoyer's backing, saying, "If Steny was endorsing him, he's not the one you want."

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If Steny was endorsing him, he's not the one you want.

The strategy of endorsing a successor doesn't always succeed. Retiring Representative Nydia Velazquez endorsed Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who lost his primary. The winner, Assemblymember Claire Valdez, was backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Political science professor Matthew Green noted that an incumbent's endorsement can sometimes be detrimental in an anti-establishment environment, as voters may view it negatively.

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You might actually not want the endorsement of a departing incumbent because even if that incumbent is personally liked, the base of the party may have a lot of members who are unhappy with the establishment in general.