31 December 2018 — 0657 mst
How old were Presidents when elected to their first term?
Updated. Since 1900, the median ages for first term wins are 51 for Democrats, 55 for Republicans. The difference is statistically significant at the 80 percent level, and insignificant at a practical level.
The next graph displays the distribution of ages for first term wins by party, and for all major candidates.
Democrats should note that three of their party’s last five Presidents were in their mid-forties when first elected. The other two were in their early to mid-fifties. If they throw their hats in the ring for 2020, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden will be in their late seventies. Elizabeth Warren will be 71. The last former Vice President in his mid-seventies to seek the Democratic nomination was Alben Barkley. He lost to Adlai Stevenson.
There are many fine old, indeed very old, Democrats. They should step aside for a younger nominee. Their day has passed.
Update. Elizabeth Warren announced today that she’s forming an exploratory committee to run for President. She’s the first Democrat to announce formally, but she won’t be the last. And she may not be the oldest to seek the nomination.