June 14, 2025
Happy Birthday, Steny Hoyer!
Today, U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland celebrated his 86th birthday. The veteran Democrat, who has served in Congress since a 1981 special election, is now campaigning for his 24th two-year term. Over the weekend, Hoyer attended the 44th annual Bull Roast, a popular campaign event held in Mitchellville, Maryland, showing no signs of stepping away from public office.
However, Hoyer’s longevity in Congress has sparked a primary challenge from 35-year-old Democrat Harry Jarin, a volunteer firefighter and emergency services consultant. Jarin is directly addressing Hoyer’s age in his campaign, releasing a video that asks, “If you live here in Southern Maryland, I want to ask you a tough question. Do you really think that Steny Hoyer, at 89 years old, is the best person to represent us?” By the end of Hoyer’s potential next term, he would be nearly 89.
Jarin has also taken a firm stand on congressional tenure by signing the U.S. Term Limits pledge. This commitment ensures he will co-sponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits Congressional Amendment, which is introduced annually in the House. Notably, Republican candidate Jordan Eversley has also signed the same pledge, signaling bipartisan support for term limits in this race.
Hoyer, a political heavyweight, was the second-ranking House Democrat behind Rep. Nancy Pelosi from 2003 to 2023. He served as House Majority Leader from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2019 to 2023. Like Pelosi, Hoyer stepped down from leadership but has chosen to remain in Congress, a decision now under scrutiny as younger candidates like Jarin push for change.