BOWIE, Md. (AP) — Two of the most powerful Democrats on Capitol Hill, U.S. Reps. Steny Hoyer and Jerrold Nadler, are set to leave Congress when their terms end in January. But before they go, both managed to leave their mark on who comes next.
On Tuesday night, former staffers to each of the retiring lawmakers claimed victory in Democratic primaries to take over their seats. Since both congressional districts lean heavily Democratic, the winners are widely expected to cruise to victory in November and eventually be sworn in to fill the roles once held by their former employers.
Hoyer and Nadler join a growing list of long-serving lawmakers who have successfully guided their chosen successors toward Capitol Hill. Of the 68 House and Senate members not seeking reelection this cycle, at least five have thrown their support behind former staff members, while more than a dozen others have taken steps — to varying degrees — to ease the way for their preferred candidates.
The practice isn’t without controversy, especially when a lawmaker times their retirement announcement in a way that gives an insider candidate a strategic advantage.
Still, even as Congress continues to suffer from low public approval, voters often remain willing to trust the recommendation of the representative they’ve known for years.
That dynamic played out in Maryland’s Democratic primary Tuesday. Natasha Greensword, 45, said she supported Adrian Boafo partly because he had the blessing of Hoyer, who has held the district’s seat since 1981.
