The 116th U.S. Congress
The 116th Congress was elected on November 6, 2018. The new legislative period began on January 3, 2019 and ended in January 2021. There are 435 members in the U.S. House of Representatives and 100 members in the U.S. Senate. The minimum age to be eligible as member of the House is 25. Senators must be at least 30 years old. There were 4 vacancies at the time of data collection.
Demographic Background
According to the Pew Research Center, based on data from the U.S. Census, Millennials have become the largest generation in the United States, with about 31 percent. The second largest generation are Baby Boomers (30.88 percent). About 28 percent of the U.S. population belong to Generation X. The smallest generation is the Silent Generation (9.91 percent).
The 116th House of Representatives
- the median age of Representatives was 58 years
- the youngest Representative was born in 1989
- the oldest Representative was born in 1933
- 27 Representatives were Millennials
- 18 Representatives were Young Elected Leaders age 35 or younger
Partisanship in the 116th House of Representatives
In the 116th House, 237 Representatives belonged to the Democratic Party and 199 Representatives were Republicans. The median age of Democratic Representatives at the time of the election was 59. The median age of Republican Representatives at the time of the election was 57.
Young Elected Representatives in the Democratic Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Josh | Harder | 1986 | 2018 |
| Kathrine | Hill | 1987 | 2018 |
| Joe | Neguse | 1984 | 2018 |
| Abby | Finkenauer | 1988 | 2018 |
| Lauren | Underwood | 1986 | 2018 |
| Max | Rose | 1986 | 2018 |
| Alexandria | Ocasio-Cortez | 1989 | 2018 |
| Conor | Lamb | 1984 | 2018 |
| Colin | Allred | 1983 | 2018 |
| Xochitl | Torres Small | 1984 | 2018 |
| Haley | Stevens | 1983 | 2018 |
Young Elected Representatives in the Republican Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trey | Hollingsworth | 1983 | 2016 |
| Elise | Stefanik | 1984 | 2014 |
| Anthony | Gonzalez | 1984 | 2018 |
| Guy | Reschenthaler | 1983 | 2018 |
| William | Timmons | 1984 | 2018 |
| Daniel | Crenshaw | 1984 | 2018 |
| Mike | Gallagher | 1984 | 2016 |
Gender in the 116th House of Representatives
In the 116th House, 24.26 percent of Representatives were female and 75.74 percent male. The median age of female Representatives at the time of the election was 58. The median age of male Representatives at the time of the election was 57.
Of 18 Young Elected Leaders, 7 were female and 11 male.
Race and Ethnicity in the 116th House of Representatives
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the 116th House
| Boomer Generation | Generation X | Millennial Generation | Silent Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Black/African American | 28 | 10 | 3 | 10 |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 14 | 16 | 2 | 3 |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Other/More than One Ethnicity | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| White | 187 | 100 | 18 | 22 |
The 116th Senate
- the median age of Senators was 63 years
- the youngest Senator was born in 1979
- the oldest Senator was born in 1933
- 0 Senators were Millennials
- 0 Senators were Young Elected Leaders age 35 or younger
Partisanship in the 116th Senate
In the 116th Senate, 45 Senators belonged to the Democratic Party and 53 Senators were Republicans. The median age of Democratic Senators at the time of the election was 62. The median age of Republican Senators at the time of the election was 63.
Gender in the 116th Senate
In the 116th Senate, 26.00 percent of Senators were female and 74.00 percent male. The median age of female Senators at the time of the election was 60. The median age of male Senators at the time of the election was 64.
Race and Ethnicity in the 116th Senate
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the 116th Senate
| Boomer Generation | Generation X | Silent Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Black/African American | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Other/More than One Ethnicity | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| White | 62 | 15 | 14 |
Notes
The Young Elected Leaders Project applies the generational categorization of the Pew Research Center:
- Silent Generation: 1928 – 1945
- Baby Boomer Generation: 1946 – 1964
- Generation X: 1965 – 1980
- Millennial Generation: 1981 – 1996
- Generation Z: 1997 – 2012
This analysis is based on data from August 2020.
Citation Guideline
Please reference the project and center in any publication.
In referencing the Young Elected Leaders Project in publication please use the following language: “The Young Elected Leaders Project is housed at the Center for Youth Political Participation at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.”
Bibliographic Citation For this document
Author: Young Elected Leaders Project
Corresponding Authors: Brit Anlar and Isabel Köhler
Year: 2023
Title: The 116th U.S. Congress