The 118th U.S. Congress
The 118th Congress was elected on November 8, 2022. The new legislative period began on January 3, 2023 and will end in January 2025. 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 2 vacancies at the time of writing.
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 118th House of Representatives
- the median age of Representatives is 57.5 years
- the youngest Representative was born in 1997
- the oldest Representative was born in 1936
- 52 Representatives are Millennials
- 13 Representatives are Young Elected Leaders age 35 or younger
Partisanship in the 118th House of Representatives
In the 118th House, 215 Representatives belong to the Democratic Party and 225 Representatives are Republicans. The median age of Democratic Representatives at the time of the election was 58. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sara | Jacobs | 1989 | 2020 |
| Maxwell | Frost | 1997 | 2022 |
| Jake | Auchincloss | 1988 | 2020 |
| Alexandria | Ocasio-Cortez | 1989 | 2018 |
| Ritchie | Torres | 1988 | 2020 |
| Summer | Lee | 1987 | 2022 |
| Marie | Gluesenkamp Perez | 1988 | 2022 |
| Gregorio | Casar | 1989 | 2022 |
Young Elected Representatives in the Republican Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kat | Cammack | 1988 | 2020 |
| Jake | LaTurner | 1988 | 2020 |
| George | Santos | 1988 | 2022 |
| Max | Miller | 1988 | 2022 |
| Anna | Luna | 1989 | 2022 |
Gender in the 118th House of Representatives
In the 118th House, 29.09 percent of Representatives are female and 70.91 percent male. The median age of female Representatives at the time of the election was 56. The median age of male Representatives at the time of the election was 58.
Of 13 Young Elected Leaders, 6 were female and 7 male.
Race and Ethnicity in the 118th House of Representatives
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the 118th House
| Boomer Generation | Generation X | Generation Z | Millennial Generation | Silent Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Black/African American | 22 | 15 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 14 | 19 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other/More than One Ethnicity | 3 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| White | 151 | 120 | 0 | 32 | 12 |
The 118th Senate
- the median age of Senators is 65 years
- the youngest Senator was born in 1987
- the oldest Senator was born in 1933
- 3 Senators are Millennials
- 1 Senator was a Young Elected Leader age 35 or younger
Partisanship in the 118th Senate
In the 118th Senate, 48 Senators belong to the Democratic Party and 48 Senators are Republicans. The median age of Democratic Senators at the time of the election was 64.5. The median age of Republican Senators at the time of the election was 65.
Young Elected Senators in the Democratic Party
| Name | Birth year | Year first elected to Congress | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jon | Ossoff | 1987 | 2021 |
Young Elected Senators in the Republican Party
There are no Young Elected Leaders from the Republican Party in the Senate.
Gender in the 118th Senate
In the 118th Senate, 25.25 percent of Senators are female and 74.75 percent male. The median age of female Senators at the time of the election was 65. The median age of male Senators at the time of the election was 65.
The one Young Elected Leader in the Senate is male.
Race and Ethnicity in the 118th Senate
Generations by Race/Ethnicity in the 118th Senate
| Boomer Generation | Generation X | Millennial Generation | Silent Generation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Asian | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Black/African American | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Hispanic/Latinx | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| White | 62 | 14 | 3 | 8 |
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 January 2023.
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 118th U.S. Congress