A perennial debate in American politics has been stirred up again: are our leaders in Washington too old, and if so, what should be done about it? The question has gained new significance as Joe Biden, already the oldest president in United States history at 80 years old, has officially launched his re-election campaign. At the moment, he is most likely headed for a rematch against Donald Trump, who turned 77 earlier this month.

Whither Dianne Feinstein?

Feinstein, a fixture of California politics for more than a half-century and a U.S. senator for three decades, recently returned to the Capitol after a weeks-long battle with shingles, a very debilitating disease.

One might have thought that her return, after much carping from those on the Democratic Party’s left wing about her absence, would quiet those who wanted her to resign.

Dianne Feinstein has become a painfully sad spectacle, being wheeled through the Capitol as she so visibly struggles to perform the basic duties of a United States senator. She has joined the ranks of formidable leaders who stayed in office too long. Yet at this point, I fear her resignation more than I fear her remaining in office. Since Feinstein effectively became the decisive vote on the Senate Judiciary Committee after the 2020 election, the window for her to resign without potential consequences to the judicial system was closed.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) breathtakingly selfish refusal to step down from her Senate seat may be benefiting Republicans, who get to watch President Joe Biden's judicial confirmations stagnate as they wait for the California Democrat to show up to work. But there's little question that the hubris of Feinstein, who turns 90 next month, sets a precedent that is bad for the republic as a whole.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, whose extraordinary career in California politics spans more than 50 years, announced Tuesday that she won’t seek reelection. 

“I am announcing today I will not run for reelection in 2024 but intend to accomplish as much for California as I can through the end of next year when my term ends,” Feinstein said in a statement.

The news wasn’t surprising: Feinstein, who at 89 is the oldest member of the Senate, raised just $559 in the final quarter of 2022 and had $9,969 in her campaign account on Dec. 31. 

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the former San Francisco mayor whose pioneering career paved the way for a generation of women in politics, will not seek re-election in 2024, her spokesperson told The Chronicle Tuesday.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D) announced that she will not seek reelection in 2024, clearing the way for a crowded Democratic primary field for her California Senate seat.

Feinstein, 89, said Tuesday she would retire at the end of her term. Reps. Katie Porter (D-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have already announced their campaigns for her seat.

Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a constitutional amendment Monday to impose term limits for members of Congress.

The legislation, first obtained by the Daily Caller, would limit U.S. Senators to two six-year terms and Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to three two-year terms after the date of its enactment.

(The Hill) – A group of House Democrats introduced a bill on Tuesday to enact term limits for Supreme Court justices, arguing that the move will “restore legitimacy and independence to the nation’s highest court.”

The legislation, titled the Supreme Court Tenure Establishment and Retirement Modernization Act, would authorize the president to nominate Supreme Court justices every two years — in the first and third years after a presidential election. The justices who have been on the court the longest will be moved to senior status first.

67% of Americans favor term limits for Supreme Court justices, per a new poll from AP and NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Driving the news: That breaks down to 82% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans.

43% of Americans also say they have "hardly any" confidence in the court — up from 27% three months ago.

The big picture: The poll comes soon after the Supreme Court issued a number of high-profile rulings, including overturning Roe v. Wade and expanding gun rights.