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Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., pushed back against accusations of having been in office too long ahead of a primary race against challenger Evan Turnage and amid broader conversations in the Democratic Party on age and leadership.
Turnage, 33, needled Thompson’s extensive tenure in Congress, noting in a campaign ad that the incumbent had served in office for the vast majority of his life.
“We live in the poorest district in the poorest state in the country. That was true when I was one when our congressman was first elected. It’s true today,” Turnage said.
“If our congressman’s 33 years in office had helped build up this district, built health and wealth in this district, there would be no need for change.”
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., is seen before a House Homeland Security Committee on January 10, 2024 in Washington, D.C. ((Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images))
Thompson, 78, fired back on Monday.
“Elections are about giving people a choice, and I respect that process,” Thompson said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
“I have always run my campaigns by focusing on the needs of the people of Mississippi’s Second Congressional District and the work we’ve done together.”
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Turnage’s focus on Thompson’s tenure comes as several senior Democrats have announced that 2026 will be their last year in office.
The Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker Emerita, U.S. House of Representatives, speaks onstage during the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit at Sheraton New York Times Square on Sept. 23, 2025 in New York City. (Riccardo Savi/Getty Images for Concordia Annual Summit)
Among them, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her second-in-commander Steny Hoyer, D-Md., have both announced they will not pursue another term come the November midterm elections.
Other notable departures include Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
Among that group, their average age is 81 years old.
Although the crowd of resignations also includes members who have given up their seats to pursue a higher office, Capitol Hill has seen a historic number of departures in the 119th Congress — the highest rate since 2018.
But Thompson, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee, doesn’t intend to join them.
Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., center, flanked by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., left, and Vice Chair Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., on March 28, 2022. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
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If Democrats take control of the House of Representatives in the midterms, Thompson would likely find himself the chairman of Homeland Security.
“There is always more to be done, and I remain committed to continuing that progress. Ultimately, I trust the voters of the district to look at the record and make the choice they believe is best for their communities,” Thompson said.
