Bye bye Maxine!
After more than 30 years in Washington, longtime California Democrat Maxine Waters may finally be facing a challenge that raises serious questions about age, longevity, and leadership in Congress.
Waters, now 87 years old, has represented California’s 43rd Congressional District since 1991. For decades, she has coasted to re-election in one of the state’s most reliably Democratic districts, often winning more than 70 percent of the vote. But with another election approaching, even members of her own party are beginning to ask whether it is time for a change.
Enter Myla Rahman, a Los Angeles native, cancer survivor, and healthcare advocate who is launching a primary challenge against Waters. Rahman told The California Post that many voters are growing weary of career politicians who remain in office for decades with little accountability.
If Waters were to win another term, she would be approaching 90 years old while continuing to serve in Washington — a reality Rahman believes deserves serious consideration.
“Time matters,” Rahman said. “If leadership needs to evolve, waiting only delays solutions.”
A District Ready for New Leadership?
California’s 43rd District covers parts of South Los Angeles, including Compton and Torrance. Rahman has lived in the area since she was six years old and says her deep roots in the community give her a clearer understanding of everyday struggles facing working families, seniors, and small business owners.
Before launching her campaign, Rahman worked as a field representative for former Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald and later held several district leadership roles within the California State Legislature. Her professional focus has increasingly centered on health care access and affordability.
She currently serves as executive director of Angels for Sight, a nonprofit that provides vision screenings for uninsured individuals — an issue that resonates strongly with older Americans concerned about rising medical costs.
Personal Tragedy Fuels Health Care Push
Rahman’s focus on health care reform is personal. As a cancer survivor, she says she has firsthand experience navigating a complex and expensive system that often prioritizes paperwork over patients.
In the past year alone, Rahman lost two siblings — a sister who died at age 38 from liver disease and a brother who passed away at 42 from an autoimmune illness.
“When care isn’t accessible, people suffer,” Rahman said. “These are real consequences, not political talking points.”
Waters Rarely Faces Competition
Waters has gone years without facing a meaningful challenge from within her own party. The last notable Democratic opponent emerged in 2012, yet she still won comfortably with more than 70 percent of the vote. In the heavily Democratic district, Republican contenders have consistently failed to gain traction as well.
Still, critics argue that longevity in office does not automatically equal effectiveness — a sentiment increasingly echoed nationwide as voters question age, mental sharpness, and responsiveness among senior lawmakers.
A Generational Divide Emerges
Rahman says she plans to engage younger voters while also connecting with older residents who have watched Washington politics stagnate. She shared that she helped raise younger siblings after her mother passed away while she was in college, balancing work, family, and responsibility — an experience she says shaped her perspective.
“I know what it’s like to juggle obligations and make sacrifices,” Rahman said. “Many families here understand that.”
With just five months until the June primary, Rahman acknowledges the challenge ahead but insists momentum is building.
“We’re offering voters a real choice,” she said. “Something they haven’t had in decades.”
Whether California’s 43rd District is finally ready to move on from one of Congress’s most outspoken anti-Trump figures remains uncertain — but for the first time in years, Maxine Waters may not be as politically untouchable as she once was.