Democrats' Bench Deficit

The Washington Post's Dan Balz continues to ruminate on the implications of the recent GOP election wave. Here he writes about the impact this election, and the equally disastrous 2010 election, have had on the Democrats' stock of up-and-coming future stars.

The 2010 and 2014 elections saw the defeat of younger politicians — some in office, others seeking it — who might have become national leaders.

As the post-Obama era nears, the Democrats’ best-known leaders in Washington are almost entirely from an older generation.

If Clinton were to win the presidency and serve two terms, the next opportunity for a new generation of Democrats to compete nationally would not come until 2024.

The more serious problem for Democrats is the drubbing they’ve taken in the states, the breeding ground for future national talent and for policy experimentation.

Republicans have unified control — the governorship and the legislature — in 23 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Democrats control just seven.