♪ > > This week on the community.

> > The average age of Congress members has never been higher.

And today we ask in politics is age really just a number.

> > is the Wheelhouse.

The > > this show that connects politics.

The people we got a lethal dose of politics in Connecticut and beyond right here for Connecticut Public on Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse.

More members of Congress are over the age of 70 than ever before.

And Connecticut is no exception.

Most of the state's congressional delegation is in their 70's or older.

And with that 2026 races already taking shape age is becoming a key part of the conversation.

This hour, we'll take a closer look at the politics of aging and what it could mean for Connecticut's next election cycle.

And later.

Investigative reporter is from the Connecticut Mirror recently found evidence of lead in more than 8,000 water service lines across the state.

Stay tuned to find out if your town could be affected.

Joining me now Colin McEnroe, host of the column McEnroe Show a Connecticut Public.

Collin, thank you for coming back.

We'll it will House host had to be wheeled in this time to the Wheelhouse.

But yes, I'm happy to be back.

Yes, the show is rife with Yeah, exactly.

> > Dan Haar, senior editor and columnist for Hearst Connecticut Media.

Dan Thankyou so much for joining the Wheelhouse.

Thank you.

Great to be here.

Almost a septuagenarian.

He's oh, yeas old almost is over the Mueller also on the show, Akhil Reed Amar, he is at Yale University, the Sterling professor of law and political science.

Thank you so much for joining us on the Wheelhouse.

Such a pleasure to have you back.

> > Thanks, age.

66 age, 66.

> > Wiese, kill was born in 1958.

So was I I'm so appreciative of having you on the show.

We're not going to comment on your age too much more after that.

But > > listen, a list us all.

A great you guys are on far better shape than I am.

And I am a 20 years about your junior.

So connect Congressman Larson.

He represents Connecticut's first congressional district.

Just want to tell folks give us a call.

If you want to talk about Congressman Larson, you want to talk about a politician's age and how it impacts your vote.

8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 7 to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7.

Congressman Larson.

He represents Connecticut's first congressional district.

He said that seat since 1999. next year.

He'll be up for re-election.

Is he running for a 15th termed an Otter 30?

He is running absolutely.

30 years is a nice round number.

issue with John Larson not necessarily just his age is the attack on him that he's been there too long and then he's been in.

> > Elected office from from Central Connecticut for too long that the attack, that's not necessarily what I believe he has been elected since 1977.

With a 4 year hiatus when he was after he lost for governor.

You're saying that it's going to be as tough U.S. race yet.

You just recently had a column.

You what is the selection feel different from previous races too?

> > Well, the difference here is this for the first time is when you have your so-called dream matchup right in every district, there is a person that you can say that if the incumbent were to be challenged by someone who's the next presumed winner, a holder of that seat, right?

That that would be you would call that a dream matchup.

Luke Bronin.

Regardless of what it whether he's running or not, now is one of the 2 or 3 or 4 people who was talked about as the next person to hold the seat.

Such a person rarely is a challenge to a longtime incumbent.

That's the big difference here.

> > 3 septage an eerie and in an octogenarian among Connecticut to a bar, they walk into a bar.

What are they ordering all American milk of magnesia do anticipate that the age is going to be a bigger issue.

This election cycle here.

Well, I mean, let's say that to a certain degree recent history, Joe Mitch McConnell, Dianne Feinstein, these these particular performances that that's the right word.

Put the age issue.

I think in a higher state of relief.

> > So that it is maybe something that you can talk about.

I would agree.

We really do with them that are, you know, it's really not the It might be the time of service.

It might be, you know, one particular kind of medical concern with John.

not sure how the voters process this.

I will quickly say, you know, the pulling saw is the people today he Congress but love their congressperson and I think that's true of John, the people who are very disenchanted with certain things going on in Washington are not necessarily this General John Larson.

> > You made a comment in your column, Dan, that both of these gentlemen just recently wrote a column in Hearst, Connecticut Media CT Insider Dot Com.

You could find both of those columns at CT Insider Dot com.

Your column, you're saying that Rosa doesn't necessarily have the same kind of comments about Just Larson does or the same kind of concern.

> > She's the oldest of the 4 for being Congressman Joe.

Courtney Governor Ned Lamont Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro.

And of John Larson.

She's the oldest at age.

82.

She does not seem to be slowing in any way.

The last time I was on the phone with her, the I didn't notice any slowdown of of either thought or anything else.

Not that I do with Congressman Larson.

But with Rosa DeLauro and with Joe Courtney and with Ned Lamont, they are all at the peak of their powers.

Larson is not and that's a big factor in something to consider in this race.

He was at the peak of his power 9 and 13 when he was chairman of the Democratic caucus.

Not to say that he doesn't have power.

Now he is he's chairman of a subcommittee little the presumably I just as they can and will want kill us to say.

But > > presumably, if the house were to flip blue, which is.

Not necessarily, you know, lock.

Listen.

We have a lot of power, that was his stock.

We go way up just due to security and committee positions to stuff like that, a win would put with Nick Larson powerful in a way that Luke Bronin Jillian Gilchrest to jump ahead are unlikely to be able to attend in their rookie seasons.

> > Okay.

Let's explore the idea of people at least saying that politicians, if they're older, are out of touch by younger folks.

Has that argument always been part of the political landscape.

Is this kind of It has always been outed myself and my A's when I'm a kid and listening to them records to John Kennedy's inaugural address that the word go forth from this time and place to friend and foe alike.

> > The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans born in this century.

He's reminding folks that this old guy way of thinking one of the last century, Dwight Eisenhower and he's a new generation and then this is Gary Hart's team in 1984, he doesn't win nomination, that he would have been the best for us for the Democrats to run against an elderly.

Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton picks up very much on Gary Hart's generational themes.

In fact, running against an elderly George Herbert Walker Bush.

And I just giving you some presidential examples.

But of course, you see this again and again in American politics.

American politics has been generational, at least at times.

And those of us who remember the 1960's.

Remember basically the phrase generation gap and remember, actually the bat and don't trust anyone over 30.

Ouch.

I didn't notice the greatest generation seeding power very easily, but is probably professor.

You can correct me if I'm wrong.

The only generation that ever had 7 presidents.

> > Starting with Cassie.

> > Well, and part of this is function of medical technology.

medicine The conditional life expectancy of someone who makes it to age 60.

You know, we're not just talking about, you know, infant mortality address, but if you make it a 60, 0, you got a pretty good shot of making it to 70.

And if you make it to 70 in a pretty good shot of making it to ad and the longer you live the longer you live.

And I think politics is where their age differently due and Reagan, who really turned out was having significant cognitive issues in his second term.

And he famously had the line.

> > Mondale reset.

I you refused to make my opponent's youth and inexperience an issue.

We've got a big laugh.

And but he really had a problem.

But he didn't wear it.

The he seemed once again, like good, this very folksy, comfortable in his own skin.

actor turned politician.

Let's see if we can get some callers we want to hear whether politicians age matters to you and your vote.

Give us a call.

8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, I cut you off a kill.

Come back in.

> > And the Democrats didn't run their best candidate to showcase that issue would have been Gary Hart, a very young, vigorous Gary Hart, rather than Walter Mondale.

Of course, some of our audience may remember the visual of Gary Hart throwing an apps and actually and hit it and it sticks in a in a tree.

and that was, you know, saying, like I'm the next generation.

And and we're and actually I'm a Democrat and older.

> > Walter Mondale.

And that didn't because politics is often use your time and dream matchups and things like that.

Politics is often compared competition between 2 people, maybe Rocky Balboa.

Was it the best, you know, a box of all time?

But because he was a southpaw, he had certain advantages against Apollo Creed or something like that to speed up that these one-on-one matchups, the we have a kill on the show right there.

feel I don't hear anybody remembers the actually except you.

I think what people remember is Donna Rice sitting lap.

> > That was the announcement.

That is until but that was later that I mean, that he's in stuff like that could have easily come out, you know, in that campaign to sow Mister Hart was this is certainly the perfect answer.

> > Lawmakers, he was making a generational appeal because he had been influenced.

I Jack Kennedy before him and that's the appeal that Bill Clinton very much actually Barros Tso Oak.

And you see this from Kennedy to hearts to and the open.

The generational argued, I believe that Jack Kennedy was 45 years old when he was elected.

President lawmakers under 45 years old used to be better represented in Congress.

I think it's a New York Times that as in there that in 1981 37% of the House and Senate members.

> > Are younger than 45 killed today.

It's only 16%.

Do we make anything about those numbers?

> > Which it's hard you know, history historians may actually have a better sense than those of us living through it.

But it has been an age of unique polarization and in the air of polarization, maybe each party is reluctant to actually get give up.

What seems like the better bet which is let's go for the incumbent.

We're going to have Colin put his finger on that.

People hate Congress, but like their congressperson, one reason that they do, we also put his finger on it is if you swap out your incumbent for a rookie, you have less seniority and maybe less clouds for your district, less pork and other things.

So it's a bit of a prisoner's dilemma game.

If person steps down and maybe the party has a slightly less good chance of winning because now it's an open seat rather than in a seat with incumbent with all the advantages of incumbency, including seniority, a name recognition and people are living longer and maybe, you know, this generation and the generation slightly above mine that maybe it's just, you know, it clings to power too much a whole bunch of possible explanations at some point the seniority cycle has to turn over.

Luke Bronin is whole point is this is precisely the time because John Larson's major initiative, Social Security reform has 0 chance of happening in the next 2 years.

Anyway.

> > And so, yes, Collins point Boston would have more seniority, but at some point that has to happen.

And that's what we at the point is when does that happen?

And it was using a generational, a pipeline gem here.

> > I said in my column, you the baby boomers won't leave and now the millennials are getting very impatient.

And so you have politicians like Luke Bronin and William Tong who are Gen Xers, who haven't really necessarily have the chance to do the kinds of things they want to do.

But there are already already feeling the hot breath of the millennials on their back and they can't get the baby boomers.

Philippe, I am a family's house and I think sort of private conversations maybe earlier than people anticipated Bronin announcing in the summer that he's going run the race.

So like you said, these millennials are kind of > > getting into it as much as possible.

Although I think Brown is a jet engine after he's the he's the guy stuck in the middle.

Just really quickly.

We do have a phone call and it comes from Ilae in Wallingford.

I Lee.

Good morning.

Welcome to the Wheelhouse.

> > Good morning.

Can I hear what you got to say this morning?

Go ahead.

> > So yeah, okay.

I can go on.

But I mean roses district didn't know.

I appreciate the work she does.

And there's so many of our delegation that is elder and I have concerns about their health as they age age related of issues and then not being able to service Collins.

That mentioned Dianne Feinstein, he missed a whole bunch of important votes because she was that for months and it's not just that.

So it's like.

When you ask Rosa about term limits, for instance, he'll say, well, it can take a really long time to earn everybody's trust.

It can take a decade or longer to earn the trust of your If you knew you only had 12 years in office, I don't think it would take 10 to start trusting your colleagues and and then what does that mean?

That date?

The older people shut out the younger, you know, does it if they don't, they?

they have, if they're dealing with, know, new freshman sophomore Congress, people are they like you're having put in your time yet?

We're just not going to let you know, get your agenda opened up in front of people.

> > appreciate you calling in a now going to direct your question towards Dan Colin.

I'm going to say this.

Thank you so much for calling in this morning.

I Lee, I'm going to say that there's concerns about age and then maybe there's concerns about people not leaving by the time they have their health concerns.

Is that what I'm getting from where we just sent their couple of overly issues here?

The first is that and I'm not accusing it of doing this, but we can't confuse the worst case with the typical is about, yes, you will find it much steam as it was in the rose on.

Laura and John Johnson's medical issue, which we haven't really talked about back in February or March.

I believe it was February, but he a combination of a of a heart issue stemming from an old valve replaced replacement and a medical, you know, mixing of medication issue.

And he momentarily stopped talking for 30 seconds, right?

That is something that could have happened to any of us, right?

It?

Yes, it could.

You send it right.

And so so he's generally still pale and energetic.

And if we can believe in that that medical issue was not indicative of aging then that's a separate from the Dianne Feinstein.

And I think we should.

We should keep that us.

Thank you.

But I think is I totally agree, by the way, and I don't think John has any cognitive impairment at all.

I don't think that's the problem with these things play differently after the debate year, these questions, I mean, we went through and Mitch McConnell getting picked a apology.

But we were there about 18 months of people arguing about whether Biden was too old or whether he's having cognitive problems.

We now know the story for the Jake Tapper book than the other.

But he was having gone into problems.

They were covered up and then they all came pouring out in the worst possible venue.

> > A presidential debate and and I don't think John is anything like those problems, but people don't necessarily keep the category straight the way that Danny understandably things that they should.

And so I think now and each question in the middle question, it just presents a little bit differently in a way that might be very unfair.

John Larson, I want to kill 2 away in a second on some of these politicians to because there seems to be.

> > A mark of delineation where some are getting the scrutiny and some aren't and Bonnie, from our friend our front and from Vernon is going to tell us.

> > That may be one of congressional members out of Connecticut is escaping some of this.

What do you have to say about this and go ahead.

> > I love our legislators.

I think that wonderful night for their way up to very powerful positions.

But I did wonder help which implements haulers skate this morning discussion.

> > Well, first of all, he's about 40% Android.

So that that part it will be > > Look, D*** D*** is dig up in years, but he hasn't really shown any signs that I'm aware of being the indefatigable campaigner and Sen that he typically has been.

And, you know, to get back to our original plan again, I'm 40 years younger than D*** Blumenthal.

And I don't go to 7 Memorial Day parades like he did.

You know, he's got a lot of energy is also 4 years from running.

And if he decides to run again, you can be assured that will from Herndon, you can be a certainty and that will that will be on about United and hearts County.

Yes, absolutely.

> > Go ahead.

you.

> > Eileen mentioned another issue.

So let's distinguish between 2 different issues.

Those voters making a decision and race by race candidate by candidate person, by person that this person may be in a seems out of it or has been there too long or whatever.

And that person hasn't.

And maybe the person hasn't is technically older, but we're vigorous or has been there that's often are still doing a great job.

Whatever that's up to each voter to decide for herself.

It also mentions term limits.

Now that's enough.

And one argument for term limits is the game is kind of rigged because people want send their and coming back for more pork in seniority.

The counter is we have term limits.

They're called elections and you can decide actually or this person's been there too long and that person hasn't constitutionally because I'm a constitutional scholar.

They just want to remind our audience the Supreme Court has ruled if you want to have term limits for Congress, that's going to require a constitutional amendment.

Connecticut could on his own say we're going to have term limits for the Connecticut delegation.

I couldn't agree with you about this a deal.

I would just modify your statement a little bit.

We have term limits.

They're called primaries.

> > I think everything we getting getting in the car and incumbent out in the general election is a big lift these days in these these districts, including the first congressional tenure are gerrymandered.

We're going to save the term limit conversation for the next segment as we go to break.

But before I do, I got to have Dan Jump back in just just because I want to know what John Larson is thinking about this really there was a comment that Bronin made about something like 28 years being too long.

I know that that's not exactly the time served here so far by John Larson.

But what how did that land with him?

Just help us get an understanding of how John Larson feeling he feels insulted basically he feels I've done all this.

I haven't let you down.

And don't forget in these districts where you're at, we have a submarine or a jet engine district.

> > Getting money for those things is a really, really big deal.

I would argue more than done for me personally as a as a voter, half the job, right?

No kidding.

And so he does that part very well.

He has insulted that.

His general reaction also in the running for Larson seat.

Hard for teacher Ruth Fortune, something Councilmember Jack Perry, Democratic State Representative Julien Gilchrist says she's considering a run.

> > And Republican Amy Chai has declared her candidacy from Connecticut Public Radio.

This is the Wheelhouse.

I'm Frankie writes Down after the break to talk about term limits.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ > > Support comes from live.

Well, redefine life with dimentia your way.

Come explore.

What live well can offer during the next outdoor summer concert.

August 14th from 06:00PM to 07:30PM, for details.

Visit LIVE well, DOT org.

> > One of the biggest celebrities and politicians of our time called there in a crisis.

Maybe their therapists, but definitely their publicist for the next installment of our Ask a series we pulled back the curtain on PR understand how different scandals and crises are handled.

Who's handling them and why it matters.

Ask a crisis manager next time on ♪ > > coming up this morning at 11, the New England.

The weather is always changing.

Wasn't for forecast from Meteorologist Garrett R Gns during Morning Edition.

And all things considered support comes from Tesla, Connecticut, higher education supplement alone Authority Newport mansions in Kingstowne green eco-friendly caskets.

> > I am so thankful to our donors because they make it possible for me to be able to tell one from kind of the stories of what's going on and connected.

> > You make it possible for me to do the thing I love most, which is telling great stories and working with other journalists who really believe party were to say to you.

> > Our donors and supporters to Connecticut Public make everything we do possible.

> > It now at CT Public Dot Org slash donate.

> > This is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

When it comes to politics and who we elect his age.

Really, just a number this hour.

We're looking at how a politician's age can shape public perception and influence voters.

Still with me, Dan Haar, senior editor and columnist for Hearst Connecticut Media.

Akhil Reed, Amar, Sterling, professor of law and political science at Yale University and Colin McEnroe, host of the Colin McEnroe show at Connecticut Public.

We've got to hear from you guys.

Give us a call.

Does a politician's age impact the way you vote 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 80.

7 to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, I kill.

Let's start with Congress.

Term limits exist for the president.

2 terms, no exceptions.

We think but not for senators or representatives.

Why is that was the thinking behind it?

Well, that was a constant.

It required a constitutional amendments to the term limit.

> > Residents is the founders didn't do that.

And that amendment came about in part because there are particular concerns about the present.

One person has so much power she and concerns about kind of monarchy and maybe a president actually might precipitate.

Also to cry cities to make themselves indispensable.

And then you have to actually keep voting So this was very much a concern.

And particular, the Constitution amended after Franklin Roosevelt.

You know, one of 4 times and he ran for an unprecedented 3rd consecutive term in the middle of a World War and that the concern was we do want to switch horses in the middle of a in the state of the stream in a war that you look around the world and you saw Stalin and you saw Hitler Newsom La Saline E and P Americans worried especially about and how can incumbent could entrenched in something that was a bigger concern for the presidency.

One person and it was for senators that, you know, now 100 of them back in with maybe 96 435 House members and it required a constitutional amendment and it will require a constitutional amendment to term limits.

Members of the House or Senate.

If the American people, you know, think that's what they want.

Have we seen a real effort for that to take place a constitutional amendment to make sure that there are 10 term limits for.

> > Us representatives and U.S. senators.

> > We saw movements state-by-state doing this and the Supreme Court smacked it down in a case called for limits versus Thorton said no, you can't.

Individual states can't do It's going require constitutional amendment to to to do this.

I actually was cited and one of the dissenting opinions in that in that case so so what could have happened is individual states had done it which the Supreme Court didn't allow and momentum that build up.

Then there might have been pressure to amend the Constitution because at a certain point states who do this are going to say, hey, we're champs were actually we're deny or so.

Some of the benefits of seniority when we're term limiting our delegation.

You know, we're not getting as much money for submarines or Dems are 4 to roads or something.

Other states aren't.

So is states have been able to do it one by one.

Eventually there would be pressure to do it more generally.

But now there's not going to be because one other thing about Custer's amendment doesn't require the president's agreement.

Okay.

It was nice to thurs the House.

2 thirds the Senate because the states are existing House members can vote a term limit themselves in an amendment to existing Now, you might have had that if they were terminated anyway, understood state law that the Supreme Court said no states can't do this.

So so that's going to actually make it harder to have a constitutional amendment for this.

We want to hear from our listeners.

Give us a call.

8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, I'm doing that because we're going to call right now.

> > Catherine, from Middletown, go ahead.

Thank you for calling back.

Catherine.

We appreciate it.

> > I how am doing well.

Go ahead, Catherine.

Well, I have a couple questions.

The first is about demographic.

> > Okay.

are are there either just more baby boomers and their forward air, their Swain, the election, but also I strongly agree and term limits for tournament I work in manufacturing.

We have 70 80 year-old in the Some of them are very valuable because their knowledge, tribal knowledge.

But some should have retired 10 years ago.

It's not about age.

It's about ability.

> > And I have with your second question, are Well, the first about demographics I have to merge at the bigger ball.

I second.

point is I'm all for term limits, not age limit.

People can be valuable in any age why are they meant They should be introducing younger politicians to their donors.

If they really cared about their the public, they're serving.

> > Catherine, thank you so much for your call today.

I'm gonna pass your your points.

I'm here to Dan Haar and Colin McEnroe.

It reminds me of that line from dumb and dumber Old people.

for the free to attend, really still serve a purpose.

> > Royals have passed baby boomers in number of voters, not probably close and probably not in Connecticut, but I think overall I could be wrong about that in a case.

They are mentoring.

And that's one of the problems is that there's an incident, an insidious problem of insider that voters political upon outsiders don't like.

And sometimes you don't like to see that that your new column, the incident in the city's entire the get my inside.

But that's that's a form.

The nose.

That's a form of mentoring.

That's that's not necessarily the kind that the caller had 9.

The other.

I just want to quickly say we're not going to get term limits.

The thing that we can get his campaign finance reform so lower the likelihood of an automatic election for an incumbent > > You heard that color it.

kill.

She made her 2 points.

You have any thoughts on that or what Dan just said about campaign finance reform.

> > Yes, she distinguish between age limits and term limits.

We could think about another branch and that will be mentioned, actually the executive branch and Joe Biden in into tears the presidency.

And obviously we're talking about House members and Senate members who are legislators.

The judiciary.

There's this debate and some states for state have age limits.

You have to leave at age 70 or 75 or 80 other states actually do a bite in effect years, 15 years, 18 years.

And now again and had for the federal judges.

We don't have One question is could you get the kind of term limits idea for federal judges without a Constitution amendment?

I had to put forth a plan.

That's the kind of work around 18 years for Supreme Court justices.

And it's not an age limit.

It's a term And the other point is for those, you know who don't like this, they say, well, you know, your free as a voter vote against someone that you otherwise like because you think they've served too many terms.

We think they're too old and that may vary from person to person.

So the argument against formal term limits, you know, is that the voters decide why take that option away from the voters in the counter argument is the game is somewhat rigged in favor of incumbents which connects to campaign finance reform and other stuff.

> > So this is what we can say.

I'm a little uncomfortable with how much time we're spending on age and term limits.

Is that like that?

I acknowledge totally.

This is 1971 with that 54 years, there have been 3 Congress members of Congress in the first district.

This Bill Carter Barbican Ellie and now John Legend.

That's it from 1971, of the president.

So yes, I mean, this is a very safe seat.

Once you get unless you make a really bad decision.

But I don't think that that's what this primary is going to be about.

I'm sure John each and time in office will be on the table as issues.

But I do Dani Route one in New York because the younger than Andrew Cuomo, he one in New York City because he had more interesting ideas and you excited people in a way that other politicians weren't.

And to me, the politician in this primary who captures the imaginations of people and who persuades people that he or she is capable of delivering on some of their needs and wants that's kuz going to win and is not is going to matter a lot less who the incumbent is.

That's what we're talking about right now.

But in the thick of the primary, hopefully and I think realistically, this is going to be a campaign about ideas and issues and who's got the better ones?

I appreciate that very much that perspective.

> > And in the millions, New York mayor of the things that's one thing that presidents and even governor's and and House and Senate members and judges and know everything that would bring in mayors on the New York dot.

It ain't over till it's over because actually calling this right frame years, a hugely important.

But even in New York, they may not be decisive.

We'll just have to see.

I think it was very important, though, to still do the show because I think that.

> > John Larson is age and health problem or health.

Our reason why this race may be as close as possible.

That's why we want to talk about maybe it's not necessarily anything that John Larson is doing.

It may be something that he Donna because of one medical episode.

Yes, men wanted to.

But I think also is worth talking about is imagine a scenario where Jillian Gilchrest gets into the race.

She's really young.

She's a millenial bloops.

Do you look at the next 3 years younger than LeBron?

I know.

But she's a military lineal.

Lieutenant detective morning, the 1980's and Larson, the baby boomer.

I got to jump in because we're getting a call from James.

Go ahead, James.

Because we want to make sure and sorry, James, I might be quick with you here.

I've been doing that with Catherine.

Some of our other colors.

> > Because we're almost running out of time in our segment.

Go ahead.

James.

> > No worries.

So I was just calling because, you know, I'm looking at things from a different perspective.

You know, a lot of people are saying, why do we have these older folks Congress?

Well, I'm also a little bit concerned about having younger folks in Congress and the that, you know, I come from the second district, Joe.

Courtney, you know, chair or ranking member of the Naval Power Subcommittee having a new guy come in, they're really shakes up the dynamic preacher and can advocate for we don't necessarily have someone who can take care of the sub base for us.

Thank you to use it.

> > Joe, Courtney, Joy.

Joy, that's a great point because Joe Courtney, 71 years old, but nobody might know more about policy than Joe Courtney Republican Rob Simmons did the one thing he had to do in 2006 and saved the submarine base.

> > It was an unbelievable bipartisan effort that he led and he still lost to Joe Courtney in 2008.

> > When James says that he's from the second district is calling in from Waterford.

I want to make that point.

> > Yeah, I mean, I think it What?

be a mistake.

I mean, I understand importance of bases I kind of stuff.

But as because the testing the second district is a very big does district that stretches all the way up to the northern border.

I believe in fields like that.

We're going now.

That's a very and I'm in the second.

Guess what?

They do care about submarines that get get a bucket of river.

They don't care about it.

So I mean, the idea that that Joe's only job, you know, I think it is is Presion had, you know, they're not coming up.

The Connecticut River.

Well, they might be a really got a couple of minutes left in this segment.

So let's start talking a little bit about the races just a little bit because I know you guys have thoughts on.

> > And Gilchrist Bronin Larson say the public hypothetically turns out to vote for Larson, maybe even Rosa DeLauro with the public benefit, particularly in a time when federal programs are being cut from swapping out.

Some of these longtime Democratic voices for newer ones, just for the sake of having some younger cats and in office.

> > Age in and of itself, as we've discussed is not the thing.

But the the in this case, we have an interesting race because Bronin ideologically is very, very close to Larson and to Collins point are they know I would argue the lessons to the left to run.

Ali, I would say that.

I it's hard to know there aren't that many opportunities to actually wait.

We have we point out in your column, the 2003 war War vote was one.

Yeah.

But just for people who didn't with Michael John Larson voted against the invasion of Iraq, not that many Democrats did.

In fact, they're certain that we got from Connecticut who voted in favor of the river.

That would reason John could do that.

One reason is he is a pretty courageous guy.

He's pretty fearless, but he's also got a very safe seat.

I mean, he was going to lose the next election because he voted against the meeting.

Rock.

> > You are talking about money and helping us follow it.

Colin?

> > Jillian Gilchrest on the periphery of this race because she's not in it yet.

And we've talked to her about it, but she's not in yet.

Do you think that she can raise that kind of money?

It takes to be a player.

Yeah, I well, I first of all, nobody really knows that.

But if Gilchrist were to get in and do this, he would probably > > kind of be a little bit more Bernie.

He re be raising money in smaller amounts should tap into in particular in the visible, which is increasingly a pretty potent movement in Connecticut.

The people who belong to individual are I I'm just this is I I could used on this, but I think they're looking around for new leadership.

I everybody understands now that these group, grassroots groups, the grew up, particularly out of dissatisfaction with Trump, are now very important.

They're the people who the groups to get people out to big rallies to no kings rallies and stuff like that.

So you've got to talk to them.

John Larson wants to talk to them.

But I mean, if you Chris trend, I think she would not have big donors.

She would be raising.

And that's good because you're easing money and enthusiasm.

Somebody gives 200 bucks and that person is probably pretty likely to come out and vote for you because you they give you 100 bucks.

> > Bronin says he has $500,000.

I haven't seen it in the campaign.

Finance numbers Jacques Pierre says he's got $500,000 of his own money > > one.

> > What do you guys want to make of the cash situation?

John Larsen, ice on the data $266,000.

Cash on hand, trying to earn money to send the money matters make more money matters.

And congressional districts to a point when you have a threshold minimum of 5 or 6 or $700,000 it obviously takes millions.

But when you have a threshold minimum to get your voice out and when there's the so-called earned media, you have much it flattens the the picture a little bit.

But we the other thing is we haven't had a primary.

It's just 1990, to real primary in the district.

We don't know how much money it takes.

We don't know how many people are going to come out to vote.

We don't know how much you have to step up.

This is all well, you know very much Tara Incognita, so many colors today.

We want to make sure they cause for the next segment as well.

And in Middletown says that he doesn't necessarily think it's > > age.

That's the question here.

He thinks it's Dems inability to fight Republicans.

So thought thank you for that.

And I appreciate that.

Thank you to all of our callers from Connecticut Public Radio.

This is the Wheelhouse of regret and we ran out of time.

Dan are.

> > That's a great point that Luke Bronin is making.

By the way, that's a big part of his message at the right here and that we're in bringing that message against the Republicans.

> > He senior editor and columnist for Hearst Connecticut Media.

You can always great to have you on the show.

Great to be here.

Colin McEnroe.

He's the Samara senior hosted that will this heat yet.

He is the senior host, the will not hear the this The ground back in Russia is a senior host of the comic grocery.

Just an all around great guy.

Thank you so much for coming on our program.

Thank you.

You've also been listening kill Reed Amar.

You heard him say that he was cited an opinion.

This is one of America's foremost legal constitutional scholars.

Thank you so much for coming on the show.

That give.

And the book is called Born Equal.

Remaking America's Constitution.

18 40 to 1920.

It comes out next month.

It's available for preorder.

Thank you so much.

I appreciate it.

That's it for this segment.

Stick with us and ask our let experts your questions.

That's L E a D lead.

8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, ♪ ♪ ♪ Support comes from the Web.

Dean Stephens museum joined historian Brian Greenfield discussing Connecticut antiques in the collectors who preserve them.

Learn how treasures travel between collectors over the past Century, August 14th, Wds Museum Dot Org.

> > Support comes from People's Bank where a team of experienced local bankers is committed to making commercial and business banking simple because life is complicated.

Enough learn more at bank of people's dot com slash pb business.

> > Summers are getting hotter every year.

And when it comes to adapting to a warmer planet in the United States, its cities that are taking the lead in Atlanta.

They've passed a first in the nation cool roof ordinance.

> > Its rapid, it's cost effective and it just seems like an absolute no-brainer.

I'm a chunk of it.

Cool roofs, what they are and how they work.

That's on the next on point.

♪ Listen this morning at 10 support comes from UConn health researchers are conducting a research study for a new investigation, all medication for those struggling with depression.

> > Compensation provided Cole, UConn health at 860-679-7587, support for Connecticut Public Radio.

comes from you.

Our members and from the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center and Museum in Old Saybrook honoring America's iconic actress through exhibits and the performing arts.

More at the Cape Dot Org.

> > As is the Wheelhouse from Connecticut Public Radio, I'm Frankie Graziano, Connecticut Mirror reporters recently published a months long investigation into Connecticut's Water Service lines.

They found that thousands of residents may still be drinking from lead pipes.

Many without even knowing it.

Here to tell me more about their findings.

Andrew Brown, investigative reporter with the Connecticut mayor.

Good morning.

Good morning, Andrew.

And Jenna Carla.

So so glad to talk Jen.

Again, it's been a while.

Thank you for joining us, Jenna.

Thanks for having us.

She's also an investigative reporter with the Connecticut mayor.

If you have any questions about your water, do give us a call.

8, 7, to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 7 to 0, 9, 6, 7, 7, Andrew and your colleagues.

You and Jenna have been investigating water pipes for months now.

Can you walk us into your investigation?

Walk us through it and some of your major findings.

Sure.

So we approach the because the U.S. Environmental Protection > > Put out a new regulation Agency.

last year.

That is requiring every public water system in the country to start identifying what are known as lead service lines.

These are the lines that run from the water mains under the street to people's homes and apartments and even schools we set about doing this work because for the first time, you know, in more than a century, the EPA require these water utilities to find all of their lead lines start to identify them and they set a deadline within the next 10 years to replace all of those.

So we decided to look at the data that these water utilities were creating in trying to find lead water lines and we got that from the State Department of Public Health which regulates drinking water and what we found was that there are nearly 8,000 suspected lead service lines still in use throughout the state, though that number can change as the utilities continue to try to investigate this issue.

And and what it showed is that many of them are located in places you you may actually think they would exist, which are older cities, places with old water systems think Bridgeport, Waterbury Willimantic New London.

And interestingly, we also founded in Greenwich, which is a suburb, but does have an order water system in the state.

I want to talk about the health risks.

I know you have an extensive background in health reporting.

That's why I'm really happy to ask question.

Is there any amount of lead that's considered safe for the human body?

> > No, there's Now it's not like sink or some other mineral where it's okay, you know, even expected to have it there's no safe amount and you can see it when it shows up.

I it in terms of symptoms is when you might see it or when it comes up on a blood test.

So how long does it take for the symptoms to show up?

It depends on the level of Think in your body for kids.

You're looking at maybe developmental to slow.

> > Delays learning difficulties, loss of appetite, weight loss in adults.

You're looking at maybe high blood pressure, joint and muscle pain difficulties with memory or concentration headache.

That kind of thing.

> > Thank you for outlining that.

That's very important because people may be in a Bridgeport Waterbury and they might be in a Greenwich and they might not know that this is happening.

How do I know that you all knocked on doors?

I understand.

You want to talk about that effort.

> > Yeah.

So Jenna and I don't Andrew?

want to go without recognizing our colleagues showers on and we're obviously brought the bilingual aspect knocking on the stores in cities that have a large Hispanic population.

So the 4 of us sat out earlier this year.

First visiting Waterbury and then go into Bridgeport.

Greenwich, Willimantic, Middle Town trying to understand one whether people were alerted at these addresses with suspected lead lines that the utilities had suspected a lead line there.

And and what we found is that some people knew some people had a home inspector whenever they bought their home note that the line coming into their basement was made a lead.

But there were a lot of people in places like Bridgeport Bridgeport and Waterbury who are renters who just didn't know they didn't have any indication that they were potentially consuming water from a suspected lead service line and that could be for a variety of reasons, including maybe their landlord pays the utility bill or whatever else, but where they're just not paying attention to the mailer showing up.

so, yeah, we we encountered a lot of that.

> > Can you tell me about one interaction you might have had?

Is there something that was really intriguing to you while you all were knocking on > > I mean, one thing that stood out was I mean, we were I think we surprised a decent number of people you know, their landlord might be getting the notice and may not be passing it along.

So we would not go in Gore and a fair number of folks had no idea there.

On the flip side, there are other folks who were notified, but maybe didn't know what to do next.

So they said, you know, we're awaiting further instruction that were really confused about where we go from here.

> > 8,000 service lines.

That sounds like a lot.

Can you help us understand the scope of of that number and when we're talking about that could it be more than current estimates?

You said that it's not necessarily the final number there.

This is an evolving process and it's going to continue to evolve over the next 10 years as the utilities are required to find and replace these lead lines.

> > And for, you know, this is a small percentage of actually the number of water connections in the state of Connecticut.

We're talking about hundreds of thousands of people on a public water system in Connecticut.

So while it's a small subset for those people that have these led lines it's you know, they're going to have to have these lines replaced within the next 10 years as far as whether the data can change any utilities are still trying to essentially decipher and figure out how many there are.

And and to give some contacts, places.

Some of the smaller municipal systems identified, you know, 80 90% of their lines as essentially led status unknown.

So they they drew a question mark next to almost all of their and they're let their service lines so those utilities are going to be updating their data in the coming years and some may find that some may find none, it really could change drastically.

We could either increased by thousands of lead service lines or in some cases because they're making educated guesses.

We could see the number come down.

It really depends How this all plays out and what utilities find when they start digging up these lines.

> > Janet, you said that it might be that the landlords know and they didn't necessarily pass it on.

You gave us a couple of reasons.

So did Andy, can you tell us more about why the guidance?

It really hasn't been there and what people should do about it.

It seems like the public.

Education and the outreach on this issue.

And we hear this a lot about different agencies in Connecticut, but it seems like the it's not as effective here.

> > Yeah.

Are the sort of range of responses we got when door knocking reaching out to folks really highlights the importance of the communication and communicating clearly when something, you know what's happening.

How concerned people should be what they should do next that piece connected, you know, some municipalities were very good at it.

And another areas, water, utilities, municipalities were not as good at it.

What could be done by the state to hear a lot about the state first.

Is there anything that the state could do?

> > I think they I think if you would ask the State Department of Public Health, they have done a lot.

They have a Web site for lead free CT.

They talk about.

> > The requirements of replacing these lines the next 10 years.

And so they put out guidance.

But part of this is on the utilities.

And I want to say from the utility perspective, they've done what has the EPA is required of them, which is sending out notices as far as I know, making sure that people with suspected lead lines have at least receive something.

Part of this is also they don't want to set off a panic.

And I say that because the utilities, if you talk to them, will say, you know, we're treating essentially drinking water with water, knows known as corrosion inhibitors.

These are compounds that they put in the drinking water before they send it into the pipes and the point of these compounds is to make sure large amount of lead doesn't essentially leach into the water.

Is that traveling through the pipes and into your faucet, but still possible that some lead can get in there.

That is what engineers and health experts have said is that it can be sporadic.

The corrosion controls.

They said cuts down on lead, reaching people's faucets.

But it's not 100% in some of the utilities even say that on their website, they will note that they're using corrosion control, but it's not a it's not a given.

> > You mentioned the EPA.

Is this something, Janet, where we could see the federal government kind of jump in here?

And Andrew, if you want to answer that question, you can.

It's either one of you can the federal government help or is there concern that they might not necessarily be into this as we know that this administration may not be so environmentally conscious.

Jen, if just want it sharp, interestingly enough that there was an update yesterday.

The Associated Press reported that the Trump administration intends to essentially follow through on this new regulation that was implemented under the Biden administration kind of came as a surprise to some who are following this issue because congressional Republicans had sponsored a bill earlier this year to actually roll back the regulation.

The essentially what the Trump administration has said in this is in federal court is that they will seek to uphold the new regulation requiring this these replacements in 10 years.

But they have said that essentially there may be some tweaks or they may revise some of the guidance to make it more friendly to the utilities.

It's kind of unclear what that means, though, Jen, as we close out here briefly, is there anything you want to say about the story in this effort that you all undertook?

> > I mean, we'll be continuing.

We're doing a series of community events.

Our next one is in Bridgeport next Wednesday.

We have another one in Willimantic and we've got that.

Some follow-up stories will be testing folks up water to see if it comes back for positive with lead so we have more CA and you can find those stories at CT Mirror Dot Org.

Thank you so much for the work that you all did.

Jenna car and Andrew Brown.

> > Thank you.

The Wheelhouse is produced by Chloe.

When thank you so much to Patrick Scahill.

G never true to Robin.

Join a kitten.

The rest of the team.

Download the Wheelhouse anytime on your favorite podcast app.

I'm Frankie Graziano.

This is the Wheelhouse.

Thank you for listening.

♪