November 19, 2025
Contact: Scott Tillman, Phone: (321) 345-7455
stillman@termlimits.com
The Fix for Entrenched Incumbents Who Dominate Congress
In a political landscape fraught with division, there is one issue that unites Americans across the ideological spectrum: term limits for Congress.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and former Maryland Representative David Trone wrote in their recent op-ed: “The House and the Senate are dominated by entrenched incumbents, buoyed by re-election rates that routinely exceed 90%, who seem more concerned with clinging to power than serving the public.” But how exactly would term limits change this entrenched system?
DeSantis and Trone sat down with CNN’s Jake Tapper and debunked the major myths routinely cited by opponents of congressional term limits. Ultimately, the argument boils down to the need for new blood and fresh ideas; while some argue that elections serve as the natural term limit, DeSantis stated: “Incumbents (are) hardwired in. With the party nominations, campaign finance, congressional franking, it is not an even playing field… term limits forces turnover.”
The Path to Reform
It is highly unlikely that Congress would ever willingly pass an amendment to limit their own power. Congressional term limits would forcibly introduce turnover, routinely drawing a new and diverse class of people to serve their country instead of making a permanent career out of public office.
The only way to legally force this change is through the state legislatures using the Article V amendment process. If 34 states sign up, they can force an Article V convention limited only to the topic of term limits. Once ratified by 38 states, it becomes law, bypassing Congress entirely.
Addressing the Skeptics
Two main arguments are often raised against term limits:
1. The Power of the Unelected
The claim is that term limits will empower unelected lobbyists and staff who have institutional knowledge that the new, term-limited members will lack; however, the current system has already tipped the balance of power.
In the Tapper interview, DeSantis stated: “We have a massive bureaucracy. It’s the fourth branch of government. Congress has given away its power over the years. Congress doesn’t do appropriations like they’re supposed to. They do massive omnibus bills.” He also pointed out that congressional staff is doing the things Congress is supposed to do.
Trone concurred saying: “That’s really well said, but I think we should add that Jake Abramoff, the old mega lobbyist was in prison for four years in 2008, his comment was, I don’t like term limits. No lobbyists like term limits because then they have to repurchase new legislators.”
2. Taking Away Voter Choice
When asked about good, effective members whom constituents want to keep, Governor DeSantis said: “There are definitely going to be examples where people are doing great and they’re going to be term limited out, but that’s going to be outweighed by the good that’s going to come from liberating people from the entrenched political class.”
The Founding Fathers originally chose not to include term limits for Congress, assuming people wouldn’t want to be in office for decades. Today’s reality—with a 90%+ re-election rate—suggests they would likely view it as a positive reform to a modern system that rewards seniority and stagnates opportunity.
In short, term limits aren’t a partisan talking point—they’re a structural solution to a system that no longer reflects the founders’ expectations or the public’s trust. As DeSantis and Trone make clear, the current incentives in Washington reward entrenchment, discourage innovation, and shield incumbents from meaningful accountability. By embracing term limits through the Article V process, states have the power to break this cycle and restore a citizen-driven Congress—one defined by public service, not political careerism. The path forward is challenging, but the promise of a more responsive, dynamic, and representative government makes it worth pursuing.
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U.S. Term Limits is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization advocating solely on term limits. Our mission is to improve the quality of government with a citizen legislature that closely reflects its constituency and is responsive to the needs of the people it serves. USTL does not require a self-limit on individuals. Our aim is to limit the terms of all members of Congress as an institution. Find out more at termlimits.org.
*U.S. Term Limits does not endorse candidates. Candidates who sign the pledge endorse term limits.