As Representative Annie M. Kuster leaves Congress, the New Hampshire Democrat is hoping some of her colleagues might be inspired to do the same — and wishes President Biden had earlier, as well.
Kuster, 68, said her decision to retire was based on many factors, including Donald Trump’s approaching return to the presidency, but she hopes it will also encourage Democrats to make room for younger generations in the halls of power.
“I’m trying to set a better example,” Kuster said. “I think there are colleagues — and some of whom are still very successful and very productive — but others who just stay forever.”
And as for a role in a new Trump-led Washington, she said: “I’m just not the best gladiator for it right now.”
Beyond a desire to make room for new generations, Kuster said the events of Jan. 6, 2021, and Trump’s return to the White House weighed heavily on her.
“I’ve said somewhat facetiously, he tried to kill me once, I’m not available for that again,” Kuster said of Trump. “What we went through on Jan. 6 and his attempt to overthrow the government took a toll. That was really hard, and not just personally, but on my ability to work across the aisle.”
Her mind wasn’t changed by the events that transpired while she waited to take her last votes in Congress, as she watched Elon Musk almost singlehandedly blow up a bipartisan spending deal and push the government dangerously close to a shutdown, averted at the last minute.
“I’ve never waited so long for one last vote,” Kuster said as Republican leaders huddled on Dec. 20 about what to do next after failing to pass a Trump-approved bill the night before. “[It’s] a big part of the reason to leave. . . . There’s a theme developing when billionaires make decisions about hard-working families’ lives, it comes out just mean. It’s cold-hearted.”
Kuster announced her decision to retire in March, well before Trump’s election. She said she had a suspicion he could win — especially after a trip to New Hampshire with Biden on Air Force One earlier that month during which she spent an hour with him and, she said, began to doubt his ability to win reelection.
“Just in my heart, [i] reached the conclusion that this would be a very challenging campaign for him, and to put himself out there for another four-year term was going to be a struggle.”
Kuster emphasized that Biden, then 81, was coherent and she remains confident he is capable of serving out his term as president, but said he spoke “very softly” and his aging was apparent. She also demurred on whether there’s truth to the complaint that Democrats helped conceal the extent of his aging, though she suggested Biden’s “team may have.”
“It was hard for me at that time, like, what can one person do?” Kuster said. “You know, I did talk with people about [it] and talked with the campaign, it’s just hard to know looking back on it.”
After Biden’s disastrous debate performance in June prompted calls for him to withdraw, Kuster hosted a Zoom call with Biden and the moderate Democratic group she chairs, New Democrat Coalition, that became tense as members challenged the president on his fitness.
“It was painful,” Kuster said of preparing her remarks for that call. “I haven’t had these kinds of conversations since I talked to my own parents about, you know, their aging and their limitations.”
Kuster’s frank assessment came amid a similar reckoning among House Democrats, as younger members challenged and, in some cases, toppled longer-serving colleagues for key committee leadership posts. She specified some older Democrats, like Springfield Representative Richard Neal, 75, are still at the top of their game, and she doesn’t mean all should step aside. Kuster said she supported the process of open competition for leadership posts, which ultimately leaves it up to an internal vote among members.
Kuster hails from a prominent New Hampshire political family and was first elected in 2012 to the district that includes Concord and the western portion of the state. Kuster’s mother was longtime state senator Susan McLane, and her father, Malcolm McLane, was mayor of Concord and a New Hampshire executive councilor. Before serving in Congress, she was an adoption attorney.
Despite the chaotic conclusion to her time in office as a shutdown threatened, Kuster said she leaves pleased with what she accomplished. She cited work to highlight mental health and addiction; to combat sexual violence, including MeToo-era reforms on Congress; to improve the environment; and to help veterans.
“Twelve years is a good amount of time to put your shoulder to the wheel and try to make a difference on these issues,” Kuster said. “I can’t say we solved them, but I think we made a difference, not just in changing policy, changing funding, but changing attitudes.”
Kuster said she intends to stay politically active, focusing on raising money and campaigning for Democratic candidates from outside government.
Kuster will be succeeded by Maggie Goodlander, a former Biden administration official. Kuster backed her own former campaign manager to replace her and campaigned heavily against Goodlander in the primary. The race grew bitter toward the end, when Goodlander prevailed. With the handoff imminent, though, Kuster had nice things to say.
“She’ll be great. I think she’ll do fine,” Kuster said. “It’s all worked out, and I think the voters really wanted me to be replaced by a woman, and that’s sort of endearing.”
As Kuster waited to have her capstone vote in Congress, she said she was “enjoying my last few hours with my friends who I love here and making the best of it,” which included a dinner with one of her Washington roommates, Katherine Clark, the representative from Revere and House Democratic whip.
Kuster held out hope that she’d make it out of Washington in time for a wedding over the weekend and to host the three dozen family members expected to attend her Christmas party.
“And then,” she added, “I’m going skiing.”
