Mad Max wants her job back

Maxine Waters Wants Her Job Back

Rep. Maxine Waters says she’ll try to reclaim the Financial Services chair if Democrats win the House in 2026. She’ll be 88 by then. That single fact has people asking a simple question: when does public service become an open seat for new leaders?

Waters has represented south Los Angeles for nearly 35 years. In 2019 she became the first Black woman to lead the Financial Services Committee. That committee handles big-ticket issues — financial regulation, cryptocurrency, housing policy and lending rules.

She’s not shy about her plans. “If you take a look at my energy and what I do — I am Auntie Maxine,” Waters told Politico. “I’m the one who popularized ‘reclaiming my time.’” That confidence resonates with longtime supporters. It also fuels criticism from others who want a generational shift.

People on the committee — speaking anonymously to Politico — complained about fundraising and a lack of direct support to other members. Some say she hogs the spotlight and doesn’t make room for younger talent.

Still, colleagues praised her ability to win bipartisan support on housing and insurance issues and to keep focus on everyday constituents instead of billionaires.

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