HILL STAFF VIEWS: Looks Like There’s A Baby Boom Coming Among Staffers
(QUICK READ) — More than three of every four congressional aides responding to a recent CNCT Capitol Pulse survey said they want to have at least two children or as many as four or more in their families.
These percentages are pretty impressive, as 52 percent of the respondents overall said they want two kids, and another 26 percent chose the “4 or more” option. These numbers could herald a swelling population of toddlers around the neighborhoods that make up Capitol Hill residencies.
Although clearly more Republican aides chose the largest family option, with 50 percent of GOP women and 54 percent of GOP Senate aides doing so, there was also a significant portion of Democrats opting for the bigger brood, including 20 percent of Democrat junior policy aides and 17 percent of their senior policy aides.
Interestingly, significantly more Democrat aides, 61 percent, chose the 2-3 option than did Republicans, 44 percent, while at the opposite end of the choices spectrum 21 percent of those (18 percent overall) saying they want no children were Democrats, thus prompting this observation from CNCT:
“Democratic staffers are becoming overwhelmingly pro-kids since the last time we asked this question in April 2025. Dems wanting no children fell from 50 percent in 2025 to 21 percent in 2026.” Would be an interesting exploration to probe the reasons for such a dramatic decline in the “no kids” choice popularity.
One other note about these results: A tiny percentage, 4 percent for both parties, said they only want one child. According to Census Bureau data, the average American family in 1970 had three children under the age of 18 years old. Today, that figure is down to 1.8-2.0 on average.
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