It's the problem with having no term limits, but short terms. These people's full time job is getting reelected.
Honestly, you make terms longer, but put it strict term limits, I think you see meaningful change. It should be the same as President, 4 year terms, with 2 term limits
I know this is an unpopular position as most people both right and left seem to like term limits but they are disastrous for legislators.
Ohio passed term limits about 20 years ago IIRC. In Ohio there are 33 State Senators (4 year terms) and 99 State Representatives (2 year terms).
What people didn't like was that a LOT of the Reps and Senators served forever. I knew a LOT of Republicans that wanted term limits to get rid of Ohio House Speaker Vern Riffe. Vern Riffe was a Democrat from Southern Ohio who was in the Ohio House for 18 terms (36 years, 1967-1994) and as Speaker for the last 20 years that he was in the House.
The first thing that you need to understand about Term Limits is that they limit the power of the elected Representatives and that unavoidably increases the power of unelected bureaucrats, lobbyists, and the parties themselves. Everyone needs to understand that. If you say you want Term Limits you have to accept that you are advocating for increasing the power of unelected bureaucrats, lobbyists, and the parties. Are you ok with that? Is anyone ok with that?
In Ohio, before term limits the Representatives were powerful individuals. Most of them were pretty firmly entrenched (that was what people didn't like) but that meant that they weren't beholden to the parties and special interests. They *COULD* and sometimes did chart their own course. Guys like Vern Riffe and my local Representative in that era (a long-term Republican who eventually became speaker) didn't have to answer to the lobbyists or the parties. They also could and sometimes did curtail bad bureaucrats.
Today, if I'm a bad bureaucrat I have no fear whatsoever of any Legislator because by the time they figure out that I'm a bad bureaucrat, they are on their way out the door. None of them can actually take me on in any meaningful way because I KNOW that I'll outlast them.
The other big change is that the Governor and the Parties are MUCH more powerful than they used to be. The Governor has appointment power which the Legislators all care about because they need jobs once they are term-limited out. Same goes for the Parties. As long as you are a good-D or good-R, your party will find you a spot. If you aren't, you are out. Prior to term limits this was a non-issue since you could stay in the Legislature as long as you could get reelected.
Finally, there are some practical realities that most elected officials could never admit to but that are nonetheless very real. With the rare (although increasingly less rare) exception of someone who is either a legacy or worked for decades as a Legislative aid/staffer/attorney, there is a steep learning curve for new Reps. You can watch the "How a Bill becomes Law" video but the reality is a LOT more complex and nuanced. It takes time to learn the ropes and it takes time to gain enough seniority to actually get anything done. Then, by the time you get there you have to worry about your next job so you are out anyway.
Term Limits have been a disaster for Ohio and I've had that same observation shared by people of VERY different ideological stance.
