Having a wife almost young enough to be a grandaughter is going to be a hard sell for many conservatives. They will imagine that when he was around age 40, the girl was only a preteen and that seems too weird. For me, I don't care, since I've dated a couple women 20 years younger, but I also know about all of the criticism that comes with that. Both for the older man and the younger woman. I think he might not want to put his wife and family through that.
You have a point, there will be those who will judge him on this.
I am married to a man 23 years older than me, spent many years with people referring to me as "his daughter," then getting embarrassed when they realized I was his wife. Didn't bother me or him, though, he was proud and so was I, that I looked that young.
He has two daughters, the oldest is only two years younger than me. And we have four beautiful grandchildren (I didn't have kids). Been together 20 years, so these marriages can work, and did often in past times in history. IN fact, these marriages were common in the past.
However, there will be many women who'll have a problem with this, will see it as cradle robbing.
However, his wife is not a pre-teen, and wasn't when she married him. I was old enough to make my own decisions when I married a man 23 years older than me, nobody made me do it.
I wouldn't have a man my own age, they are like hanging around with a little brother. I have always preferred a more mature circle of friends. Heck, all my friends are 30 years older, and I am more inclined to listen to Tommy Dorsey than rock and roll. This is a personal decision.
Unfortunately, too many Americans are more attuned to TV reality than real life. Only a small percentage of Americans vote, and many will do so for reasons other than the right ones.