Reelection Rates of Incumbents

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In the American democratic system, incumbency has an inherent advantage at election time. Because the senator or representative already holds elective office, the candidate has the benefit of 'free media', able to command the attention of newspapers, radio and television by holding press conferences and trumpeting policy initiatives. In addition to the press, an incumbent has easy access to campaign donors as someone who can influence legislation and advance particular agendas. The ability to have one's name so prominently displayed and one's campaign so easily bankrolled has contributed to the incredible track record of incumbents' re-election rates. While there have been cases of high turnover and electoral upsets in Congress, in general an incumbent desiring another term of office will get it. Some critics use such a situation as justification for term limits and campaign finance reform, while others say that the system works fine as is. While this book takes no position regarding the electoral system, it does provide the information needed for doing so. The reports presented examine nearly 200 years of election results for congressional incumbents, devoting separate chapters to the Senate and the House. Anyone who wants to develop an informed opinion or understanding of the American system of national elections should be familiar with the historical trends in voting in this book.