Incumbent Advantages
By Levi Clancy for Student Reader on
updated
- United States Congress
- Checks and Balances Against Congress
- Committee Structure of Congress
- Congress' enumerated military powers
- Drawing Congressional Districts
- Duties of the House and Senate
- Four Functions of Congress
- Incumbent Advantages
- Legislative process
- Members of Congress
- United States House of Representatives
- United States Senate
Incumbents seeking reelection in Congress have several advantages over other candidates. Sources of the incumbent advantage include:
Raise more money than challengers
Franking privileges
Constituency service (Case work)
Helping the district
“Pork” (Money secured for projects in districts)
“Ear marks” (Money inserted into large bills without attribution)
Drawing Congressional Districts