January 23, 2015
Incumbency Advantages…
Objective: Basic understanding of
Congress
I. Basic Characteristics
1. MEMBERSHIP
•Elite Class Theory
2. COMPENSATION/PERKS
•27th amend.
•Perks:
1. Franking Privilege
2. Junkets
3. Others (healthcare, pension, travel, barber, gym, etc.)
What are the 5 most common ways you get to know Congress and
Challengers
Incumbency Advantages
Objective: …understand the scope and
advantages for congressional incumbents
Constituent Contact with House
Incumbents and Challengers
60
Percentage
50
40
Incumbents
30
Challengers
20
10
0
Received mail fro m
Saw o n t.v.
Read so mething abo ut
Heard o n radio
M et perso nally
I. Scope of incumbency advantages
http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/buried-in-the-fine-print/
Earmarks VS. Pork
II. Advantages
1.
2.
3.
4.
Name rec.
Staffers
Patronage
Constituent Work
1.
Pork, earmarks, casework
5. Monetary advantage
6. Weak
7. Gerrymandering (safe seats)
Money Raised in Congressional Elections, 2008
Average Amount Raised (in
thousands of dollars)
• Permanent Congress
Safe Seats
10000
9000
8000
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
House
Senate
Incumbents Challengers Open Seats
I. Incumbency advantages
Gerrymandering:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mky11UJb9AY__
– Reapportionment-10 years
– Boundaries redrawn
• WA State: bipartisan commission of 5 people
– Packing vs. Cracking
Effects of Gerrymandering:
– “Safe” seats
– Party in power STAYS
– Strangely-shaped districts
– Baker v. Carr, 1962-”one man, one vote”
– Wesberry v. Sanders, 1964
– Shaw v. Reno, 1993
– Miller v. Johnson, 1995
Gerrymandering: Supreme Court
1.
2.
3.
4.
District lines equal in population
District lines: contiguous
Cannot dilute racial minority voting
“Communities of interest”