CH. 7 CONGRESS Student Notes 2

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS States given control over “time, place and manner…” Incumbents have a very high rate of return to Congress, this phenomenon is attributed to the incumbency advantage

INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE ADVANTAGE DESCRIPTION OF ADVANTAGE Gerrymandering Campaign fund-raising and spending Constituency service Institutional resources (franking privilege, staff allowance) Patronage (earmarks/pork barrel)

NAME RECOGNITION The goal is to be visible to voters. Frequent trips home & newsletters are used.

POSITION TAKING Portray themselves as hard working, dedicated individuals. Occasionally take a partisan stand on an issue. Weak Opponents: Most opponents are inexperienced in politics. Most opponents are unorganized and underfunded.

SERVICE TO CONSTITUENTS Casework - the response or services that members of Congress provide to constituents who request assistance Applying for Social Security Military service Citizenship Tracking misdirected benefits

EARMARKING PORK Better serve your district by “bringing home the bacon” Special appropriations for projects back home attached to bills that they otherwise probably would not support Earmarks – funding appropriations that are specifically designated for a named project in a member’s state or district (aka pork)

Incumbency in the House and Senate The House has a higher rate of incumbency reelection than the Senate House members serve in small, often safe districts House members serve two year terms. House members run for reelection almost all of the time.