1. CH. 7 CONGRESS
Student Notes 2

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

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

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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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)

8. 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.