POS-4424 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: The Strongest, Richard Fenno, Gerrymandering
What is the Incumbency Advantage?
House of Rep: 95% end up winning re-election: elections are a little unfair. Members are using
the institution as an advantage.
“Surge (The increase in vote share that a candidate will receive in second term in office or as an
incumbent) and Slump (retirement back in at the career to after they leave for the open election)
= Slurge”
Vanishing Marginal:
Sources of the Incumbency Advantage? Member are able to use advantages of their office.
(Personal Staff: are on staff at multiple locations one in D.C. and one in local. Budget for
personal staff.)
Money+Incumbency= the more money the decrease for incumbency
How does the Incumbency advantage work?
Fear
The incumbency advantage discourages opposition (The Scare-Off Effect)
Quality Challengers (as someone as a current office holder) do not run
The truth is incumbents actually are vulnerable! Especially long-term incumbents
The more money an incumbent spends the lower his chances of winning! Wtf?
Jacobsens finds: when you scare off quality challengers
The Effect of spending on the probability of winning
Home Style: House Members in Their Districts: Richard Fenno Jr.
What is Home Style? Three basic ingredients to home style
1. Allocation of Resources (Like Personal Staff and Offices)
2. Presentation of Self (Do I actually present myself? Some are uncomfortable to go
back to their districts to be in front of people)
3. Explanation of Washington Activities (You voted down for this bill, Why?)
Why is the Member’s perception of “the District” Important for understanding Home Style?
Context: constituency circles:
Geographic Constituency (All the people who could plausibly vote for me or the District)
Gerrymandering effects the geographic.
Reelection Constituency (The Supporters, who aren’t always in line with me but will
support me)
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
House of rep: 95% end up winning re-election: elections are a little unfair. Members are using the institution as an advantage. Surge (the increase in vote share that a candidate will receive in second term in office or as an incumbent) and slump (retirement back in at the career to after they leave for the open election) Member are able to use advantages of their office. (personal staff: are on staff at multiple locations one in d. c. and one in local. Money+incumbency= the more money the decrease for incumbency. The incumbency advantage discourages opposition (the scare-off effect) Quality challengers (as someone as a current office holder) do not run. The truth is incumbents actually are vulnerable! The more money an incumbent spends the lower his chances of winning! Jacobsens finds: when you scare off quality challengers. The effect of spending on the probability of winning. Home style: house members in their districts: richard fenno jr.
