With reelection rates topping ninety percent, the American Congress is a political institution that rarely sees new faces (Mataconis). Many have wondered, why career politicians are the rule and not the exception. Especially considering that according to a poll conducted by Gallup, only thirteen percent of Americans claim to approve of the job that Congress is doing (Jones). In the scholarly article Congress: The Electoral Connection, author David R. Mayhew contended that there are several factors that contribute to this phenomena in the political system (1975, 339-343). Mayhew commented that factors such as advertising, credit claiming, and position taking contributed to the high incumbency reelection rates; however, I would add that another factor, such as gerrymandering plays a role as well.
First, Mayhew determined that advertising accounted for high rates of reelection for incumbents. In his article, Mayhew explained that politicians would have to come up with a political brand. (1975, 340). Often times that political brand would have to a small amount to do with the issues facing the candidate’s constituents but rather favorable characteristics of the candidate, such as knowledge, concern, and sincerity. An example of this can be found simply by looking at the campaign slogans. In election cycles, slogans like “A name you can trust” are used in association with the candidate’s name. During his 1982 bid for reelection to the Indiana Senate, former Senator Dick Lugar used the slogan, “Dick Lugar, A good man for tough times”(YouTube). These slogans have nothing to do with the merit of the candidate and serve as more of a catchy phrase that allows the constituents remember the candidate’s name.
Mayhew also went on to say that p...
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... mail privileges declines." The Frederick News-Post. http://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/politics_and_government/article_4c801a0f-b166-5e56-9673-9bebf0a4109f.html (accessed April 7, 2014).
Mataconis, Doug. "House And Senate Incumbent Re-Election Rates Top 90%." Outside the Beltway. http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/house-and-senate-incumbent-re-election-rates-top-90/ (accessed April 7, 2014).
Mayhew, David R.. "Congress: The Electoral Connection.." Political Science Quarterly 90, no. 2 (1975): 339-343.
Tannahill, Neal R.. "Campaigns and Elections." In Think: American government. 2012 ed. [4th ed. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2012. 196.
Wolf, Z.. "Rand Paul’s 13 Hour Filibuster The Talking Kind Against John Brennan." ABC News. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/03/rand-paul-launches-filibuster-the-talking-kind-against-john-brennan/ (accessed April 6, 2014).
It is not uncommon to find members of Congress who have genuine goals of spearheading, designing or even just supporting good public policy. It would be harsh to say that every member of Congress is against good policy. However what is difficult for members of Congress is deciding what is more important, the wishes of their constituents or national policy. Although it is rare, members of Congress vote against the popular opinion of his or her district in order to make what would be considered good policy in the national interest. This hinders their chance of re-election but is necessary for America. In very rare cases members of Congress have gone against the wishes of their constituents for moral reasons like in the aftermath of 9/11. When voting on the 2002 Iraq War Resolution, I am certain that the last thing of the minds of members of Congress was re-election. A very conservative House of Representatives member Jimmy Duncan said ‘‘when I pushed that button to vote against the war back in 2002, I thought I might be ending my political career.” In times of crisis members of Congress have decide between what is right, not what their constituents believe is right. Another goal other than re-election that members of Congress have is their own future. For many, being a members of The House of Representatives is a mere stepping stone in their career on the way to better things. Therefore for some members of Congress, re-election does not worry them and gives them the freedom to act in an environment striped of the constant pressure of re-election. However, considering that most of the members of The House Of Representatives goals lie within the Senate or high executive positions, re-election is still on their mind, all be it in the form of a different
In his article, “Homestyle,” Richard Fenno seeks to answer one question: How does an elected representative's view of his/her district affect his or her political behavior? To answer this question, Fenno identifies what a Member of Congress’s
Barasch, Emily. "The Twisted History of Gerrymandering in American Politics." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, 19 Sept. 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2014.
Adkins, R. E. (2008). The evolution of political parties, campaigns, and elections: landmark documents, 1787-2007. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press.
Vance, D.A. (1994). State-imposed congressional term limits: what would the Founders of the Constitution say?. Brigham Young University Law Review, 1994, 429.
The Article 'The Permanent Campaign'; takes a look at the way the American political system has evolved over the years. When George Washington was president he did not campaign any before he was put in office. When he was in office he only made a few public appearances and when he did he didn't speak a word. During Washington's era political campaigning was considered undignified.
Presidential Influence in Congress." American Journal of Political Science 29.2 (1985): 183-96. JSTOR. Web. 19 May 2014.
One important reason Americans want to limit terms of their elected representatives is because they are likely to blame what they observe as professional and almost permanent ruling elect of career politicians for a majority of the country’s ill. Supporters of term limits claim the advantages of incumbency are so overpowering that they instead decrease representative democracy and diminish the effectiveness of the government. “Since 1950, about 90% of all incumbents in the House have won the reelection. The 10% who do not return includes both retiring members and those defeated in reelection attempts.” (Term Limits) “Proponents term limits argue that elected officials in Washington eventually become estrang...
Ken Kollman, The American Political System, (New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2012), 25, 322-323, 330, 449.
“The Candidate” is a prime example to the inside of a campaign and the inside of an election. Elections do not only include the candidate themselves but the campaign manager, the supporters, the nominee’s family and the media crew. During “The Candidate” democratic nominee John McKay uses many strategies in order to “not” win his election for senator of California. Going into this campaign McKay was in hopes that he would not win the election, as time passed his view of the election changed as did his strategies.
Kimberling, William C. “The Electoral College.” Federal Election Commission, May 1992. Web. 13 March 2012.
Shugart, Matthew. "Elections: The American Process of Selecting a President: A Comparative Perspective." Presidential Studies, 34, 3 (September 2004): 632-656.
Beck, Paul Allen and Hershey, Marjorie Randon. Party Politics in America. 9th Ed. Longman, New York, NY. 2001.
Morrison, J. (1992). Congressional tenure limited to two consecutive terms? Retrieved from On the Horizon.com: http://horizon.unc.edu/projects/OTH/1-1_poli3.html
Kimberling, William C. “The Electoral College.” Federal Election Commission. May. 1992. Web. 21 Nov. 2013.