Incumbents' Advantages in the 1978 U. S. Congressional Elections

Bibliographic Data

ID7329587
AuthorsGary C Jacobson (0000-0001-6392-839X, corresponding author)
Year1981
Volume6
Issue2
Pages183-183
Publication date1981-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueLegislative Studies Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0362-9805 • E-ISSN: 1939-9162
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.2307/439644
OpenAlexW2325758249
LanguageEN
Citations received37
References cited10

The 1978 National Election Study has provided us with a wide variety of data to help explain the advantages that incumbents have recently enjoyed in elections for the U.S. House. The incumbent has advantages over challengers in levels of familiarity, frequency of contact, and evaluations; contestants for open seats rank between incumbents and challengers on these items. An analysis of variables related to voting decisions shows that incumbents benefit from many different things that they do: advertising, credit claiming on services, and position taking on issues, as well as development of a home style that enhances their image. They also benefit from having obscure, inexperienced opponents who are usually short of resources and therefore do not become familiar to voters

Economics · Political economy · Political science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · Public Administration · Social Media and Politics

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