incumbent advantage
Reelection head start
The edge that current officeholders have over challengers in elections.
Incumbents benefit from name recognition, established donor networks, franking privileges, and media coverage that comes with holding office.
The advantage is significant in legislative races, where incumbents win reelection at rates exceeding 90 percent in some systems: Despite low approval ratings for Congress, incumbent advantage keeps most seats safe.
- safe seatReliably won constituency
- campaign financeMoney raised for elections
- market dominanceControl over a sector
- first moverOne acting before others
- barrier to entryCompetitive impediment for newcomers
name recognition · legal protections · network effects · brand equity · party machinery · ground game · public trust · media coverage · customer retention · economies of scale · social proof · war chest · deep pockets · distribution networks · operational efficiency · gerrymandering · seniority · bully pulpit
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