Government -Chap 5-Module 2

Incumbancy
-Congressmen not considered a career early on
-Now highly sought after
-80-90% of house elections are won by incumbents -usually succeed
-Sophmore Surge: Candidates with modereate success during first term can win 8-10% more votes
-More prevelant in house than senate
-Senates: More obstacles
-Less individual time with voters
-Instituants spread thourgh whole state rather than just a district
-Better chance:
-Voters think they will be reelected and vote for them anyways
-97-98: PAC: Donated 158.3 million donations to incumbants and 21.4 new runners
-Free publicity:
-Press conferences
-Congressional speeches
-Introduction of bills
-Junkets intheir home districts
-Free postage:
-Point acheivements
-Stress policy making records
-Highlight any porj-barrel legislation brought into district
-Pace work: directly helping people
-All candidates must focus their energy on motivated voters: Only 37% of people vote during non-predential yeat elections


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House and Senate Elections:
-535 people in house and senates
-435 people are in the house
-1929: number reached 435 and it was decided to keep that number
-The number of electors per states is determined by the population porpotions
-it is determined every 4 years
-Must live in distrcit they will represent:
-Must meet constituants: Gender, ethnicity, party identification, policatl experience qualifications
-How they meet these states determines how well they match representing the district
-Marginal districs:
-Winner typically wins less than 55% of the vote
-Safe distrcits:
-Winner gains more than 55% of the vote
-Number of reps. not regulated by the constitution, the senate is:
-Senate:
-Every 2 years 1/3 of the seat go up for election
-Campaigns cost 5-7milion dollars
-Everytime a seat opens there is crazy compitition for the seat
-Which every party has the most reps. in the congress controls it