Which of the following contributes to the incumbency advantage of members of Congress?

A. Incumbents have a better grasp of how to use social media.
B. Only incumbents have access to data on voters.
C. Challengers must declare their candidacy no less than two years before the election.
D. Challengers are usually substantially outspent by incumbents.

One of the key factors contributing to the incumbency advantage of members of Congress is that challengers often face significant disparities in campaign funding compared to incumbents.

Incumbents typically have established fundraising networks, access to political action committees (PACs), and greater visibility due to their current position, enabling them to raise more funds for their re-election campaigns.

This financial advantage allows incumbents to invest in advertising, outreach efforts, staff resources, and other campaign activities that can help bolster their electoral prospects and maintain a competitive edge over challengers who may struggle to match the incumbent's financial resources.

As a result, challengers frequently find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to financing their campaigns effectively and reaching voters on a comparable scale as the well-funded incumbent candidates.