Which of the following give incumbents an advantage when running for reelection?

A. Incumbents find it beneficial to campaign on the productivity of Congress since the institution enjoys a high approval rating.
B. Incumbents can sponsor legislation on behalf of their constituents and engage in constituent service.
C. Incumbents typically have greater access to campaign funds compared to their challengers since interest groups often donate to incumbents to gain access to help advance their policy priorities.
D. Incumbents can send free mail to constituents and may use this as an opportunity to advertise the work they have done on behalf of constituents.

Incumbents have several advantages when running for reelection, including constituency service, greater access to campaign funds, and franking privileges, all of which contribute to high incumbency reelection rates.

Explanation:

Incumbents, or elected officials currently holding an office, have significant advantages when running for reelection. One of these advantages is their ability to engage in constituency service, such as helping with federal benefits or immigration issues, which allows them to build significant goodwill among voters. They often boast about these services through various forms of publicity, including their websites and advertising campaigns. Additionally, incumbents have greater access to campaign funds, which interest groups donate to in the hopes of maintaining access to a likely winner to advance their policy agendas. The incumbency advantage also includes franking privileges, allowing incumbents to send a limited amount of free mail to communicate with and advertise to their constituents, helping to build name recognition and a relationship with voters. These factors, combined with historical data showing high reelection rates for incumbents, illustrate the substantial electoral benefits of being an incumbent.