High School

Which statement expresses one advantage incumbents have in winning reelection?

A. Very little casework needs to be done by incumbents, while challengers are sometimes overwhelmed by the need to do casework.

B. The House engages in reapportionment before each election in order to shore up districts for marginal incumbents.

C. Majority and minority whips work tirelessly to ensure that citizens vote for the incumbent.

D. The best potential challengers are often scared off by the thought of competing against a powerful incumbent.

Answer :

Final answer:

One advantage of incumbents in reelection is their effective constituent casework, leading to positive publicity and strong voter support due to their influence, experience, and specialized informational resources.

Explanation:

One advantage incumbents have in winning reelection is their ability to perform constituent casework effectively. Incumbent members of Congress have access to paid staff, influence, and specialized information that can help them address constituents' needs, such as federal benefits or immigration issues. This efficient casework often leads to positive publicity, which is effective in garnering voter support. Additionally, incumbents benefit from name recognition, previous election victories, and consequently, more campaign donations from political action committees and interest groups. These factors contribute substantially to the incumbency advantage, resulting in high reelection rates for incumbents.