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Explaining Challenger Quality in Congressional Elections
Abstract
This study seeks to explain why some incumbents attract politically experienced, well-financed challengers while others do not. Using data from contested House races in 1980, we analyze the effects of four sets of variables including: (1) incumbents' policy and nonpolicy behavior (ideological discrepancy and use of "perks" for advertising and casework); (2) local partisan conditions (previous vote margin and the normal partisan vote in the district); (3) district diversity; and (4) the national tide. We find that both short-term and long-term partisan forces (previous vote and normal vote), national tides, and policymaking behavior (ideological discrepancy) significantly affect the probability of attracting politically experienced, well-financed challengers. District diversity and incumbents' use of "perks" available for advertising and casework, on the other hand, are not related to any indicator of challenger quality.
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Citations
Cited by
Congress and the Politics of Problem Solving
Adler, E. S., & Wilkerson, J. D. (2013) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9781139150842 · Cited by 280
When to Risk It? Institutions, Ambitions, and the Decision to Run for the U.S. House
MAESTAS, C. D., FULTON, S., MAISEL, L. S., & STONE, W. J. (2006) · American Political Science Review · doi:10.1017/s0003055406062101 · Cited by 274
Preempting Quality Challengers in House Elections
Krasno, J. S., & Green, D. P. (1988) · The Journal of Politics · doi:10.2307/2131385 · Cited by 263
Leech, B. L. (2010) · The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199542628.003.0028 · Cited by 91
Morisi, D., Jost, J. T., Panagopoulos, C., & Valtonen, J. (2022) · Social Psychological and Personality Science · doi:10.1177/19485506211046830 · Cited by 7
Metadata
- Authors
- Bond, J. R., Covington, C., & Fleisher, R.
- Venue
- The Journal of Politics
- Publisher
- University of Chicago Press
- Published
- 1985-06
- Volume
- 47
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 510-529
- ISSN
- 0022-3816 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-2508
- OpenAlex
- W1981220665
- Cited by
- 281
- References
- 0
- FWCI
- 50.19
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
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- Bond, J. R., Covington, C., & Fleisher, R. (1985). Explaining Challenger Quality in Congressional Elections. The Journal of Politics. https://doi.org/10.2307/2130894
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