The Legislative Branch Congressional Elections AP Government Mrs

The Legislative Branch Congressional Elections AP Government Mrs. Lacks

Congressional Job Approval • Typically very low & lower than that of presidents • Presidential Job Approval: https: //news. gallup. com/interactives/185273/pr esidential-job-approval-center. aspx

Presidential Job Approval • Presidential Job Approval (interactive): https: //news. gallup. com/interactives/185273/pr esidential-job-approval-center. aspx

Congressional Elections • At the same time, typically 96% of incumbents in the House win reelection; 92% of incumbents in the Senate win re-election

Congressional Elections • At the same time, typically 96% of incumbents in the House win reelection; 92% of incumbents in the Senate win re-election

Congressional Elections • Why unfavorable? ▫ Most Americans go negative if their economic situation hasn’t improved since an election ▫ Lack of efficacy - Most Americans can’t name their representative and senators ▫ According to a 2014 poll conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, only 36 percent of Americans could name one of their senators or their MC (same percentage as # who could name three branches of government).

Congressional Elections • Why do they get re-elected if so unfavorable? ▫ Incumbents have name recognition; challenger is normally unknown ▫ Challengers have to spend a tremendous amount of money to simply develop name recognition

Incumbency Advantages • Franking privilege: allows those already in office to mail newsletters informing their constituents of their accomplishments ▫ Self-generated report cards – always favorable ▫ Tax payer pays for this at no cost to Congressman ▫ Challenger doesn’t have this luxury (direct mailing is expensive)

Incumbency Advantages • Each Congressman has a staff; a challenger probably cannot afford to hire and keep a dedicated staff (relies on volunteers, or people sent from their party) • Incumbents get more support from Political Action Committees (PACs), the financial muscle of interest groups

Favorability & Elections • Other reasons why incumbents almost always win (until they decide to retire) ▫ Absence of term limits (22 nd Amendment places term limits only on the President) ▫ Seniority lends itself to committee leadership positions. . the longer you serve, the more likely one is to be able to influence legislation for your state or district

Favorability & Elections • safe seat: incumbent runs with no challenger (opposition party doesn’t even put up a candidate because incumbent is so popular) • Open election: all candidates are new or running for the first time • Marginal seat: winner wins by slight margin (usually happens in open elections) • Sophomore surge: having at least one term in

Congressional Districts • District lines are drawn by state assemblies • Each district has on average 600, 000 people in it (many exceptions –ex. Montana, WY(

Reapportionment • Reapportionment: Redistribution of 435 seats in the House on the basis of changes in the state populations. ▫ ▫ ▫ Reps per state determined by pop. Census conducted every 10 yrs. Census shows populations changes and seats are allotted based upon new numbers

Redistricting • Redistricting: When seats change, district boundaries must change. ▫ Party controlling state legislature redraws district boundaries.

Gerrymandering • Gerrymandering: drawing district lines a specific way for a specific purpose ▫ Minority-Majority Districts: Congressional districts designed to make it easier for minority citizen to elect minority representatives.

Origins of Term • 19 th century MA Governor Elbridge Gerry redrew lines himself with some having such strange shapes

Gerrymandering • Sup Ct called gerrymandering unconstitutional ▫ Why? ▫ Justices said that a black man can represent a white man and vice versa ▫ Ex. We have a black President when only 12% of the US is black

Effects of Gerrymandering 1. 2. 3. 4. Party in power, STAYS in power Safe seats are created Odd-shaped districts “Majority-Minority” districts created by racial gerrymandering • Top 10 Most Gerrymandered Districts

Gerrymandering, Explained • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Mky 11 UJb 9 AY

The Redistricting Game http: //www. redistrictinggame. org/