Why do all those legislators get re-elected?

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Most people don’t like Congress, and most people think the New York State Legislature is doing about the same job as Congress. Both Democratic and Republican legislators have low approval numbers. Yet in 2012, much like Tuesday, 97 percent of incumbents in the State Legislature, and a similar number at the federal level, were re-elected. In fact, about 40 percent of general election contests in the State Legislature and Congress had the incumbent running unopposed. Only 5 percent of the contests were tight, with a margin of victory of less than 5 percent.

If everyone is so unhappy, why does everyone get re-elected?

The system is rigged. More people in the State Legislature have been indicted in the past 10 years than have lost their jobs at the polling booth. Yet incumbents keep winning. Why?

To start with, running for office is tough, and people are not enamored of spending long hours to get their brains beat in and then possibly lose the election. People aren’t inclined to run. More important, it’s tough to beat an incumbent. The congressional and state legislative lines are drawn to favor incumbents. Why? Because those lines are drawn by the State Legislature to favor incumbents and their party.

Incumbents are further advantaged by their ability to raise money and use their office to otherwise promote themselves. Additionally, once you’re a member of this elite public servant club, you begin to learn that maintaining the status quo benefits the folks most inclined to contribute to and work on your campaign. Don’t rock the boat, follow the leadership, and you’ll be more than likely to have ample campaign funds, lots of volunteers and an assignment to a legislative committee that gives you the opportunity to further promote your pet projects and your candidacy.

Challengers who may at one time have been stirred by idealism or ambition have been sufficiently discouraged, and now sit on the sidelines. We are the ones to suffer, and we are the ones to blame.

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