Incumbents in Congress have many advantages over challengers and it seems that once a member of Congress gets elected they are able to stay in office...

Incumbents in Congress have many advantages over challengers and it seems that once a member of Congress gets elected they are able to stay in office and hold their seat a long time..."

Discuss why incumbents have these advantages and whether this is a positive or negative dynamic in the U.S. legislative branch.

• What could be done to change this situation?
• And what affects would these changes have upon our democracy and the functioning of Congress?