“Redistricting is a deeply political process, with incumbents actively seeking to minimize the risk to themselves (via bipartisan gerrymanders) or to gain additional seats for their party (via partisan gerrymanders).” PoliticalProcessPartyRiskGainsSeekingSeatsPartisansBipartisanIncumbentsRedistricting Author:Thomas E. Mann
“The U.S. has become a defacto one-party state, with the legislative branch permanently controlled by an incumbent's party and every president exploiting his role as Commander-in-Chief to expand on the imperial prerogatives of his office.” StatesPresidentPartyRolesOfficeChiefsBranchesControlledCommandersCommander In ChiefIncumbentsPrerogativeLegislative Branch Author:Andrew Bacevich
“Every individual who participated in the redistricting process knew that incumbency protection was a critical factor in producing the bizarre lines. ... Many of the oddest twists and turns of the Texas districts would never have been created if the Legislature had not been so intent on protecting party and incumbents.” IfsHas BeensPoliticalTurnsPoliticsIndividualProcessLinesPartyCriticalProtectionFactorsTexasBizarreTwistsLegislatureIncumbentsTwists And TurnsRedistrictingIncumbency Author:John Paul Stevens
“For many years, we have had these campaign finance reforms, and they have been failures. Money is more coursing through our system than ever before. Incumbents have used the laws to advantage themselves. And one of the reasons I think they have been failures is we have tried to crush down the money in places like the political parties, and it has squished out into opaque super PACs and sort of hidden channels.” ThinkingYearsHas BeensReasonLawPoliticalUsedPartyAdvantageCampaignsFinanceReformCrushPolitical PartiesIncumbentsOpaquePacsCampaign FinanceCampaign Finance Reform Author:Mark Shields