Incumbent Winning Percentages

Historical data shows incumbents have higher winning percentages than candidates that run as challengers. Incumbent Winning Percentages, 1946-present |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | # | # |# | | | Year | Ran | Won | Lost | Win % | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1946 | 398 | 328 | 70 | 82.41% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1948 | 400 | 317 | 83 | 79.25% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1950 | 400 | 362 | 38 | 90.50% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1952 | 389 | 354 | 35 | 91.00% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1954 | 407 | 379 | 28 | 93.12% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1956 | 411 | 389 | 22 | 94.65% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1958 | 396 | 356 | 40 | 89.90% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1960 | 400 | 374 | 26 | 93.50% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1962 | 396 | 381 | 15 | 96.21% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1964 | 389 | 344 | 45 | 88.43% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1966 | 402 | 362 | 40 | 90.05% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1968 | 401 | 396 | 5 | 98.75% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1970 | 391 | 379 | 12 | 96.93% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1972 | 380 | 367 | 13 | 96.58% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1974 | 383 | 343 | 40 | 89.56% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1976 | 381 | 368 | 13 | 96.59% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1978 | 378 | 359 | 19 | 94.97% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1980 | 392 | 361 | 31 | 92.09% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1982 | 381 | 352 | 29 | 92.39% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1984 | 407 | 391 | 16 | 96.07% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1986 | 391 | 385 | 6 | 98.47% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1988 | 409 | 402 | 6 | 98.29% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1990 | 406 | 391 | 15 | 96.31% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1992 | 349 | 325 | 24 | 93.12% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1994 | 384 | 349 | 35 | 90.89% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1996 | 381 | 361 | 20 | 94.75% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 1998 | 400 | 394 | 6 | 98.50% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 2000 | 403 | 394 | 9 | 97.77% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 2002 | 398 | 382 | 16 | 95.98% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------| | | | | | | | 2004 | 404 | 399 | 5 | 98.76% | | | | | | | | | | | | | |-------+------+-------+-------+---------|