Voluntary Retirement, Incumbency, and the Modern House

Abstract

In the last decade, students of the Congress have placed great emphasis on the analysis of membership change. Most of the work has centered on the House of Representatives, and the two primary topics have been the development of service into a profession or and the advantages of incumbency. Aspects of one or both of these themes have been studied by a variety of political scientists, and career and have been treated as critical elements in explaining the character and performance of the modern Congress as well as the behavior of its individual members. ' In large part the results of this research have been compatible and reinforcing. Admittedly, there have been important differences in findings for the House and Senate and disagreement about causes. Nevertheless, notions of the development and impact of the incumbency effect have, in general, fit neatly with notions of the development and impact of service in the Congress as a career. It is thus ironic that within a short time after students of the Congress have discovered and incumbency and have begun to treat them as key,