Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

As you can see by the chart above, rarely does our collective approval of our Representatives and Senators spike above 50%, and most often it averages in the 30% range. If you earned 30% on a test, how happy would you be with the results? It would follow that because these numbers poll so low, every two years voters would clean house - and Senate! In reality, more than 90% of incumbents win reelection.

Percentage of Incumbent Representatives Reelected from 1966 to 2008

As you have learned, incumbents make up those individuals who currently hold office and seek reelection; you know, all those people earning the stellar approval ratings decade after decade. But looking at the chart above, you see that most incumbents are reelected. What a great job! You get 30% performance ratings by your bosses, we the voters, but keep your job as long as you don't do anything too bad. 

Percentage of Incumbent Senators Reelected from 1966 to 2008

Data from the Center for Responsive Politics

The question then becomes, if they get terrible approval ratings, why do we keep electing them?

Here's your answers:

1. Money: If you are an incumbent, individuals and business interests are much more likely to give you the cash needed to win that big election. Why? They are just like us: voting on a winner seems a safe bet. The opposite is also true; it might be risky to spend money on a challenger whose victory seems uncertain, even if that person has great credentials.

2. Power has its privileges: If you a Representative of Senator holding office, you have a great deal of money and a built- in campaign organization in the form of your staffers, all courtesy of the American tax-payer. Challengers must create a campaign from scratch, soliciting volunteers to help in the race. As part of the job, members of Congress travel in their district or state meeting with constituents, trying to understand and then act on specific policy concerns. Sounds like... campaigning! Except they get paid to do it, and their challengers do not. Also, if you a member of Congress, the public already knows your name and in politics, which candidate garners the most visibility will make the difference between a win or loss.