What is the meaning of " In these safe seats, incumbents tend to be more concerned about primary challengers, so they try to appeal mostly to their party's base."?

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Updated on15 Aug 2018

monica8

19 Jun 2017

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English (US)

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The Constitution requires states to redo their political maps to reflect population changes identified in the once-a-decade census. The issue of gerrymandering — creating districts that often are oddly shaped and with the aim of benefiting one party — is centuries old. The term comes from a Massachusetts state Senate district that resembled a salamander and was approved in 1812 by Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry.

Both parties have sought the largest partisan edge when they control redistricting. Yet Democrats are more supportive of having courts rein in extreme districting plans, mainly because Republicans control more legislatures and drew districts after the 2010 census that enhanced their advantage in those states and in the House of Representatives.

The challengers to the Wisconsin districts said it is an extreme example of redistricting that has led to ever-increasing polarization in American politics because so few districts are genuinely competitive between the parties. In these safe seats, incumbents tend to be more concerned about primary challengers, so they try to appeal mostly to their party's base.

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AshleyRigby

19 Jun 2017

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This is actually a complex issue. The way the districts are set up (gerrymandering) it separates people based on where they live. For example: some areas of town only have rich people because it costs so much to live there. They usually vote for the same party so the candidate is safe to be re-elected if he makes the people in his area happy. Usually they don't get ideas from a headquarters. They have a team of people they hire to get them re elected.

This is actually a complex issue. The way the districts are set up (gerrymandering) it separates people based on where they live. For example: some areas of town only have rich people because it costs so much to live there. They usually vote for the same party so the candidate is safe to be re-elected if he makes the people in his area happy. Usually they don't get ideas from a headquarters. They have a team of people they hire to get them re elected.

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Incumbents have been in the position before ( like a congress man trying to get re elected). All they need to do to keep their job is continue to please people who identify with their party instead of doing things differently so they can get re elected.
Hope that makes sense. This is a pretty deep subject

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monica8

19 Jun 2017

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@AshleyRigby Thank you very much for kindly responding to my question.I tried to "decipher" the sentence.Do you think the following interpretation capture the meaning?"few districts are genuinely competitive" so the existing politicians are in a safe position..But they are intimidated by their main opponents so they will ask their headquarters about how to beat their opponents.

@AshleyRigby Thank you very much for kindly responding to my question.

I tried to "decipher" the sentence.
Do you think the following interpretation capture the meaning?

"few districts are genuinely competitive" so the existing politicians are in a safe position..
But they are intimidated by their main opponents so they will ask their headquarters about how to beat their opponents.

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AshleyRigby

19 Jun 2017

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This is actually a complex issue. The way the districts are set up (gerrymandering) it separates people based on where they live. For example: some areas of town only have rich people because it costs so much to live there. They usually vote for the same party so the candidate is safe to be re-elected if he makes the people in his area happy. Usually they don't get ideas from a headquarters. They have a team of people they hire to get them re elected.

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What is the meaning of " In these safe seats, incumbents tend to be more concerned about primary challengers, so they try to appeal mostly to their party's base."? - Question about English (US) (2024)

I can't believe I actually remember all of this from high school government class 😁

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