Primary challenge

In addition, officeholders are frequently seen as de facto leaders of their party, eligible to establish policy and administer affairs as they see fit.In such an area, particularly those that have been gerrymandered, members of the party feel more at ease to challenge current officeholders, because no loss of the seat is expected.Such organizations may be able to convince their supporters to endure the difficulty of voting, while other eligible voters may not want to take the trouble for a "minor election."This figure includes incumbents running unopposed or against paper candidates, meaning credible primary challengers have a higher rate of success.This also includes incumbents running unopposed or against paper candidates, meaning credible primary challengers have a higher rate of success.
U.S. politicspolitical partyprimary electionregistered voterssafe seatgerrymanderedvoter turnoutmass mediaParty activistsideologuesgun controltaxationabortion1992 Republican Party presidential primariesGeorge H. W. BushPat BuchananRoss Perot1980 Democratic Party presidential primariesJimmy Carter1979 oil crisisTed KennedyJerry BrownIran hostage crisisattempt to rescue the hostages1980 Democratic National Convention1976 Republican Party presidential primariesGerald FordRichard NixonRonald ReaganWatergate scandal1976 Republican National Convention1968 Democratic Party presidential primariesLyndon B. JohnsonEugene McCarthyVietnam War1952 Democratic Party presidential primariesHarry S. TrumanEstes KefauverSabato's Crystal Ballpaper candidates2020 United States Senate election in MassachusettsEd MarkeyJoe Kennedy IIINancy Pelosi2012 United States Senate election in IndianaRichard LugarRichard MourdockObama administration2010 United States Senate electionsPennsylvaniaArlen SpecterRepublican-turned-DemocratJoe SestakAlaskaLisa MurkowskiJoe MillerTea Party movement2006 United States Senate election in ConnecticutJoe LiebermanNed LamontGeorge W. Bush2002 United States Senate election in New HampshireBob SmithJohn E. Sununu1992 United States Senate election in IllinoisAlan J. DixonCarol Moseley BraunClarence Thomasreapportioningsecond impeachment of Donald TrumpPeter MeijerTom RiceLiz CheneyJaime Herrera Beutlerblanket primaryDan NewhouseDavid Valadaothe SquadAlexandria Ocasio-CortezJoe CrowleyAyanna PressleyMike CapuanoMark SanfordKatie ArringtonDonald TrumpDavid BratEric Cantor2018 Kansas gubernatorial electionJeff ColyerSam BrownbackKris KobachLaura Kelly2014 Hawaii gubernatorial electionNeil AbercrombieDavid Ige2006 Alaska gubernatorial electionFrank MurkowskiSarah PalinJohn BinkleyAssociated PressG. Terry MadonnaFranklin & Marshall College