1. You must select a single recent (last 20 years) case of an incumbent member of Congress who was defeated at the polls. This can be a sitting House member or a sitting senator who ran for reelection but lost, either in the primary or the general election. Provide a detailed analysis of why this incumbent lost. Was s/he a bad representative? How so? Was s/he involved in a scandal that resonated with voters? Did s/he suffer from negative coattails (e.g., an unpopular president), a bad economy, etc.? Was his/her opponent a particularly strong opponent, well-funded, with high name recognition? Did s/he lose some critical endorsements back home? Did redistricting hurt him/her? And so on. These are some examples of possible explanations. There are others. A good answer will delve into the details of the election, the district/state, the context in which the campaign was held, and so on. It is also likely that there are multiple reasons why the incumbent lost. It is up to you to provide a convincing explanation (or set of explanations).
2. Find one (1) published academic journal article that addresses the question of why some congressional incumbents lose. First, summarize the main findings of the article. Second, explain whether you think the case you discussed above fits the results of the research, or whether it doesn't fit the results. 1-2 pages.