Defeated House Incumbents
Of course, it’s one thing to say your representative doesn’t deserve to be re-elected, or even that you’re open to voting him or her out, and actually doing so. Historically, Americans have been more favorably disposed toward their own representatives than to Congress as a whole (a phenomenon dubbed “Fenno’s Paradox,” after eminent political scientist Richard Fenno). That disjuncture that has been reflected in typically high re-election rates. On average, in each of the seven House elections between 1978 and 1990 (inclusive), fewer than 20 representatives were defeated for re-election.
Defeated House Incumbents  | Dem. 54  | 50  | 40  | 30  | Rep 22  | 20  | 10  | 1990  | '94  | '98  | 2002  | '66  | 10  | Source: Vital Statistics on Congress  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 