Given the intense political climate of recent years, it's sometimes difficult to imagine why anyone would consider running for Congress. These days, just about every aspect of a candidate's life is fair game for public scrutiny and commentary.

Even so, hundreds of candidates run for Congress every two years. Some seek the position as a steppingstone to higher office; others do it in order to effect change in a specific policy area; others are compelled by a sense of civic duty.

Eligibility Requirements

The Constitution lays out three requirements for gaining entry to the U.S. House of Representatives:

• You must be at least twenty-five years old at the time of inauguration.

• You must be a resident of the state in which your district resides.

• You must have been a U.S. citizen for seven years prior to inauguration.

Of course, those are just the technical qualifications for becoming a member of Congress. Most successful Congressional candidates are long-standing and respected members of their communities. They tend to be upper-income or wealthy professionals who are active in civic and local organizations and have some political experience, whether it's on the state or local level. Very few novices are elected to the House of Representatives.

Incumbency Protection

Winning a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives is one of the most difficult chores in all of politics. On the other hand, incumbents (those running for re-election) almost never lose. In fact, since World War II, House members have enjoyed a whopping 92 percent re-election rate, which is nearly 20 percent higher than their Senate counterparts. During the 2000 Congressional elections, all but six incumbents were victorious!

There are two primary reasons. For one thing, incumbents enjoy much greater access to the media and are better funded than their challengers. Moreover, sitting members can accumulate political goodwill in their districts by doing constituent casework, bringing home “pork-barrel” spending projects (projects that benefit local industry or constituents), sending out mail that highlights their successes, and conducting town hall meetings.