WASHINGTON — Incumbency certainly comes with advantages, but the political volatility of 2022 poses serious risks for those seeking to keep their perches on Capitol Hill, including some facing primaries Tuesday.
A scandal-plagued newcomer to Congress, Republican Rep. Madison Cawthorn, will find out whether North Carolina voters will give him another chance. Voters in Oregon’s 5th District will decide the fate of Democratic Rep. Kurt Schrader. And Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson, who ranks 10th in seniority among House Republicans, will discover whether he’ll get to climb up the hierarchy in the next Congress.
“Schrader, Cawthorn and Simpson are good examples of how incumbents can be vulnerable in primaries for different reasons,” said CQ Roll Call elections analyst Nathan L. Gonzales. “Schrader faces the cross pressure of ideology and redistricting. Cawthorn is vulnerable because of his personal issues. Simpson is vulnerable not because of redistricting but partially because of ideology and longevity.”
