--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The power of incumbency is strong enough…" description: "\"The power of incumbency is strong enough to deter most challengers.\" — Harry Enten" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg" --- # The power of incumbency is strong enough to deter most… ![“The power of incumbency is strong enough to deter most challengers.” quote by Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg) > “The power of incumbency is strong enough to deter most challengers.” [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Incumbent advantage creates a high barrier for newcomers, often discouraging competition. **In simple terms:** Being in power makes it hard for others to challenge. Key Takeaway Recognize and address structural advantages. Themes politics competition power Mood cautious analytical Type political strategic When to use this quote - elections - business markets - organizational change - policy reform Key Concepts incumbency effect strategic planning Questions to Reflect On - How can challengers overcome entrenched power? - What reforms reduce incumbency bias? A Different Perspective Incumbents can also become complacent, reducing innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deter/) [Incumbency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incumbency/) [Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/power/) [Strong enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-enough/) ## Related quotes > [The power of incumbency cannot be underestimated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-swalwell/the-power-of-incumbency-cannot-be-underestimated/) [Eric Swalwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-swalwell/) > [The power of incumbency and the power of money is just overwhelming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-long/the-power-of-incumbency-and-the-power-of-money-is-just-overwhelming/) [Wendy Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-long/) > [Every individual who participated in the redistricting process knew that incumbency protection was a critical factor in producing the bizarre lines. ... Many of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-stevens/every-individual-who-participated-in-the-redistricting-process-knew/) [John Paul Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-stevens/) > [Prophets and artists tend to be liminal and marginal people, "edgemen," who strive with a passionate sincerity to rid themselves of the clichés associated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-turner/prophets-and-artists-tend-to-be-liminal-and-marginal-people-edgemen/) Victor Turner > [I think its time to get a reapportionment process that frankly takes out the incumbency protection and the raw politics of the process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-moseley-braun/i-think-its-time-to-get-a-reapportionment-process-that-frankly-takes/) [Carol Moseley Braun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-moseley-braun/) > [“Most of us would simply prefer things to remain the same-- the "Status que" looks more appealing, especially when we think that somehow we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hamidreza-bagheri/most-of-us-would-simply-prefer-things-to-remain-the-same-the-status/) [Hamidreza Bagheri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hamidreza-bagheri/) > [It's amazing I won. I was running against peace, prosperity, and incumbency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/it-s-amazing-i-won-i-was-running-against-peace-prosperity-and/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Listen, Al Gore is a very tough opponent. He is the incumbent. He represents the incumbency. And a challenger is somebody who generally comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/listen-al-gore-is-a-very-tough-opponent-he-is-the-incumbent-he/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Incumbency adds a layer of advantage on top of this party dominance. But rather than foster an environment in which members of Congress feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-mann/incumbency-adds-a-layer-of-advantage-on-top-of-this-party-dominance/) [Thomas E. Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-mann/) > [“You worry me, Mags, so self-contained and quiet. Hazelton would not have been my choice for you." "Why not?" "He's a man who dwells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-burrowes/you-worry-me-mags-so-self-contained-and-quiet-hazelton-would-not-have/) [Grace Burrowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-burrowes/) > [“The willing spirit can do good deeds by grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-willing-spirit-can-do-good-deeds-by-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Obsolete weapons do not deter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/obsolete-weapons-do-not-deter/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [I realized that you didn't have to make self-deprecating remarks or turn yourself into the butt of some unspoken joke. I also discovered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/i-realized-that-you-didn-t-have-to-make-self-deprecating-remarks-or/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [Iran has little capacity to deploy force. Its strategic doctrines are defensive, designed to deter invasion long enough for diplomacy to set it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/iran-has-little-capacity-to-deploy-force-its-strategic-doctrines-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The more you do for people, the less grateful they become, but don’t let that deter your sincere spirit of giving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-forde/the-more-you-do-for-people-the-less-grateful-they-become-but-don-t/) [Charmaine J Forde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-j-forde/) ## More by Harry Enten > [Those who have followed my writing know that I don't think Wendy Davis has a very good chance of being elected governor of Texas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/those-who-have-followed-my-writing-know-that-i-don-t-think-wendy/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [There's room for more than one great team in the NFL.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/there-s-room-for-more-than-one-great-team-in-the-nfl/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [There is no real correlation between how late or how early a field forms and the eventual nominee's success in the general election. Democrats,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/there-is-no-real-correlation-between-how-late-or-how-early-a-field/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [The ability of a manager to be the driving force of a team is overrated, even when you associate historic teams (think the 1950s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-ability-of-a-manager-to-be-the-driving-force-of-a-team-is/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [Those that know me understand that I hate any turn of the phrase 'permanent majority.' I almost always believe that there are larger, mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/those-that-know-me-understand-that-i-hate-any-turn-of-the-phrase/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [Riding a wave of anti-establishment and anti-Obama anger, Tea Party candidates knocked off Democrats and Republicans alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/riding-a-wave-of-anti-establishment-and-anti-obama-anger-tea-party/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [I'll never stop loving Election Night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/i-ll-never-stop-loving-election-night/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [Tropical storm force winds can be dangerous to those who are caught out in them. They could knock down some trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/tropical-storm-force-winds-can-be-dangerous-to-those-who-are-caught/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [Texas Senator Ted Cruz is seen as a figurehead for Tea Party conservatives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/texas-senator-ted-cruz-is-seen-as-a-figurehead-for-tea-party/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [The Super Bowl and the NFL in general seem to bring together Americans in a way few other things can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-super-bowl-and-the-nfl-in-general-seem-to-bring-together/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [One fascinating element of the Biden presidency has been how Americans still seem to be entranced with Trump, even though he is no longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/one-fascinating-element-of-the-biden-presidency-has-been-how/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [The Super Bowl is a bunch of shows wrapped into one. It's the only spectacle I know of where people watch just for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-super-bowl-is-a-bunch-of-shows-wrapped-into-one-it-s-the-only/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [In an era of streaming and cable television, most programs capture only a small portion of America's over 330 million-person population.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/in-an-era-of-streaming-and-cable-television-most-programs-capture/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [My study of past elections in which there was a dominant issue other than the economy indicates that whomever is most trusted on that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/my-study-of-past-elections-in-which-there-was-a-dominant-issue-other/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) > [When I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/when-i-m-wrong-i-say-i-m-wrong/) [Harry Enten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) [Explore all 100 Harry Enten quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/) ## More Deter quotes > [“The more you do for people, the less grateful they become, but don’t let that deter your sincere spirit of giving.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charmaine-j-forde/the-more-you-do-for-people-the-less-grateful-they-become-but-don-t/) [Charmaine J Forde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charmaine-j-forde/) > [Iran has little capacity to deploy force. Its strategic doctrines are defensive, designed to deter invasion long enough for diplomacy to set it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/iran-has-little-capacity-to-deploy-force-its-strategic-doctrines-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I realized that you didn't have to make self-deprecating remarks or turn yourself into the butt of some unspoken joke. I also discovered that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maeve-binchy/i-realized-that-you-didn-t-have-to-make-self-deprecating-remarks-or/) [Maeve Binchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maeve-binchy/) > [“You worry me, Mags, so self-contained and quiet. Hazelton would not have been my choice for you." "Why not?" "He's a man who dwells…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-burrowes/you-worry-me-mags-so-self-contained-and-quiet-hazelton-would-not-have/) [Grace Burrowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-burrowes/) > [“The willing spirit can do good deeds by grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-willing-spirit-can-do-good-deeds-by-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Obsolete weapons do not deter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/obsolete-weapons-do-not-deter/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [“Dare to courageous in life. You have nothing to lose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/dare-to-courageous-in-life-you-have-nothing-to-lose/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Really, of all the important mission responsibilities assigned to United States Strategic Command by the president, none is more important than our responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-robert-kehler/really-of-all-the-important-mission-responsibilities-assigned-to/) C. Robert Kehler > [I had an amazing childhood and always loved to sing and dance, but there were moments where I had ups and downs with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessie-j/i-had-an-amazing-childhood-and-always-loved-to-sing-and-dance-but/) [Jessie J](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessie-j/) > [It is a warning to all those who may think about becoming involved with a terrorist network, people who are willing to destroy their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-schily/it-is-a-warning-to-all-those-who-may-think-about-becoming-involved/) [Otto Schily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-schily/) > [“Believe in yourself. Determined to pursue your goals.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/believe-in-yourself-determined-to-pursue-your-goals/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“If we don’t want life to treat us like poor clodhoppers or bland hang-abouts, we have to turn ‘surviving’ into ‘living’, readjust our course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/if-we-don-t-want-life-to-treat-us-like-poor-clodhoppers-or-bland-hang/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“Failure is not the deterrent for the next try. Rather, it is information that empowers the next step.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/failure-is-not-the-deterrent-for-the-next-try-rather-it-is/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“The only person powerful enough to deter me...is me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auketria-manor/the-only-person-powerful-enough-to-deter-me-is-me/) Auketria Manor > [We need to deter the Palestinians in any way we can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-power/we-need-to-deter-the-palestinians-in-any-way-we-can/) [Samantha Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-power/) [Browse all 23 Deter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The power of incumbency is strong enough to deter most challengers.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Enten" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough-to-deter-most-challengers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough-to-deter-most-challengers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/harry-enten-5474_deter_the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough_2689361.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The power of incumbency is strong enough to deter most challengers.” — Harry Enten", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harry Enten", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enten/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The power of incumbency is strong...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough-to-deter-most-challengers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enten/the-power-of-incumbency-is-strong-enough-to-deter-most-challengers/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```