Intraparty Competition

The “politics of fratricide” is welcome news indeed (“Politics-as-Unusual in the Post-Reapportionment, Post-140 World,” by Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, Opinion, April 19). Authentic intraparty competition is certainly better than no competition at all.

In many legislative districts for state and national office it remains the only electoral competition there will be in 1992, especially down here behind the “Orange Curtain.”

Elections following legislative reapportionment are typically more competitive. On average, nearly twice as many incumbents running for Congress, for example, have been defeated in the primary following reapportionment as have lost the primary at other times during the last 50 years. The results from elections for state office show a similar tendency. But in neither case is the number of defeated incumbents large. In 1972 only 12 incumbents running for Congress were defeated during the primary nationwide; only 10 lost reelection bids in 1982.

Reapportionment may produce more competition, but it doesn’t necessarily decrease the percentage of incumbents reelected. Reapportionment will also do little to increase competition in the general election, when it really counts for mobilizing voters and setting the agenda for legislative policy-making.

There may be a new face from Orange County heading off to the House of Representatives or the state Assembly, but that new face will likely remain a Republican. Only term limitations will guarantee competitive general elections and legislative turnover.

Fratricidal competition is welcome news, but only the “politics of regicide” can help restore meaningful competition to general elections. That would be great news!

MARK P. PETRACCA

Assistant Professor, School of Social Sciences

UC Irvine