In politics, an incumbent is the person who currently holds a specific elected office, especially when they are running for another term in that same position.

Quick Scoop: What ā€œincumbentā€ means

  • If someone is already in office and seeks reā€‘election, they are the incumbent candidate (for example, the sitting president running again is the incumbent presidential candidate).
  • The word can be used more broadly for anyone who currently occupies a political position or official role in government.
  • In elections, youā€™ll often see headlines like ā€œIncumbent vs. challenger,ā€ meaning the current officeā€‘holder versus the person trying to replace them.

So when you read news like ā€œthe incumbent senator faces a tough race,ā€ it simply means the current senator for that seat is trying to keep their job. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.