When experience fails: The experience factor in congressional runoffs

Ambition theory identifies political experience as a major correlate of hol ding higher office. We explore the possibility that under certain condition s, political experience may do little to promote election. Specifically, in runoff primaries experience may not promote a candidate's prospects for no mination. When an experienced candidate, such as a former state legislator, fails to win a majority in the initial primary, it may indicate that any a dvantages derived from experience have been discounted by the electorate. T he relationship between experience and runoff election success is explored using 87 U.S. House elections from 1982 through 1994. The evidence shows th at in runoffs experienced candidates who led their primaries have no advant age, while the greater the experience of the primary runner-up, the more li kely it is that the front-runner will be nominated.