The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent(s). For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W. Bush was the incumbent, because he was the president in the current term while the election sought to determine the president for the following term. A race without an incumbent is referred to as an open seat.

The word "incumbent" is derived from the Latin verb incumbere, literally meaning "to lean or lay upon" with the present participle stem incumbent-, "leaning a variant of encumber, while encumber is derived from the root cumber, most appropriately defined: "4. To occupy obstructively or inconveniently; to block fill up with what hinders freedom of motion or action; to burden, load."

In general, incumbents have structural advantages over challengers during elections. The timing of elections may be determined by the incumbent instead of a set schedule. For most political offices, the incumbent often has more name recognition due to their previous work in the office. Incumbents also have easier access to campaign finance, as well as government resources (such as the franking privilege) that can be indirectly used to boost a campaign. An election (especially for a legislature) in which no incumbent is running is often called an open seat; because of the lack of incumbency advantage, these are often amongst the most hotly-contested races in any election.

Christopher McDaniel (born June 28, 1972 in Laurel, Mississippi), is an attorney, conservative commentator and a Republican politician in the Mississippi Senate who has represented the 42nd District, which encompasses part of South Mississippi, since 2008. McDaniel resides with his family in Ellisville, Mississippi. He is the grandson of early country singer Luke McDaniel.

Senator McDaniel was born on June 28, 1972 in Laurel, Mississippi. He graduated with honors from Jones County Junior College and received his B.S. with honors from William Carey University. After graduating from William Carey in 1994, McDaniel entered the University of Mississippi School of Law, graduating cum laude in 1997 with a Juris Doctor degree.

In 1997, McDaniel entered a two year federal clerkship with United States District Court Judge Charles W. Pickering, Sr. After leaving his position as a law clerk with Judge Pickering, McDaniel joined the law firm of Hortman Harlow Bassi Robinson & McDaniel, becoming a partner in 2003. His areas of concentration include Litigation, Insurance Defense, Corporate Law, Products Liability, Commercial Litigation, Consumer Products Litigation, Mass Tort Litigation, Complex Multi-Party Litigation, Legislation, Constitutional Law & Civil Rights. He is licensed to practice law in Mississippi and Texas.

William Thad Cochran (born December 7, 1937) is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman from 2005 to 2007.

Cochran was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi, the son of Emma Grace (née Berry) and William Holmes Cochran, a teacher and school principal, respectively. His family settled in Hinds County, Mississippi, home of the state capital, Jackson, in 1946 after a few moves around the northern part of the state. Cochran still lives in Jackson today. Cochran earned Eagle Scout as a youth and was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award as an adult. He graduated valedictorian from Byram High School near Jackson and received a B.A. degree from the University of Mississippi with a major in psychology and a minor in political science in 1959. There he joined the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and was on the cheerleading squad (fellow senator Trent Lott was also an Ole Miss cheerleader). After a time in the United States Navy (1959–1961), he attended the University of Mississippi School of Law, was elected to the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and graduated in 1965. He then practiced law for seven years. He married Rose Clayton on June 6, 1964; the couple has two children, Clayton and Kate.

Esmael “Toto" Mangudadatu or (Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu) (b. August 15, 1968) is the Governor of Maguindanao, in the Philippines. Mangudadatu was elected for governor of Maguindanao after defeating his closest rival, Ombra Sinsuat by a margin of 12,705 votes. The race came to international attention after the 2009 Maguindanao massacre during which his wife, sisters, aides, and lawyers, plus several journalists were kidnapped and murdered. Andal Ampatuan, Jr., against whom Mangudadatu was running for Governor, was charged with the murders. He denies that he was involved.

Esmael Mangudadatu was born on August 15, 1968 to father Pua Mangudadatu who was a famous politician that was president of the “Magnificent 7,” a group of influential politicians in the province at the time. Esmael Mangudadatu's uncle is Pax Mangudadatu incumbent representative of the 1st district of Sultan Kudarat in Tacurong City.

Seeking to escape his political dynasty, Mangudadatu went to University in order to be a doctor. It was there that Mangudadatu met his wife Genalyn, from the Ilongga clan, while they were both students in Davao City, Mindanao. They married on November 11, 1991. Starting a family after getting married cut his medical studies short but even after having many children he earned his Political Science degree from the University of Mindanao in Davao City.