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.

Gloria Johnson-Powell, MD (born Gloria Johnson, c. 1937) is a child psychiatrist who is also an important figure in the American Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) and was one of the first African American woman to attain tenure at Harvard Medical School [1].

She grew up in Boston, Massachusetts. She received her B.A. in economics and sociology from Mount Holyoke College in 1958 and her M.D. in 1962 from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed her residency at UCLA and was on the faculty there for fifteen years before joining the Harvard Medical School (where she was on the faculty for ten years).

She is currently the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health associate dean for cultural diversity and a professor of psychiatry and pediatrics [2].

In his 1999 book, The Children, David Halberstam includes her as one of the key figures in the civil rights movement [3].

Her text, Black Monday's Children, discusses the effect of desegregation on southern black children and she has continued working with minority children. Johnson-Powell has also published a book about the impact of sexual abuse on children. In addition, with her daughter, she wrote the biography of her mother.

Andrew Earl 'Andy' Jorgensen (born September 10, 1967) is a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 37th Assembly District since he was elected in 2006. He is a member of the Committees on Agriculture, Biofuels and Sustainable Energy, Consumer Protection and Personal Privacy, and Rural Affairs.

Jorgensen was born in Berlin, Wisconsin. He graduated from Omro High School in Omro, Wisconsin in 1986. He attended the Brown Institute, in 1987, to train for a career in radio broadcasting. He worked as a DJ and program host at WNBK in New London, then moved to WFAW, in Fort Atkinson. In 1995, took a job working on the assembly line at General Motors’ Janesville plant. He served as a shop steward for UAW Local 95.

Jorgensen is an adult leader with Boy Scout Troop 131. He is also an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, where he teaches Sunday school. He and his wife have three children.

Christopher J. “Chris” Larson (born November 12, 1980) is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 7th District since 2011. He was previously a member of the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors from 2008 through 2010.

Larson graduated from Thomas More High School in Milwaukee in 1999 and earned a Bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, with a minor in political science. During his freshman year at UWM, the 19-year-old was ticketed for shoplifting food from a Milwaukee grocery store. As part of a plea bargain, Larson agreed to take a course in exchange for having the charges dropped. The arrest has been repeatedly brought up whenever he runs for office.

Before being elected to the County Board in 2008, he was business manager of a sporting goods store. Larson is an avid runner, and has completed many marathons. He is married to Jessica; they live near Humboldt Park in Milwaukee.

On September 14, 2010 Larson defeated incumbent Senator Jeff Plale in the Wisconsin Democratic primary election, contending that Plale was far too conservative for the district. Larson won by 7,962 (60.7%) to 5,148 (39.3%) for Plale.

Keith Ripp (born November 13, 1961) is a Wisconsin politician.

Ripp was born in Madison, Wisconsin and was raised in Lodi. He graduated from Lodi High School in 1980, and took farming courses from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Ripp continues to run the family farm in northern Dane County, Wisconsin. He is a former president of the Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association.

Ripp served as a supervisor for the Town of Dane from 2006 to 2009. He was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 2008.