Final answer:
Even though the congressional approval rating is low, the incumbency rate in the U.S. Congress is usually high, at around 85-90%.
Step-by-step explanation:
The incumbency rate in the United States Congress, despite a low congressional approval rating, is often very high. This phenomenon can seem counterintuitive given that congressional approval ratings have mostly fluctuated between 20 and 60 percent historically, often falling below 40 percent in the last fifteen years and sometimes dipping into single digits during times of particularly intense disapproval. Nonetheless, the incumbency rate for Congress usually remains around 85-90%, indicating that sitting members of Congress are very likely to be re-elected despite public dissatisfaction with the legislative branch as a whole. This rate reflects the advantages of being an incumbent, including name recognition, access to campaign finance, and established political connections.