Final answer:
David Mayhew asserts that members of Congress prioritize actions that increase their re-election chances, such as advertising, credit claiming, and position taking, over pursuing activist agendas. Therefore, the given statement is false.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to David Mayhew, the chief incentive for members of Congress is not specifically to pursue their activist agendas, but rather to secure re-election. Mayhew describes three key strategies that lawmakers use to this end: advertising, credit claiming, and position taking.
These activities help them to both appear active in representing their constituents' interests and to foster a favorable image among voters. Therefore, the statement that the biggest incentive for most members of Congress is to pursue their activist agendas is false. In fact, their motivations are more closely aligned with actions that enhance their chances of staying in office.