Final answer:
Descriptive representation refers to representatives sharing characteristics with the group they represent, while substantive representation focuses on their actions. Both are important for African American congressional incumbents.
Step-by-step explanation:
Descriptive representation and substantive representation are two key concepts in political science that are important in understanding political representation.
Descriptive representation refers to the idea that representatives should share the same characteristics as the group they represent, such as race or gender. It is based on the belief that representatives who share these characteristics will better understand and advocate for the interests of that group.
Substantive representation, on the other hand, focuses on the actions and policies of representatives in advancing the interests of the group they represent, regardless of their own characteristics. Substantive representation involves actively working towards policies that benefit the group.
Both descriptive and substantive representation are important in the context of African American congressional incumbents. African American incumbents benefit from the incumbency factor, face weak challengers in elections, and engage in both symbolic and substantive forms of representation. It is argued that for African American incumbents, symbolic representation is also substantive representation; both are necessary components of African American political representation.