The memory of that election has the 51-year-old incumbent senator spending a lot more time in the state.

He raised more money than any incumbent senator running in 2002.

In the election Tuesday only one of the 40 incumbent senators lost.

Most of the donors had clear ties to the incumbent Senator.

This year, 17 incumbent Democratic senators ran, some without opposition, and none lost.

And the question was this: Should it really be so extraordinary for an incumbent senator to face a serious primary challenge?

Say a mayor won the nomination to oppose an incumbent senator.

In the 1998 election, he had the weakest showing of any incumbent senator.

Robb was the only Democratic incumbent senator to be defeated in that election.

Since 1832, fifteen incumbent senators have received their parties' nomination.