But critics saw it as a me-first exercise in incumbent protection that undermines both political parties.
Thanks to a bipartisan spirit of incumbent protection, only 42 of the House's 435 seats are open, compared with 93 in 1992.
As for incumbent protection, nothing beats the current system.
The Republican resistance focused on three issues: free speech, incumbent protection and labor.
Even more important, Mr. Spitzer vowed to veto the next redistricting maps unless they were "reflective of democracy, not incumbent protection."
Tribalism in New York politics is as deep-seated as incumbent protection.
Redistricting and other incumbent protections have created a Republican fortress in recent years, with so little turnover that even the party's relatively narrow majority is very hard to crack.
The Court found evidence that other factors, including incumbent protection, were considered.
But in the name of reasonable limits, we get sheer incumbent protection.
But because elected officials might lose their seats, it is known better as incumbent protection.