… Political scientists have found that politicians mired in scandal are indeed in worse shape than their colleagues, but that is a relative measurement. A study of post-Watergate Congressional scandals by Scott J. Basinger of the University of Houston found that while scandal-tarred incumbents were far more likely to retire or resign, nearly three-quarters of those who decided to run again survived their primaries and 81 percent of those who made it to the general election retained their seats. [cont.]
Campbell Robertson, New York Times