"For Republicans, the person who runs usually gives up a lot to run," Nuttle said. "The GOP doesn't have the bureaucratic farm club."

A run down the list of Democratic incumbents shows that there is nothing new about the phenomenon:

Second District: Incumbent Neal expected to defeat primary opponent Dimauro. No final election opponent. Michael Barone and Grant Ujifusa, authors of The Almanac of American Politics call this district "one of the safest of congressional seats."

Doug Sosnick, political director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said that since Dimaura's blunder over the Bank of New England, "I've taken that race off the screen."

.Third District: Representative Joseph Early, last opposed in 1984 when he won 67 percent of the vote. No challenger this year.

.Fourth District: Incumbent Frank expected to soundly defeat Soto. Won with 70 percent of the vote in 1988.

.Fifth District: Incumbent Atkins favored to defeat winner of GOP primary, most likely MacGovern. Atkins was unopposed in 1986 and won with 88 percent of the vote in 1988.

.Sixth District: Representative Nick Mavroules favored to defeat Boxford, Massachusetts, attorney Edgar Kelley. Mavroules faced his last tough challenge in 1982 when he won with 58 percent of the vote.

.Seventh District: Representative Edward Markey is unopposed for the third consecutive election.

.Eighth District: Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II faces Republican challenger Glenn Fiscus. Kennedy garnered 80 percent of the vote in 1988 when Fiscus challenged him for the first time.

.Ninth District: Representative Joseph Moakley is unopposed for the second consecutive election. His seat has been safe since he defeated Louise Day Hicks in 1972.

.Tenth District: Representative Gerry Studds faces a challenge for the second time from USAir pilot and Bridgewater State College faculty member Jon Bryan. While Bryan is drawing some support from the national Republican Party, Studds defeated him in 1988 with 67 percent of the vote.

.Eleventh District Representative Brian Donnelly is unopposed this year as he was in 1986. He sailed in two years ago with 88 percent of the vote.

"Maybe they feel this is the year to put all their ammunition in the statewide races where they probably feel they've got a better shot," Moakley said. "They've only got so many people and so much money."

The delegation's lone Republican, Representative Silvio Conte, is living proof that, at least, the incumbent theory works in both directions.

Conte faces a challenge by John R. Arden but is likely to be around for a 17th term, continuing his role as the dean of the state delegation.