incumbents
n. countablen. people who currently hold a specific job or position, especially in politics or business. It is often used when talking about an election where someone is trying to keep their job against a new person.
n. the current holders of an office or post. Often used in political or corporate contexts to distinguish established figures from challengers.
The incumbents usually have an advantage during an election.
In the upcoming local elections, several incumbents are facing strong challenges from younger candidates.
Market incumbents often struggle to innovate as quickly as startups because their existing business models and internal bureaucracies resist radical change.
Commonly used in the plural to refer to a group of office-holders or established companies in an industry.