Useful phrase:

"Rich man's game."

The other week I popped into the printshop that had done printing for my campaign and the owner and her sister were there, and they were very complimentary about the scandal on the incumbent that I had gotten into the paper, and the sister was asking me if I'd run again, and I said that I was leaning against it, and though some major reasons remained, I think I'd be happier doing what I'm doing now, and that anyways barriers to that form of public service are just too high if you don't come from a higher socioeconomic status with your profession or your family background or whatever, or have a wealthy patron like some big union that's fronting you money.

"It's a rich man's game," the sister was like, grimacing.

Very true - and very much like academia, too.

Hustle and talent just don't compensate as much as you'd think for wealth and patronage, at least nowadays, and at least in the many domains that I've been active in in my adult life.