Congress and the Constituent: Investigating Member Responsiveness in Contemporary Congresses

Document
Document

This thesis examines whether the relationship between members of Congress and their constituents has changed as increased partisanship and polarization have altered the American political environment. I investigate the link between district demographics, district ideology, and member ideology to determine the factors to which members are most responsive. Largely drawing on US Census data, DW-NOMINATE scores, and my own original data, I pay special attention to House Republican legislation related to nationally salient issues—the Affordable Care Act and executive action on immigration—under the Obama administration. I find that members' own ideological leanings affect their decisions to sponsor and cosponsor, as do demographic factors, although neither factor is a consistent influence on behavior. The district's strength of partisan preference, however, does not play a role. As a result, contemporary conceptions of member responsiveness to constituents should reflect this nuanced view of legislative behavior.

    Item Description
    Name(s)
    Date
    April 15, 2015
    Extent
    82 pages
    Language
    eng
    Genre
    Physical Form
    electronic
    Discipline
    Rights and Use
    In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted
    Digital Collection
    PID
    ir:1005