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Members, Resources, and Strategies

Members, Resources, and Strategies. Candidates and Experience. Many Candidates have previously held elected office Most are male Most are wealthy Most are white. Congressional Staff. Important for idea generation Filtering Dealing with/assisting constituents Issue networks.

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Members, Resources, and Strategies

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  1. Members, Resources, and Strategies

  2. Candidates and Experience • Many Candidates have previously held elected office • Most are male • Most are wealthy • Most are white

  3. Congressional Staff • Important for idea generation • Filtering • Dealing with/assisting constituents • Issue networks

  4. Voting Decisions • Delegate v. Trustee • Constituents v. Party v. Contributors v. Beliefs v. …

  5. Members’ Constituencies

  6. Factors that shape voting decisions • Upcoming elections • Personal beliefs • Position-taking for career advancement Nothing really different for congressional behavior in general

  7. Modern Congress and Specialization • Members are facing a “crowded” media • Polling and career advancement • Difficulty getting district-based bills through legislative process • Lack of patronage

  8. FIGURE 4.1. Number of Personal and Committee Staff in the House and Senate, 1930-2001

  9. Casework and the Modern Congress • No patronage, but big bureaucracy • Who votes? • Older, long-term residents v. college students • Problem of Redistricting • Party identification among voters • Partisanship “good” for framing choices • “Bad” for incentivizing incumbent responsiveness

  10. FIGURE 4.2. Percent of Personal Office Staff Located in District or State Offices, 1972-2001

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