Home or Away?: An Analysis of How Institutions Shape Representation

• Other Authors: Rugeley, Cynthia R. (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Political science
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-1932

In the American political system we expect some meaningful connection between citizen opinion and legislative voting behavior. The literature has told us that on a broad scale this connection exists. However, we really know very little about influences on that relationship. The question here is how institutions shape representation. I use the variance available in state legislatures to explore how legislative and electoral institutions influence policy responsiveness. Results presented throughout the manuscript show that institutions benefit or constrain representation. Legislative institutions benefit representation by defining the capacity for representation, and electoral institutions provide the incentives for representation. And second, results show that legislators less responsive to the preferences of their geographic district are more likely to be defeated in future elections. The effect of representation on re-election in this analysis is greater than other indicators of electoral defeat. === A Dissertation Submitted to the Department of Political Science in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. === Summer Semester, 2007. === June 14, 2007. === Public Opinion, Professional Legislatures, Electoral Institutions, Legislatures, Representation === Includes bibliographical references. === Cherie Maestas, Professor Directing Dissertation; Lance deHaven-Smith, Outside Committee Member; William D. Berry, Committee Member; Tom Carsey, Committee Member; Robert Jackson, Committee Member.