In Representing the Disadvantaged: Group Interests and Legislator Reputation in the US Congress, Katrina F. McNally has carefully and systematically demonstrated that one of the most important tenets of representative democracy holds generally true in the U.S. Congress: constituency interests are translated effectively into representational advocacy. Although sometimes imperfect, as in the case of the interests of racial/ethnic minorities, and affected by institutional differences (House of Representatives v. Senate), the overall takeaway from Representing the Disadvantaged is that it is possible, indeed even likely, that representatives in the U.S. Congress will advocate for disadvantaged groups when their numbers are larger and when public support is greater in their districts and states. These findings reinforce how we understand and teach representation. Dr. McNally has offered a very important contribution to our understanding of Congress as an institution and the congressional behavior of individual members.
Starting from the premise...
University of California Press