Electoral Incentives in Congress (Legislative Politics And Policy Making)

Carson, Jamie L.; Sievert, Joel

ISBN 10: 047213079X / ISBN 13: 9780472130795

Published by University of Michigan Press, 2018

About this Item

Seller Inventory # 378575997

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Electoral Incentives in Congress (Legislative Politics And Policy Making)
• Publisher: University of Michigan Press
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 047213079X
• ISBN 13: 9780472130795
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

David Mayhew’s 1974 thesis on the “electoral connection” and its impact on legislative behavior is the theoretical foundation for research on the modern U.S. Congress. Mayhew contends that once in office, legislators pursue the actions that put them in the best position for reelection. Carson and Sievert examine how electoral incentives shaped legislative behavior throughout the nineteenth century by looking at patterns of turnover in Congress; the renomination of candidates; the roles of parties in recruiting candidates and their broader effects on candidate competition; and, finally by examining legislators’ accountability. The results have wide-ranging implications for the evolution of Congress and the development of legislative institutions over time.

About the Author

Jamie L. Carson is the UGA Athletic Association Professor of Public and International Affairs II in the Department of Political Science at the University of Georgia.
Joel Sievert is Assistant Professor of Political Science at Texas Tech University.