Representation, Competing Principals, and Waffling on Bills in US Legislatures. Issue 3 (5th May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kirkland, Justin H.; Harden, Jeffrey J.
• Is Part Of: Legislative studies quarterly. Volume 41:Issue 3(2016:Aug.)
• Page Start: 657
• Page End: 686
• Publication Date: 2016-05-05
• Subjects: legislative behavior -- representation -- waffling; Legislative bodies -- Periodicals; Parlement; Procédure législative; Système parlementaire; Étude comparée (Descripteur de forme); Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 328
• DOI: 10.1111/lsq.12132
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0362-9805

Abstract

Abstract : Legislators are often placed in the position of representing the interests of their constituents against the preferences of their own party leaders. We develop a theoretical framework indicating that these cross‐pressured legislators are more likely to initially support legislation and subsequently change their minds than are legislators whose constituents and leaders share similar preferences. Moreover, we expect this pattern to be most pronounced among members of majority parties than minority‐party members. We test our expectations using data on bill cosponsorship and final passage votes from 46 lower state legislative chambers and the US House, finding considerable support for our theory.