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Disentangling Constituency and Legislator Effects in Legislative Representation: Black Legislators or Black Districts?

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  • Christian R. Grose

Abstract

Objective. Does the race of a legislator or does the black population of a district best predict legislative roll‐call voting in the interests of African Americans? Due to methodological limitations, no prior study has found that both the race of the legislator and the black district population are significant predictors of congressional roll‐call voting. Drawing on post Shaw v. Reno/Miller v. Johnson congressional districts (with greater data variance), I examine the effect of these two racial representation variables on roll‐call voting in the 104th–106th Congresses. Methods. Linear regression with random effects is employed in two statistical models. Results. Even when the black district population and party are considered, the presence of an African‐American legislator leads to greater substantive representation of black constituents. Conclusion. Districting plans that maximize the election of black legislators and Democrats are the most important for the aggregate enhancement of liberal voting in Congress, while districting plans that maximize black district populations and Democrats are the most important for the aggregate enhancement of civil rights voting records in Congress.

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  • Christian R. Grose, 2005. "Disentangling Constituency and Legislator Effects in Legislative Representation: Black Legislators or Black Districts?," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 86(2), pages 427-443, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:86:y:2005:i:2:p:427-443
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0038-4941.2005.00311.x
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    Cited by:

    1. Ebonya Washington, 2012. "Do Majority-Black Districts Limit Blacks' Representation? The Case of the 1990 Redistricting," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(2), pages 251-274.
    2. Ebonya L. Washington, 2011. "Do Majority Black Districts Limit Blacks' Representation? The Case of the 1990 Redistricting," NBER Working Papers 17099, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Walter Clark Wilson, 2010. "Descriptive Representation and Latino Interest Bill Sponsorship in Congress," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(4), pages 1043-1062, December.
    4. Jones, Daniel B. & Walsh, Randall, 2018. "How do voters matter? Evidence from US congressional redistricting," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 25-47.
    5. Trevon D. Logan, 2018. "Do Black Politicians Matter?," NBER Working Papers 24190, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Christian R. Grose & Keesha M. Middlemass, 2010. "Listen to What I Say, Not How I Vote: Congressional Support for the President in Washington and at Home," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 91(1), pages 143-167, March.
    7. Christopher N. Lawrence & Scott H. Huffmon, 2015. "Keeping Up with the Congressmen: Evaluating Constituents’ Awareness of Redistricting," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 96(1), pages 65-75, March.
    8. Nolan Kopkin, 2017. "Substantive Black Political Representation: Evidence from Matching Estimates in the United States House of Representatives," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 44(3), pages 203-232, December.
    9. Brian Beach & Daniel B. Jones & Tate Twinam & Randall Walsh, 2018. "Minority Representation in Local Government," NBER Working Papers 25192, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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