Everything you want to know about the 2018 midterm House elections in 8 charts
You’re well aware the 2018 midterm elections took place, but you probably weren’t nuts enough to stay up to see the almost final results. Luckily for you, we were and… Read More
The who, what, when, where, and why of congressional campaign spending
In what will come as a shock to no congressional observer, congressional campaigns are getting more and more expensive. The 2000 election cycle, for example, saw House candidates spend a… Read More
Rethinking redistricting and when it matters
Image source: US Census By Charles R. Hunt In a previous LegBranch post, I assessed some competing theories of how consequential the redistricting process has been to congressional… Read More
How committee staffers clear the runway for legislative action in Congress
Admittedly, the audience at this spring’s “The State of Congressional Capacity Conference” was a receptive one. Congressional scholars from across the country gathered and presented research asking and… Read More
Members of Congress may not look like their constituents, but they do look like their parties
Image source: Washington Post diversity map By Charlie Hunt Does the “People’s House” look like the people? This question has been addressed from many different perspectives and the answer… Read More
No, gerrymandering is not THE cause for non-competitive congressional elections and legislative polarization
The original gerrymander. 1812. By Charlie Hunt Perhaps the most hotly-debated case the Supreme Court has taken up in the past year is Gill v. Whitford, which will… Read More
New LegBranch.com Resource: How Wealthy Are Our Representatives?
Graphic created by Trey Billing, @TreyBilling It likely wouldn’t surprise anyone, much less a congressional scholar, to learn that most members of Congress are wealthier… Read More
Are Long Weekends Cutting Into Congress’s Productivity?
The typical congressional schedule finds members in legislative session beginning Tuesday morning and returning to their districts or states Thursday evening for constituent-related work. Members also have district work… Read More