Working-Class Legislators, Bill Writing, and Introduction: Limited Evidence of Substantive Representation in Congress

Erinn Lauterbach, Thomas J. Hayes, Nicholas Weller, Benjamin G. Bishin, Department of Political Science, Villanova University, Department of Political Science, University of Connecticut, Department of Political Science, University of California

Political Research Quarterly

Published online on March 17, 2026

Abstract

Political Research Quarterly, Ahead of Print.
Few groups are as poorly represented in Congress relative to their prevalence in the population as are members of the working-class. While working-class members of Congress vote more economically liberally than do other members, the extent to which they ...