In an era of deep political polarization, a new study indicates that many members of Congress may be out of step not just with the opposition party, but with their own voters as well.
The study by the Institute for Legislative Analysis, a conservative group led by Republican Party activists Fred McGrath and Ryan McGowan, compares the ideological leanings of every sitting member of Congress with the partisan makeup of their districts, drawing on more than 100,000 votes cast in the last session and overlapping them with the Cook Political Report’s Partisan Voter Index. The result is a striking picture of ideological misalignment across both parties, particularly among Republicans from deep-red states.
“It’s shocking to see that some Republican lawmakers are more aligned with the Democratic Party than with their own constituents,” said Fred McGrath, president of ILA and leader of this study.
More than two-thirds of lawmakers received a failing grade (“F”) for ideological alignment with their districts. Republicans were most often penalized for voting less conservatively than their deep-red districts, while Democrats struggled to meet the progressive expectations of blue districts.
“This study shows the overwhelming majority of elected officials in both parties are out of alignment with the people they represent,” said Ryan McGowan, CEO of the ILA. “Too many are either voting against the ideological tendencies of their constituents or failing to provide a clear alternative when representing swing districts.”
Hellbound and Down 