Legislative Careers in Six States: Are Some Legislatures More Likely to be Responsive?

Luttbeg, Norman R.

We expect more responsiveness to the public in a more competitive political system. This paper focuses on the careers of members of the lower houses of six state legislatures to see how states differ in the competition that legislators typically experience over a career. On many of the measures, states differ as we might expect given previous research on political party competition. All six states lose experienced legislators quickly; few legislators stay beyond 12 years in office. More leave voluntarily than because of electoral defeat. These findings raise the question who is less responsive: the legislator willing to retire voluntarily or the secure incumbent?

UNITED States; POLITICAL systems; AMERICAN politicians; RETIREMENT; CAREER changes; LEGISLATIVE bodies; POLITICAL parties; PRACTICAL politics; LEGISLATION

Legislative Studies Quarterly, 1992, Vol 17, Issue 1, p49

0362-9805

Academic Journal

10.2307/440080