Does the American Dream Matter for Members of Congress?

Abstract

Do legislators from upper-class backgrounds behave differently from those from humble beginnings? Scholars of representation have made progress understanding the effects of a legislator’s social class on roll-call votes, but ideology is also understood to be shaped during adolescence. Using data from Nicholas Carnes’ White-Collar Government, I find that upper-class members of Congress with working-class parents are significantly more liberal than upper-class members with upper-class parents. This trend is particular to the Democrats; Republican voting records do not significantly differ with respect to parental class. Findings are robust to potential confounders, including race, gender, and district characteristics.

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