Spirals of Trust? The Effect of Descriptive Representation on the Relationship Between Citizens and Their Government

Research on black representation in Congress emphasizes the material gains associated with black office holding over the intangible goods associated with citizens’ ability to identify racially with their legislators. This article considers the effect of descriptive representation on the relationships among citizens, legislators, and the Congress. With data from the 1980–1998 ANES, I show that whites and blacks differ in the value they place on descriptive representation. White constituents more favorably assess and are more likely to contact representatives with whom they racially identify. This tendency is partially explained by racial differences in legislators’ ideological profiles, but also reflects extrapolicy and explicit racial concerns. Black constituents place less significance on descriptive representation, although they are more likely to contact black representatives. Although the relationships between legislators and their constituents are influenced by race, perceptions of Congress as an institution are not affected by constituents’ ability to identify racially with their representatives. Claudine Gay is Assistant Professor of Political Science, Stanford University, Encina Hall (West), Room 466, Stanford, CA 94305-6044 ([email protected]).