Dartmouth Events

How do constituents want to be represented by elected officials in a context of affective polarization? Recent scholarship demonstrates that polarization is driven by negative partisanship, or a deep-seated hostility and loathing towards opposing partisans. Moreover, contemporary narratives about American politics suggest that citizens embrace expressions of negative partisanship, and that this comes at the expense of actual representation on policy. Indeed, members of Congress increasingly go public to express disdain for the opposite party. How do citizens react to such expressions, compared to when representatives support their policy preferences? Using a series of three conjoint experiments, I examine how individuals weigh the relative value of substantive representation on issues, constituency service, and partisan rhetoric. The findings challenge the notion that Americans are motivated more by their partisan identities than by policy, and demonstrate the value of policy congruence and constituency service even in an era of affective polarization.