Each member of the House or Senate answers to voters back home, to a party, and to a conscience. How should a member decide? Political scientists describe three roles.
| Role | How the member decides | The case for it |
|---|---|---|
| Delegate | votes as most constituents want | the people rule; the member is their voice |
| Trustee | uses his or her own judgment of what is best | members can study the facts and weigh the whole nation's interest |
| Politico | mixes the two, by issue | follow constituents on issues they care about most; use judgment on the rest |
Why it works
Each role has a real defense, and each fits the Constitution's mixed design. The House, with two-year terms, pulls members toward the delegate role; the Senate's six-year terms give more room to act as trustees. Other forces shape the choice: party leaders and voters who expect party loyalty; divided government, when one party holds the presidency and another a house of Congress; and the pull of reelection. Incumbents are hard to beat: House members who run again have won more than 90 percent of the time in most elections since the 1980s, helped by name recognition and constituent service ("casework"). Madison argued in Federalist No. 57 that frequent elections and living under their own laws would keep representatives faithful.
Key idea
Members may act as delegates (vote as constituents want), trustees (use their own judgment) or politicos (mix the two). Party, divided government and reelection shape their choices.
Worked example: Name the role
A senator's state strongly supports a bill; after studying it she votes no, saying it will hurt the country, and explains her reasons at home.
- She follows her own judgment over constituents' wishes.
Answer: Trustee.
Worked example: Mixed cases
A House member always votes with farmers in his district on farm bills but follows his own judgment on foreign policy, which few constituents follow closely. Which role?
- On one issue he acts as a delegate, on another as a trustee.
Answer: Politico.
Common mistake
Thinking one role is the correct one. Each has defenders: delegates follow the people's wishes; trustees bring judgment and information. Most members blend them. Practice asks you to identify the role in an example, never to rank them.